Sad but looks to be true....

Matthew Steinbrink ‏@MattSteinbrink 2h2 hours ago Unfortunately, it sounds like the Pittsburgh Pro-Am will be cancelled this summer. League will also be de-certified, so no return in sight

 

Last edited by CLK (6/24/2015 8:07 am)

Injuries, NCAA rule changes force cancellation of Pittsburgh Pro-Am basketball leagueJune 24, 2015 1:04 PM
By Paul Zeise

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/college/2015/06/24/Injuries-NCAA-rule-changes-force-cancellation-of-Pittsburgh-pro-basketball-league/stories/201506240205

The Pittsburgh Basketball Club Summer Pro-Am League had a glorious nine-year run, but at least for this year it’s being canceled due to injuries and changes to the NCAA rules regarding the rosters.

Club president John Giammarco said University of Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon told him he didn’t have enough healthy players for the league this year.

Giammarco said that without the Pitt players, the league lost some of its attraction for other teams and to the fans, and that’s when it fell apart.

“This is really a shame for the fans and the people who came out to watch the league and loved it,” Giammarco said. “But the reality is, the showcase program in town is Pitt and because of a roster shortage and injuries, they basically took their ball and ran home and that sent this into a tailspin.

“I understand it but at the same time I have a hard time with the idea that you let seven or eight players affect a whole lot of other players who wanted to play. I can tell you that the disappointment from fans and some players and the feedback I am getting is best described as toxic.”

Dixon, who has three players out with surgeries and at least five others either recovering from previous surgeries or nagging injuries, said the changes to the NCAA rules were also a part of the decision.

“The rules have changed to where you could only have two players from one college team on each of the summer league teams,” Dixon said. “That sort of made it difficult with only so many Division I players available to have the kind of competitive league you are looking for.

“Hopefully, it is something we can revisit for next year, but for this year it just didn’t seem like it was going to be able to work out.”

Robert Morris University also had some scheduling conflicts because the Colonials had night classes on Wednesdays and the league games were scheduled on Monday and Wednesday.

Duquesne coach Jim Ferry said he is disappointed that the league isn’t coming together this year and like Dixon hopes it can make a comeback next year.

“Jamie called me and talked to me about it and I completely understand where he was coming from,” Ferry said. “I’m disappointed and those guys did a really good job of running a league but sometimes there are things that happen that are just beyond your control.

“I liked the league a lot, I was in New York City all those years and we didn’t have a Pro-Am league like this one.”

Giammarco said he’s not too optimistic that the league can take a year off and be revived next year because of the amount of planning involved.

“I just don’t think the passion will be the same, I think people will move on from it. It is yet another self-inflicted wound to a basketball institution in this town,” he said.

“My disappointment is for the fans but also for the guys who volunteered to do stats, the kids who volunteered to help out,” Giammarco said.

He said part of the charm of the summer league was that fans who maybe can’t afford to see Pitt play during the regular season could see the Panthers players up close and for free.

Giammarco had proposed keeping the league alive for this year and filling in the rosters with some of the top Division II players in the area, but he said that idea was not well received.
 

Last edited by CLK (6/24/2015 2:19 pm)

I was wondering how the injury problems at Pitt would affect this thing. The fact that WVU has basically given up on it didn't help either. YSU helped, but their attendance was sporadic as well.

Hey Jimmy Ferry, send the guy some DU stuff. Fix him up.

Also, ever hear of the Jersey Shore summer league? That's where the NY kids play.

Sheesh!

ElDuque wrote:

There is such an opportunity here. If you can start to be competitive with Pitt on a regular basis, you can win this city's heart. It's happened so many times in the past. Discounting its injury problems, there's such an arrogance to Pitt and its fans, they think the universe revolves around them. One of the reasons I've always hated (in a rivalry sense, before anyone's thong gets wedged too far) them, and probably always will.

.

This is true. 45 years ago, it was Duquesne who was considered to be arrogant, and Pitt was the little guy who was easy to root for, so it could surely be reversed, although the league thing makes it more difficult than it was when the two schools were basically on the same level.
 

ElDuque wrote:

http://www.jerseyshorebasketballleague.com/rosters/

Interesting: “...I was in New York City all those years and we didn’t have a Pro-Am league like this one.”

I guess the new guy at LIU figured it out. Check the rosters.

That's a pretty crappy league for NYC. I didn't see a whole lot of St. John's or Seton Hall players on those rosters. Pitt, and WVU are well above those schools. Six players from major programs in the entire league. You'd think the NYC area could come up with a better league than that. Where is the real NYC talent playing this summer?
 

Last edited by duq81 (6/25/2015 2:36 pm)

Strange as to when the Pitt medical team decides to do these surgeries and a possible problem for the season. Last year Cam Wright sat out the league and never looked good all season. I'm not sure why they aren't address as soon as the years over. All of their guards are on the shelf including the 3 point guy they brought in from Coppin State. The 6'9" kid from Richmond missed most of last season for them because of a foot injury.

ElDuque wrote:

Really? I read Pitt can't field a team right now.

You really think that's good league for NYC? Where are the good players playing this summer?