Black Buzz Sports News
Pittsburgh Pa.
March 11, 2010
The Pitt Panthers lost a tough quarterfinal Big East game against Notre Dame 50-45 . However Pitt's leading scorer Ashton Gibbs failed to show up as he continually passed up open shots and never once attempted to take the ball to basket or penetrate through the stellar Irish defense. Gibbs was only going through the motions of playing basketball and his lack of effort and intensity probably caused the Panthers to lose again to the boy's from Notre Dame. I don't care who you are playing against you are suppose to give 200 per cent even if your opponent is "Godzilla or "King Kong ".
At five feet eight I played forward for Slippery Rock Area High School in Slippery Rock Pa. I played against the great Fuqua brothers of Union Twp. high school who were 6'4' and 6'5' and I held my own against those brothers because I thought every time the rebound went up it was mind regardless of my postioning on the court. Note the Fuqua brothers Union Twp. team of Lawrence County was the only team to defeat the State Championship team from Wampum Pa. led by the famous Allen brothers Ronnie, and All World Major League baseball player Richie Allen. Even though Union Twp.walloped my Slippery Rock Rockets when the game was over the Fuqua brothers said "man who is that little guy you have playing under the basketball ". I wasn't a good basketball player and everyone in Pittsburgh knew that I was a great swimmer, an accomplished track star, dominating football & baseball player but I walked and bicycled six miles a day one way to play basketball for Slippery Rock High. Oh! I could dunk the ball and I could jump as high as the gym ceiling. Ugh ! After walking and bicycling all those miles I thought I was "Super Man".
In one game against Enoch High School in located in Saxonburg Pa. one of their loyal fans called me a "Nigger" after I furiously blocked one of their players shots by slapping the ball in his face and rebounding the ball by spreading my legs so wide intentionally that my feet hit him in his private area. I started to go up into the stands after the fan who called me the epithet but I was intercepted and restrained by the former assistant football and track coach of Schenley High School Fred Lucas, who was also a member of the Slippery Rock High School basketball team.
Mr Gibbs, what do you think the Notre Dame players are saying about your performance in the game that they shut you down ? Why coach Dixon didn't make the necessary adjustments that would have freed you up more is beyond my comprehension. Pitt's so called high school All American Dante Taylor kept blowing his assignment on the switches in the lane which permitted Notre Dame to get many easy baskets. Yes this is one game that the great Jamie Dixon was out coached by Mike Brey.
But the Panthers still had a great season and they exceeded all expectations and hopefully this will be a learning lesson for Mr. Gibbs and the entire Panther basketball organization. What you do or don't do in practice shows up in the game. How you practice is how you play in the game. Mr Gibbs always give 200 per cent so your opponent can say "Now I know who Ashton Gibbs is " and what a ball player". That's what the opposing players used to say about Pitt legend Sam Bam Clancy.
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