Nasir Robinson was not the most physically impressive player among coach Jamie Dixon's freshman class when Pitt played its first exhibition game against Seton Hill College last Sunday. Ashton Gibbs has a sweeter shooting stroke, Travon Woodall flashed great quickness and speed and Dwight Miller demonstrated raw athleticism.

But Robinson did have one thing over his fellow classmates -- the most impressive statistical line. Robinson, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound forward, was 5 for 6 from the field and scored 10 points with two rebounds, two assists and no turnovers in 13 minutes.

"I really didn't expect to come out like that," Robinson said. "I had a good feel for the game. I wasn't nervous. I was real relaxed. I just came out and did what I could do for the team and the results were OK."

If Robinson lacks the god-given skills of most elite prospects he makes up for it with toughness and a high basketball IQ. It was those intangibles that prompted Dixon to offer him a scholarship.

"He just has a knack around the basket," Dixon said. "He gets loose balls. I really like how he is tough and hard-nosed. He's a really good passer. And I like his attitude and energy. Those are the things that really stand out."

And those are the attributes that remind Dixon of another player he coached a few years ago -- Jaron Brown.

Brown, who played for Pitt from 2000-04, did not have a superior skill level, but he was one of the most indispensable players from those early Ben Howland and Dixon-coached teams because he did all of the little things that enabled those teams to win.

"They're similar in a lot of ways," Dixon said. "Both can play a lot of positions. Both are tough. And they both had to lose weight."

Robinson came to Pitt from the highly successful Chester High School program in Chester, Pa., another reason Dixon signed him. Dixon likes to recruit players from winning programs, and Chester certainly fits the bill.

Robinson led Chester to a 58-7 record in his final two seasons. As a senior last season, he guided the Clippers to a 33-1 record, the PIAA Class AAAA championship and a final No. 3 national ranking by USA Today.

"I watched Pitt games for a long time," Robinson said. "When they recruited me, I liked the style of play. Coming out of Chester I was used to playing in front of big crowds every night, the competition. I'm used to the atmosphere. The difference is the physical play. There are bigger and better players."

Dixon is not counting on Robinson to be a major contributor this season because he has a number of veteran forwards on his depth chart, but Robinson will get more of an opportunity in the short-term because Gilbert Brown is out of the lineup for another week with a stress fracture in his left foot.

With seniors Sam Young and Tyrell Biggs holding down the starting small forward and power forward positions, Robinson will be the first forward off the bench in place of Brown when the Panthers play La Roche today in the final exhibition game before Friday's season opener against Fairleigh Dickinson.

Dixon said he will use Robinson mostly at power forward this season, but he sees him developing into a small forward as his skill level rises.