Pittsnogle joins Xplosion
Former West Virginia basketball standout Kevin Pittsnogle hopes to turn those all-too-familiar Pittsburgh boos into cheers.
He took the first step Wednesday when he signed with the Continental Basketball Association's Pittsburgh Xplosion for the 2006-07 season.
"I really wanted to go overseas, and then I heard about this as another option and it'll keep me close to home," said Pittsnogle, who hails from Martinsburg, W.Va. "I think I have a better chance to be called up from the CBA than overseas. I'd like to make an NBA roster sooner than later, and I think this is a better steppingstone for me to get there."
An honorable mention All-American and first team All-Big East selection, the 6-foot-11, 255-pound center averaged 19.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and shot 41 percent from 3-point range his senior season. Pittsnogle, the sixth all-time leading scorer in WVU history, led the Mountaineers to three consecutive postseason appearances, highlighted by a trip to the Elite Eight in 2005.
The opportunity to play 2 1/2 hours from home is extremely appealing to Pittsnogle, husband and father of nine-month old son Kwynsie. After his senior season at WVU, Pittsnogle went undrafted in the NBA draft before he earned a tryout with the Boston Celtics. Immediately after Pittsnogle was cut from the team, he began negotiating with the Xplosion. Pittsnogle entered the 2006 CBA college draft, where he became the Xplosion's first pick and the sixth overall selection.
"I think we have great talent in Pittsburgh, but they always go somewhere because they don't have a team here in Pittsburgh to play," Xplosion co-owner and general manager Freddy Lewis said. "But now we are (an option) with this team here.
"I have some great feelings about this season because we go back three years now trying to put a program together here in Pittsburgh. To bring some fantastic professional basketball here to the city of Pittsburgh and the signing of Kevin Pittsnogle to our team, it is just so exciting to me because it shows that we are taking steps toward the right goal."
Pittsnogle will be reunited with former WVU teammate Drew Schifino, who played for the Mountaineers during Pittsnogle's freshman and sophomore seasons. Schifino, who played in Poland and Portugal last year, said he wanted to play closer to home. The Penn Hills High School graduate, along with Duquesne University grad Bryant McAllister, are new additions to the Xplosion, which finished 18-12 before losing their first game of the ABA playoffs last season. Former Pitt player Jaron Brown also is expected to sign with the Xplosion.
"It's unfortunate that (Kevin) is not in the NBA, but it's certainly fortunate for us that he's with us," Xplosion first-year coach Larry Anderson said.
"I'm happy to say we have a Pitt, Duquesne and WVU trifecta."
