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Blake Hinson #2 high-fives Guillermo Diaz Graham #25 of the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second half of their game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the second round of the ACC Basketball Tournament at Greensboro Coliseum on March 08, 2023 in Greensboro, North Carolina.
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Pitt mailbag: How will newcomers in transfer portal affect Pitt basketball's chemistry?

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Pitt mailbag: How will newcomers in transfer portal affect Pitt basketball's chemistry?

Welcome to the Pitt mailbag, where the Post-Gazette reporters Noah Hiles and Chris Carter answer all of your questions about the Panthers. If you have a question, tweet them at @_Noahhiles and @Cartercritiques or email them at nhiles@post-gazette.com and ccarter@post-gazette.com. Noah and Chris will answer your questions in full length each Tuesday on YouTube. You can read the condensed version of the discussion below.

Victor: With Pitt looking at some transfer forwards, it looks like next year will have at least 5 talented guys (Blake, Fede, the Twins, and a transfer) to play only 2 or 3 spots. Is that going to be enough playing time to make these guys happy?

Hiles: First things first, aside from Blake Hinson, no one else on this team has done enough to demand a starting spot or playing time. Federiko showed a ton of promise in the back half of the season and the twins had their moments in the tournament, but overall, Pitt needs to find the best players available. If that means those three young forwards have to compete for playing time, then so be it. Every player on Pitt’s roster was very open about the fact that rebounding and defending in the paint were two weak areas. If another player can come in and address those areas, that’s all that should matter. Personally, I don’t see any newcomers creating that much tension with the group Pitt has in its front court. Blake, Federiko and the twins are all very team-oriented. I think regardless of what moves are made through the portal, they all know Jeff Capel will find a way for them to remain heavily involved.

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Carter: I think one thing that we’ve seen this past year is that playing time wasn’t a major issue for this team. Culture is what drove Pitt’s success in 2022-23 and I think those four guys mentioned above will have a similar mentality next year. I remember Fede telling us he was happy to see Guillermo playing so well at center in the tournament and that he’d be fine if he had to come off the bench for the remainder of the season. I also think that playing Blake Hinson at small forward helps create more playing time for the twins, Federiko and any newcomers. Overall, I really don’t think this will be a big issue. Next year, Pitt could have a roster that most other good teams boast each year. I think fans might’ve forgotten what having true depth looks like.

Pitt linebacker Tylar Wirtz gets a reaction from his teammates during the bench press during the team’s Pro Day at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side on Wednesday, March 29, 2023.
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Michael: How do you feel about Pitt football playing the local schools like Duquesne and Robert Morris?

Hiles: While I’d love to cover it, I’m not sure what either side would have to gain. Pitt isn’t going to risk losing to a smaller school in its own city. As far as Duquesne and Robert Morris go, I don’t think Pitt would be willing to pay them as much as other Power Five programs would — especially not to play in their own backyard. I understand West Virginia is playing Duquesne this fall, which is pretty close to this scenario, but even that is still a little different.

Carter: Pitt doesn’t have enough to gain from playing Duquesne or Robert Morris. The city game has far more history on the basketball court than it does the football field. While the Panthers should be able to beat either school, why risk it? Losing to a team like Wofford hurts your program far less than losing to a smaller opponent from your own city.

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Lu: What is going on with Che Nwabuko? I haven’t heard anything. I know he does track but he was supposed to be a speedster on the football team.

Hiles: I asked Pat Narduzzi about the group of receivers behind the starters last week. He mentioned a few younger guys who are showing progress and Che was one of them. Just looking over Pitt’s depth chart, wide receiver is definitely a position where we will see some young guys get mixed in. The fact that Nwabuko has a year of learning Frank Cignetti’s offense under his belt is a big plus.

Carter: This year and next year will be when we start to see guys like Nwabuko, who are from the Class of 2022, start to see the field. There aren’t many players at Pitt who see playing time as true freshmen. Even though his position group is thin, he has to wait his turn behind other guys ahead of him on the depth chart. That’s not a bad thing, either. The idea that very few freshman have a chance to come in and immediately see the field should make Pitt fans feel encouraged about the depth Narduzzi and his staff have built throughout the roster.

Tom: To me, Bam Brima has always looked the part to be a dominant defensive player. How has he performed through these early parts of spring?

Pitt running back Israel Abanikanda runs the 40 during Pro Day at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side on Wednesday, March 29, 2023.
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Hiles: I think you nailed a big part of it right on the head when you said Brima, “looks the part.” The guy certainly looks like he could be a star at this level, but I think other things have kept him from reaching his full potential. First off, the guy just happened to arrive at Pitt when the Panthers had a ton of defensive line talent already on the roster. However, I think something Narduzzi said last week about Brima was very telling. When we asked Pat how he was coming along, Pat responded by pointing out how he wasn’t lined up properly when he received some playing time in the Sun Bowl. That tells me that, at least in the past, there was some frustration on the coaching staff’s end about his lack of progress. However, Narduzzi did end his answer by saying “Bam is going to play a lot of football for us,” which could mean he’s finally putting it all together.

Carter: If it’s going to happen it has to happen now. He’s a redshirt senior and although he has an extra year because of COVID, this isn’t a position group where the coaches will sit around and wait for you to get it together. Pitt has so much depth on the defensive line that if you’re not making plays, they’ll find someone else on the team that will. I still think Bam can be a good player, if not a starter. Narduzzi seemed encouraged with how he’s looked this spring, but I think we will know if his role will be significant or not by the time camp arrives.

Joshua: If Nino Bonaccorsi fought a bear, who would win?

Disclaimer: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette does not endorse college athletes engaging in any sort of physical competition against bears.

Hiles: Love this question. I think there are plenty of variables to consider here: How big is the bear? Has he eaten recently or is he cutting weight like Nino, thus making him hungry and a bit more angry? What type of bear are we talking about? If it’s a polar bear, I think Nino has no shot, but maybe he could pull off an upset if it’s against a smaller Black Bear. Location and officials also matter here. If it’s in the woods, that’s not going to go well for the champ, but if he can get that bear on the mat at a soldout Petersen Events Center ... I might go with Nino. If Khabib Nurmagomedov could wrestle bears as a child, why can’t Nino do the same? So, with all that being said, if the circumstances are right, yes, I think Nino could beat a bear.

Carter: No, Nino Bonaccorsi could not defeat a bear in a fight.

Thank you all for following along! Be sure to send questions on twitter to @_Noahhiles and @Cartercritiques or email them at nhiles@post-gazette.com and ccarter@post-gazette.com. And subscribe to our FREE daily all-sports newsletter, PG Sports Feed.

First Published: March 28, 2023, 2:47 p.m.

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