Berenato, Zellous work wonders for Pitt women

Although Pitt is known for its men’s basketball dominance, a little-known tidbit slipped… Although Pitt is known for its men’s basketball dominance, a little-known tidbit slipped through the cracks in Oakland’s sidewalks this March.

The women’s basketball team was better.

After taking quite a while to gain respect on a national scale, the Panthers won their way to prominence in the 2007-08 season.

One year after advancing to its first ever NCAA Tournament and winning its first game, Pitt made a run to the Sweet 16 before falling to eventual runner-up Stanford.

Coach Agnus Berenato’s Panthers achieved the most successful season in program history, going 24-11 and finishing No. 16 in the national rankings.

Included in those 24 victories were Big East tournament triumphs over Villanova and Notre Dame and tough wins against Wyoming and Baylor in the NCAA tournament.

Seniors Marcedes Walker and Mallorie Winn provided leadership and results for the young Panthers.

Walker, a 6-foot-3 center, averaged 13.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game in her final campaign. Her presence in the middle drew added attention and opened up the outside game for point guard Winn and shooting guard Shavonte Zellous.

Zellous’ jump shot took over several games by itself. The redshirt junior paced the Panthers in scoring with 18.2 points per game. Zellous’ ability to create her own shot was vital in many of the team’s victories.

When Zellous performed her best, Pitt won games. During the club’s season-high 11-game winning streak in December and January, Zellous scored at least 20 points eight games in a row. That included three contests in which she scored 30 or more points.

The aforementioned winning streak was the highlight of Pitt’s regular season. Thanks to that run, the Panthers started Big East play 7-0.

But Walker got hurt late in the first half of Pitt’s next game against Big East powerhouse Rutgers, and the Scarlet Knights came back from being behind for most of the contest to win, 64-60.

The loss stung the Panthers, leading to a stretch of six losses in eight games. This portion of the schedule was the hardest of Pitt’s season and included ranked teams such as Rutgers, Notre Dame, West Virginia and No. 1 Connecticut.

Pitt bounced back in the Big East tournament and sealed its second straight NCAA bid with an upset over Notre Dame in the quarterfinals.

Connecticut knocked the Panthers around in the semifinals, but the goal was met.

This earned Pitt a No. 6 seed in the Spokane region, playing a virtual road game in Albuquerque, N.M., versus Wyoming in the first round. Facing hostile conditions from the traveling Wyoming fans, Pitt held off the Cowgirls, 63-58.

The Panthers pulled off their biggest upset to date by toppling the No. 3 seed Baylor in the second round. One year removed from its first ever tournament win, Pitt headed to the Sweet 16 against Stanford.

But the experienced Cardinal proved too much for Pitt in its quest for the Final Four. The Panthers inched within one, 47-46, with 8 minutes, 39 seconds?remaining in the game. Stanford took control at that point and went on to victory, 72-53.

Pitt’s season was undoubtedly a success, but now the focus turns toward next year with hope for further advancements.

Pitt loses three players from last year’s squad. Walker was not taken in the WNBA Draft but landed with the Houston Comets as a rookie free agent. Winn, who missed all of the 2006-07 campaign with an injury, averaged 8.3 points a game as Pitt’s primary 3-point threat. Backup point guard Karlyle Lim graduated as well, and she plans to play professionally in Korea.

Although the Panthers lost plenty of talent, they arguably return stronger this coming season.

Zellous will anchor the scoring from the shooting guard position as a senior. Slasher Xenia Stewart was a productive fourth option last season, and this year she will move to a more important role. Sophronia Sallard didn’t play much until late in the season but emerged as a vital cog with an outstanding NCAA Tournament.

Perhaps the biggest wildcard and most important factor will be the type of production Pitt receives from Jania Sims.

A speedy 5-foot-7 point guard, Sims started most of Pitt’s games last year until she was ruled academically ineligible. She missed the remaining 21 games of the season, allowing Winn to officially claim the starting spot.

If Sims can return to form – she was third on the team in scoring average – the Panthers will cause a lot of problems to opposing defenses.

Chelsea Cole should slide into the starting center spot left vacant by Walker. Cole put up respectable numbers as a freshman with 4.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. She also led the team in blocked shots. Cole is more mobile and quicker than Walker and could have a big season if she becomes more consistent offensively.

The Panther bench could be as deep as the Allegheny River. Taneisha Harrison improved immensely as her freshman season went on and should be the first off the pine. Forward Shayla Scott will get major minutes after fighting through injuries last year. Ashleigh Braxton can hit the outside shot, while Sylvie Tafen battles for rebounds under the basket.

Selena Nwude could help Cole and Tafen in the frontcourt, but she has to get on the floor first. Nwude missed all of last season following a knee injury suffered in the 2006-07 campaign.

At 6-foot-5, Nwude’s height and rebounding would only strengthen the Panthers’ reserves.

Two incoming freshmen add to the recipe as well. Shawnice “Pepper” Wilson and Kate Popovec both fit into Pitt’s equation at center and might be asked to play substantial minutes in their initial seasons. Wilson will be Pitt’s tallest player on the roster at 6-foot-6.

The teaching and maneuvering falls on Berenato, who enters her sixth season with the Panthers. Berenato has orchestrated a massive turnaround from only six wins in her first year at Pitt to three consecutive seasons with 22 wins or more.

Berenato’s career coaching record stands at 372-330, 89-66 at Pitt. She’s also coached at Rider and Georgia Tech.

A great upbeat personality who never has a bad thing to say about anything related to Pitt, Berenato has brought substantial change to a program that languished for years until her arrival. Her dedication and enthusiasm won over her players, potential recruits and Panther fans alike.

Thanks to Berenato, the thought of Pitt one day holding Big East hardware doesn’t provoke a laugh anymore.

In fact, it could be reality as early as this year.