By Mike Kovak, Staff writer

mkovak@observer-reporter.com

PITTSBURGH - As the final seconds ticked away, Pitt men's basketball coach Jamie Dixon turned toward the end of his bench and made the call.

"Brown, you're in."

At the time, the No. 6 Panthers led NCAA Division II IUP by a healthy margin Saturday afternoon at Petersen Events Center and Dixon was playing a lineup filled with freshmen and walk-ons. The time had come for the newest member of the Pitt Panthers.

Sean Brown, a 2004 graduate of Canon-McMillan High School and a senior at Pitt, jumped up, ripped off his warmups and ran to the scorer's table.

"Whether it's 30 seconds or 30 minutes, to be able to be out there, it's unreal," Brown said. "This is a great experience. I'm doing anything I can to help."

In one official minute of play, Brown did not take a shot, grab a rebound or dish out an assist, but his appearance culminated one of the longer and stranger trips any Panthers walk-on has endured.

"It's like a modern-day Rudy. It really is," said Canon-McMillan boys basketball coach Rick Bell. "I'm very surprised but I'm also extremely proud and happy for him."

Brown, a 6-4 senior forward wearing No. 14, joined the Panthers as a practice replacement for Austin Wallace, who suffered a serious knee injury last December and is now listed as Pitt's student assistant coach.

For the player who entered the Big Macs' starting lineup as a junior following an injury to Justin Moore, Brown's presence on the Panthers' roster is a natural fit. Even if it took a few tries to land a roster spot.

"I'm real good friends with Tyrell Biggs and some of the other guys on the team. I've been playing pick-up games with them for years," said Brown, whose father, Darrell Brown, was part of Maryland's 1972 NIT championship team alongside Len Elmore. "Everything just sort of fell into place."

Now, Brown is one of 15 players on one of the most-hyped teams in Pitt history. The Panthers are 4-0 after an 86-60 win over IUP.

Pretty unlikely for someone who never put up spectacular numbers at the high school level.

"It's not like he just walked on at any program," Bell said. "My man might have a national championship ring."

And one great story to tell.

"Practices are intense," Brown said. "They're two to three hours of pure intensity. Coach Dixon wants us to be perfect and that intensity carries over into practice."

Brown and Biggs, Pitt's starting power forward, share an off-campus apartment, and the nephew of former Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Larry Brown also is close with point guard Levance Fields.

So, when Brown dishes out a hard foul during practice, at least he knows the guy he's going after.

As Greg Hotchkiss, Pitt's director of media relations for men's basketball, puts it, every one knows Brown because he's been around the team for years.

Originally, Brown wanted to join Pitt as a walk-on during his sophomore year. He dislocated a knee that year. He tried again last year.

During time away from the game, Brown worked on building an extensive sneakers collection. He currently owns between 300 and 400 pairs.

"I've got some real rare ones," he said. "I don't always go for the ones with the big name on them."

More rare than the sneaker collection is Brown's spot with the Panthers.

"I know everyone in Canonsburg is really happy for me to make it. It's hard getting here," Brown said. "I went home Tuesday night to talk with Coach Bell and the basketball team. I just wished them luck and told them to stay with their dreams."

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