According to a report by college basketball insider Jon Rothstein, Pitt will take on St. Johns in the 2021 Gotham Classic next season. The game will reportedly be held in December and is normally played at the famous Madison Square Garden.
Obviously, the big story here is this matchup would be the battle of the Champagnie brothers. The big question is whether or not the two brothers will still even be at their respective schools.
Justin Champagnie, a sophomore at Pitt, is currently leading the ACC in both scoring and rebounding and has found himself on Player of the Year Watch Lists and NBA Mock Drafts as of late. Justin is averaging 18.7 points per game and 11.6 rebounds per game.
Julian Champagnie, a sophomore at St. Johns, is leading the Big East in scoring, averaging 19.7 points per game to go along with 7.4 rebounds, a mark that ranks fifth in the conference.
The two Brooklyn brothers have grown up around the New York basketball scene, and while it may seem like a long shot, the opportunity to play against each other in college may play into their respective decisions to stay or leave.
Another interesting matchup this would feature would be a few Our Saviour Lutheran alumni taking on each other. Pitt’s Max Amadasun as well as St. Johns’ Posh Alexander and Dylan Wusu all attended the New York school, which is also home to multiple players that Pitt is currently recruiting.
Pitt and St. Johns, two former Big East rivals, have not faced off since the 2013 season. In that game, Pitt was led by none other than Brooklyn native Tray Woodall, who contributed 25 points and went 8 of 14 from the field. Pitt has won the last three matchups in the series, although St. Johns leads the all-time series 34-24.
Pitt last appeared in the Gotham Classic in 2015, when the Jamie Dixon-led team took down Davidson, improving its record to 9-1 on the season.
