Pittsburgh Basketball: 5 major offseason storylines for Panthers in 2021

5. Both Sibande and Horton are “key” to next season

The point guard play and frontcourt rebuild are going to rightfully get all the attention. However, for things to work well next season, guards Nike Sibande and Ithiel Horton has to be double-digit scorers.

This past season, Horton, a redshirt transfer from Delaware, averaged 8.9 ppg on 37% three-point shooting. He was primarily a starter but his production was extremely inconsistent. The 6’3 guard shot 38% from the field overall and a number of games where he shot 1/6 or worst, becoming a major offensive liability. Horton had six games of 15+ points but also had eight games of five or fewer points. He proved he can be a contributor at the ACC level but could be better served as a 6th man where he can be more efficient.

The player to watch for Pittsburgh will be Sibande, whose season was essentially sabotaged by covid and both Miami (OH) and the NCAA stopping him from playing at the start of the season. The 6’5 guard had to wait until December 16th and he had to find his way into a rotation and offense that already had a pecking order.

Sibande only scored more than three points once in the first nine games in limited playing time. But after the departures of Johnson and Toney, Sibande started and had a much bigger role on the team. It showed in the box scores, putting up 23 points against Wake Forest and 24 versus Miami in the last few games of the season. He also made 44% of his three-point attempts in a short sample size and proved to be the kind of offensive threat the team hoped for when he averaged 15 ppg in three years at Miami (OH).

Between these two, three-star wing commit Nate Santos, and young prospect William Jeffries off the bench, Pittsburgh is just fine on the wings, and both Horton and Sibande can play at the shooting guard position.

The Panthers won’t have to land transfers at those positions this offseason but will have to hope that with a regular offseason that these former mid-major guards can elevate into productive ACC players and help lead the team back into contention.