Pitt's Diaz Graham Twins Live Out Dream on Court Together
PITTSBURGH -- It's rare that twin brothers Jorge and Guillermo Diaz Graham will be on the floor together and it's even rarer for them to play well simultaneously. In their short careers as Pitt Panthers, they have played sparingly while the coaches opt to play some of their many talented veterans more.
But with their team up by more than 30 points and the clock winding on a blowout victory over lowly Louisville, the brothers who had spent their lives living and playing together finally got to make the most of their time sharing the biggest stage they had played on. On an ACC basketball court in front of more than 7,500 fans, they both played their best games as Panthers.
“It was very fun sharing the court with my brother," Jorge said. "Very fun and the last play we did, I gave him the 3-pointer and he made it. It’s almost like a dream you have playing with your brother, making plays together in front of an awesome crowd and I’m really happy.”
Jorge finished with eight points, three rebounds, four blocks and a perfect 6-6 mark from the free throw line, while Guillermo scored 11 points, grabbed five rebounds and blocked five shots. Both were instrumental to creating Pitt's 18-10 advantage in points in the paint, 37-30 edge in rebounding and 41-24 lead in bench points. Against the Cardinals, Jorge played more than 10 minutes for the first time since December and Guillermo's 23-minute workload was the second largest of his career.
While the twins answered questions from local media following the win over Louisville, head coach Jeff Capel sat in between them, trying to hold back chuckles and smiles while they described their first extensive playing time together at the college level. Then Capel praised their effort and execution and reiterated something he's emphasized whenever he talks about the Diaz Graham twins - their joy for the game makes them a pleasure to coach.
"Those two young guys are awesome," Capel said. "From the time they took their official visit here and every day we get to be around them - they have joy for playing basketball, for being good teammates, for working. They’re not afraid of it. They are going to be really good players here.”
Their joy for the process and the game comes across as they describe their experience working to become college players during their freshman seasons.
Both Jorge and Guillermo spoke with glee about battling down low with other ACC big men. They recognize how hard it is to contend with players that big, strong and talented - and Jorge has the scrapes across his body and face from this game to prove it - but feel they were ready for the challenge. They claim battling for rebounds, blocks and layups against opponents is easier once you've sustained hits from the pads assistant coach Tim O'Toole wields in practice.
“We practice that every day with [Coach O'Toole] with the pads but once you get in the game, it’s real life because it’s not a pad," Jorge said. "It’s like bone and it really hurts now but mentally, you are ready to say ‘I don't care, I saw the ball, I’m going to get it’.”
The twins have also taken joy in playing with this specific team - one that they claim is unselfish beyond what they expected.
“I think we all have more joy when a teammate makes a basket than our own basket and I’m talking about the whole team," Guillermo said. "I think we all enjoy when someone makes a play, someone makes a basket more than when we do ourselves.”
Jorge used some simple math to make the same point.
“I always say the assists are more fun," he said. "Because a bucket makes happy one person but an assist makes happy two person."
Capel said they are two incredibly hard workers that are in the gym as much as anyone. The twins, plus sophomore forwards Fede Federiko and Nate Santos, call themselves "the quadruplets" and are constantly spending time together working on their games. As a result, games like the one they just enjoyed aren't surprises but rewards.
“I’m proud of them because they work, because they’ve earned it," Capel said. "It’s not just that there was an opportunity - they’ve earned this because of how they’ve worked every day."
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