Sometimes a player just needs an opportunity.
After spending two seasons sitting on the end of the bench at Rutgers, big man Derrick Randall transferred to Pitt in the offseason where it looks like he will get the opportunity he has been searching for.
When a team loses five of their top eight players in terms of minutes played, there are going to be opportunities for players such as Randall to impress the coaching staff
This year there is no Steven Adams. There’s also no Tray Woodall or Dante Taylor. As a matter of fact, there’s no J.J. Moore or Trey Zeigler either.
That means someone has to get minutes. Fortunately for him, that means Randall is getting a long look from the Pitt coaching staff, which is good as he has a point to prove.
“I just want to show people I can play,” said Randall after the Panthers season opening win against Savannah State. “I just wanted the opportunity. I can make the defensive plays and the hustle plays. But I just want the chance to show people I can play.”
Randall did exactly that in his Panthers debut and he likely got more minutes than he likely expected when it was announced before the game that senior Talib Zanna had been suspended for the game due to a violation of team rules. That thrusted Randall into the starting lineup and he responded with the best game of his college career.
The 6’9″ junior was aggressive attacking the glass from the opening tip and finished with career highs in both points (12) and rebounds (12), most of which came on the offensive glass as Randall grabbed nine offensive rebounds.
It wasn’t against the greatest competition in the world, but it was a good sign nonetheless.
“It felt great,” said Randall. “It felt great just playing again. I just wanted to go out and give it my all and do everything right.”
As the competition gets better, Randall is more than unlikely to keep up the double-double pace, but he could provide Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon with a key big body off the bench.
With Adams and Taylor gone the Panthers have lost a lot of their rebounding from a season ago. Zanna is a very good rebounder, especially at the offensive end and if his shot selection improves, could put together a pretty good senior year.
But to contend in the tough ACC, Dixon will need constant production from the likes of both Zanna and Randall as they could turn out to be a nice tandem at the center spot.
It’s only been one game against bad competition, but Dixon likes where Randall is at early on.
“He is a good rebounder,” said Dixon. “He’s got good hands and is a better finisher than anyone expected. We expect good production out of that position this year.”
Only time will tell if Randall will be able to provide that production, but he will be given the opportunity to do so.
Sometimes that’s all an athlete needs.
Photo Credit: Associated Press
