function [pioBlock] = getPioneer(image,row,col,bSize)

if (row<bSize+1)
  topBlock = zeros(bSize);
else
  topBlock = image(row-bSize:row-1 , col:col+bSize-1);
end

if (col<bSize+1)
  lftBlock = zeros(bSize);
else
  lftBlock = image(row:row+bSize-1 , col-bSize:col-1);
end

pioBlock = (topBlock + lftBlock) / 2;