Panthers Add a Forward

               The 2013 Basketball recruiting class for Jamie Dixon got off to a good start Saturday as Mike Young pledged to the Panthers. Mike Young becomes the first commitment for Coach Dixon in 2013, and could be the start of another solid recruiting class.  Mike Young is a talented 6-8 Power Forward that projects well as a three-four year player. He is regarded as a top 100 type talent and fills an area of need for Jamie Dixon. Pitt is thin at the Power Forward spot after 2012 with Dante Taylor graduating and leaving Talib Zanna as the only option, and he will be a senior. The 2013 recruiting class seems to have room for only two players as Travon Woodall and Dante Taylor are the lone seniors. The prospect of a transfer or Steven Adams leaving early could obviously change that.
             Mike Young is coming home of sorts. Young is a McKeesport native that played a season at Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh. Young transferred to St. Benedicts of New Jersey to get more exposure and obviously that move paid off. Young got to play better competition and also played in better AAU circuits. Western Pennsylvania is not a Basketball hotbed, and New Jersey could be considered the best state for High School Basketball. Young is the most highly regarded Pittsburgh basketball player since DeJuan Blair His hometown relations obviously played a factor into his decision.
            Pitt still has one scholarship to play around with for 2013, but it is very evident that the talent of Pitt is going up. The 2012 class of Steven Adams and James Robinson could be a special group that could carry Pitt to that coveted Final Four appearance. The commitment of Young could call for Pitt to try to land an off guard shooter of sorts. Pitt could also look to find another Center to backup Steven Adams and replace him in the event of an early departure.    Either way, Jamie Dixon has been recruiting very well of late and Pitt looks to be gearing up to be an elite ACC team moving forward.