Still Pitt’s ‘Burgh

It just wouldn’t feel like a battle for Pittsburgh’s basketball bragging rights without… It just wouldn’t feel like a battle for Pittsburgh’s basketball bragging rights without elbows flying, bodies flopping and fans screaming.

In an extremely physical 76th installment of the City Game last night, Pitt fended off an improved Duquesne 73-68 at Duquesne’s A.J. Palumbo Center. It wasn’t easy.

“We played hard,” Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said. “This was a good team. This will end up being a good win for us on the road.”

No. 12-ranked Pitt (8-0) jumped out to a 14-0 lead thanks to Duquesne’s 0-for-8 start from the field, and led by as many as 17 in the early going. But the Dukes, propelled by a raucous Palumbo Center crowd, fought back with a 14-2 run to cut Pitt’s lead to five.

Duquesne (6-2) pulled within one point on several occasions, but Pitt’s dynamic duo of junior forward Sam Young and freshman big man DeJuan Blair proved too much for the Dukes.

Young had 23 points and five rebounds, posing a constant matchup problem for the Dukes. His 3-pointer from the right corner with 1:35 remaining in the game put Pitt ahead 66-62 and provided a much-needed cushion in the game’s waning moments.

The 6-foot-6-inch Young stretched Duquesne’s defense with his three 3-pointers, but once the Duquesne defense picked up on the forward’s shooting range, he found his way into the paint and drew contact frequently.

Young said coaches scouting Pitt called his friend asking how defenses can stop him.

“My friend told him that now that I’ve added a 3-pointer, it’s going to be real tough to guard me,” Young said, laughing. “They must’ve been looking at last year’s scouting report [on me].”

Blair punished his lighter defender, Duquesne’s Shawn James, in the post. He had 10 points, nine rebounds and three steals.

The 6-foot-7 freshman used his bullish mentality, his 40-pound advantage and the rim to counter James’ unparalleled shot-blocking abilities. Blair converted several of his baskets by using the rim to shield his layups from flailing defenders.

Throughout the game, Blair was intent on asserting himself. The 270-pound center rocked two put-back dunks to start the second half after missing much of the first half with foul trouble. He dove after three loose balls at center court, showing a fearlessness Dixon liked.

“The effort by that kid, making plays like that, really stood out,” Dixon said. “It’s not often that big guys are energetic and talkative like him.”

Duquesne pestered Pitt all game with its full-court pressure, but it was the game’s pressure at the end that altered the Dukes’ upset attempt. Duquesne guard Kojo Mensah traveled with 40 seconds left to all but seal Pitt’s victory.

The noticeably improved Dukes turned the ball over 16 times, and the rough start on the offensive end came back to haunt them in their final push.

“I guess we didn’t know they were going to ball pressure us that much,” Duquesne guard Aaron Jackson said. “Pitt came out and played excellent defense.”

Duquesne’s two-headed monster in the post, James and 6-foot-10 Kieron Achara, fueled the Dukes’ offense.

James used his long arms to extend over Pitt’s smaller lineup and collect three offensive rebounds. James had 20 points and nine total rebounds before fouling out with 21 seconds left. His shot-blocking presence forced Pitt into countless floaters and lofted layups. James finished with five blocks.

“We played against him this summer so I knew he was a good player,” Young said. “But our team won the game.”

Achara added nine points, while Jackson scored 11 points. The win over Duquesne was Pitt’s seventh consecutive win in the rivalry. Pitt is now 45-31 against the Dukes. In his first taste of the City Game, Blair said the atmosphere was great. “I love the crowd,” he said.

When asked if he would ever lose a game involving a city team, Blair laughed.

“Nah,” he said.