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More on Transfer Anton Gill

Anton Gill

During Louisville’s recent run to the Elite Eight, Rick Pitino harkened back to his Final Four team at Providence in a conversation with sophomore guard Anton Gill.

Gill came to Louisville as a highly touted prospect. He was ESPN’s 48th ranked player in the class of 2013 (two spots ahead of UCLA’s Zach Levine, eight higher than PC pledge Brandon Austin) and committed to Pitino and the Cards in December of his junior year. The commitment was viewed as a home run for Pitino at the time.

After winning a state championship in North Carolina, Gill spent his final high school season at Hargrave Academy, playing alongside future Louisville teammate Terry Rozier in one of the best backcourts in the country. The lefty twice scored over 50 points that season and projected to be a big-time scoring option for Pitino.

That never happened, though, as Gill was a part-time player in his two seasons at Louisville.

Sensing Gill needed an emotional lift during the NCAA Tournament, Pitino told Gill about former Friar Daryl Wright.

“In 1987 an improbable team went to the Final Four with Billy Donovan, and everybody always says looking back now, ‘Were those the two most fun years of your life?’ I said. What I learned and took away from those moments is I learned to dream for the rest of my life, and I thought everything was possible. Anton and I had an interesting conversation the other day. I called him up, and I was working out, and I said, ‘Son, you’re mentally in a funk. It’s nothing you’re doing wrong because you’re playing behind Terry Rozier, who’s an unbelievable player,'” Pitino said after Gill scored a quick seven second-half points to turn the tide in a Sweet 16 victory over North Carolina State last month.

Pitino continued, “But in ’87 we had to beat Georgetown and Alabama, Alabama in the Sweet 16, Georgetown in the Elite Eight, and a young man named Darryl Wright was like the seventh, eighth man on the team, wasn’t playing particularly well, and he was in a little bit of a mental funk. He went out and gave us an unbelievable lift and was the MVP of the region coming off the bench. I said, ‘You’re going to get your opportunity, son.’ Tonight I was going to put Shaqquan (Aaron) in, and I just thought about that, and he (Gill) went in and basically won the game for us with his two big plays… (Gill) doesn’t get his minutes and doesn’t get his playing time and still shows a great attitude. For him to have this moment, I’m thrilled.”

It would be the last big moment of Gill’s Louisville career. The 6’4 guard out of North Carolina announced after the season that he would be transferring, and somewhat ironically, he could end up at Providence. ESPN’s Jeff Goodman tweeted today that Gill will visit PC on April 17.

Cooley and his staff had a few opportunities to see Gill when Hargrave played in New Haven, CT, at the National Prep Showcase and later the National Prep Championship playoffs (where they were done in by a monster game from Noah Vonleh of New Hampton). Their hope would be that Gill reaches his potential with added experience and playing time. Gill played five minutes per game as a freshman (with DNP-CD’s in five of Louisville’s last six games) and under ten minutes per game this past season.

Gill came to Louisville with the reputation as a shooter and a terrific athlete — both of which are on display below. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

Twitter: @Kevin_Farrahar

Email: kevin.farrahar@friarbasketball.com

 

9 Comments

  1. Scott Petrocchi

    April 8, 2015 at 9:55 pm

    Robert Carlin

  2. Glenn Perrotta

    April 8, 2015 at 10:23 pm

    Shane Peter Darcy

  3. Glenn Perrotta

    April 8, 2015 at 10:23 pm

    Mike Mckenna

  4. Derec Lamendola

    April 8, 2015 at 10:25 pm

    CRIAG LEGHTION DEREC LAMENDOLA Enenthing ABOUT LaDoante Henton I CANT NOT FIND Schduile FOR HIS TOURMMENT And IS LaDoante Henton Going Play TOUMMENT This Weeekend IS HE And What’s Going ON And And IS ALL TOUMENT ALL WEEKEND And Enething Going ON ABOUT COACH COOLEY Enenthing New ON HIS Radow Show And I Won’t Coach Ed Cooley Doing Nether Wado Show When IS Next Wado Shorw And Enenthing About THE Reucding Class I Hard Friday

  5. Craig Leighton

    April 8, 2015 at 10:42 pm

    I will let you know how he does

  6. Derec Lamendola

    April 8, 2015 at 10:45 pm

    SWONDS GOOOOOD I WON’T LaDoante Henton STAY PlAY FOR PROVIDENCE COLLLEGE And We Need HIM BACK And CAN I GET A JOB Criag LEGHTION ON RUCDING

  7. Craig Leighton

    April 8, 2015 at 11:09 pm

    We don’t do this as a job Derek, we do this as a hobby because we love PC and love PC basketball.

  8. Derec Lamendola

    April 9, 2015 at 3:15 am

    OF Casue We DO Love PC Basketabll Absule And I Won’t Help OUT YOU Guyas ON The Rcuding Class ON Friday SO LET ME KNOW Who’s Coming IN TO Providence How LaDoante Henton

  9. Stephen P. Imondi

    April 9, 2015 at 1:26 pm

    It would be great to see Pitino give back to PC!

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