ACC Basketball: Pitt makes finalist of two top prospects, Duke scheduling

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 11: Head coach Jeff Capel of the Pittsburgh Panthers reacts during their game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the second round of the 2020 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Greensboro Coliseum on March 11, 2020 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – MARCH 02: Head coach Jeff Capel of the Pittsburgh Panthers (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /

This edition of the ACC Basketball Notebook will look at Pitt recruiting news as well as a couple of games that Duke has recently confirmed in 2020-21.

Pitt is a finalist for Adam Sanoga and Karim Mane

The Pittsburgh Panthers have two more scholarships available for the 2020 season, and they received good news in that department recently as they made the finalist lists of two of the top prospects currently looking to make their college decisions. The Panthers received excellent news from four-star center Adama Sanago on Tuesday as the 6-9 Mali native included the Panthers when he slashed his list from 10 to six. Sanago is also considering Auburn, Connecticut, Maryland, Nebraska, and Seton Hall. He is expected to reclassify from the class of 2021 to 2020.

Sanago’s decision to include Pitt came less than a week after four-star plus point guard Karim Mane included Panthers in his definitive list. Mane, who is from Montreal, is also still considering DePaul, Marquette, Memphis, and Michigan State.

In other news regarding one of Pitt’s remaining top targets, William Jeffress was recently named the Player of the Year by the Erie Times-News. Jeffress averaged 24.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.4 blocks for McDowell High School, which posted a 23-3 record and reached the Elite Eight of the PIAA 6A state playoffs. The 6-7 forward is McDowell’s all-time leading scorer with 1,673 points. Jeffress has Pitt along with Baylor, Penn State, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Stanford, Memphis, Villanova, and Virginia in his final 10 list.

Pitt currently has the 33rd best-recruiting class in the nation, according to 247Sports Composite. Four-star center John Hughley leads a four-man Panther recruiting class. Pitt also has an open offer to three-star point guard Taelon Martin (Jacksonville).