Plain Dealer Horizon League Preview - YSU picked 4th! Eargle as Top 5 player

[ysuindy]

Might be the first positive thing MAC lover Elton Alexander has written about YSU in his PD career.

http://www.cleveland.com/sports/csu/index.ssf/2011/11/horizon_league_2011-2012_mens.html


The consensus pick is for Butler -- back-to-back NCAA Tournament runner-up -- to again finish No. 1. The Bulldogs finished in a three-way tie atop the league standings in 2010-11 with Milwaukee and Cleveland State before winning the HL Tournament and going on another NCAA Tournament run. But a team that could dethrone the Bulldogs is Detroit. Underachievers last season, the Titans are now seasoned at every position and could arguably have three first-team all-league players in 6-10 Eli Holman, 6-6 Chase Simon and 6-1 Ray McCallum Jr. Butler will groom 6-6 sophomore forward Khyle Marshall as its new headliner. Here is Plain Dealer reporter Elton Alexander's look at the league, in predicted order of finish:


1. Detroit

Coach: Ray McCallum (44-53, four years at UD; 214-203, 15 years overall).

2010-11: 17-16, 10-8.

Key returners: Ray McCallum Jr., 13.5 ppg, 4.8 apg; Chase Simon, 13.5 ppg; Eli Holman, 11.8 ppg, 9.6 rpg.

Overview: Four starters return on paper, but the 6-10 Holman is currently on leave of absence, which takes a big chunk of offense and rebounding out of the lineup. Team underachieved last season, so the test for McCallum Jr. and Sr. will be leadership on the bench and the floor to get this team to play at its peak. LaMarcus Lowe, a 6-10, 200-pound senior, will have to step up until Holman returns.

2. Butler

Coach: Brad Stevens (117-25, five years).

2010-11: 28-9, 13-5.

Key returners: Andrew Smith, 8.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg; Ronald Nored, 5.0 ppg; Khyle Marshall, 5.8 ppg.

Overview: Most of the headliners who started on two straight teams that went to the NCAA title game are gone. But an experienced bench now steps up, led by Nored, Smith and Marshall. Nored is the lead defender at guard, while the 6-11 Smith patrols the back line and provides inside scoring when needed. The key will be how fast the 6-6 sophomore, Marshall, blossoms into an elite performer.

3. Cleveland State

Coach: Gary Waters (100-71, six years at CSU; 271-206, 16 years overall).

2010-11: 27-9, 13-5.

Key returners: Tre Harmon, 13.2 ppg; Aaron Pogue, 8.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg; Jeremy Montgomery, 11.6 ppg.

Overview: Lots of size and firepower as five starters return, including 6-4 senior D'Aundray Brown (8 ppg), who missed last season with a wrist injury. Two keys will be 6-9, 265-pound Aaron Pogue, who must avoid foul trouble, and a bench of talented freshmen, led by 6-8, 215-pound Anton Grady out of Cleveland Central Catholic.

4. Youngstown State

Coach: Jerry Slocum (58-121, seven years at YSU; 638-446 overall).

2010-11: 9-21, 2-16.

Key returners: Damian Eargle, 11.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg; Ashen Ward, 8.9 ppg.

Overview: The 2010-11 record does not show the Penguins had their moments, including a win over Butler, and were generally a tough out. Four returning starters led by the 6-7 junior Eargle, sophomore guard Kendrick Perry (9.0 ppg) and senior swing Ward give YSU as much experience as most teams in the league.

5. Valparaiso

Coach: Bryce Drew (first year).

2010-11: 23-12, 12-6.

Key returners: Ryan Broekhoff, 10.3 ppg; Eric Buggs, 2.8 ppg, 3.1 apg.

Overview: Drew takes over from his father, Homer, who retired. Five players return at 5.0 ppg or more as nine redshirt sophomores or juniors abound. Proven veterans -- if not starters -- at every position, led by Buggs with his defensive pressure at point guard. International flavor from Jamaica to Australia. Freshman 6-10 center Vashil Fernandez could be key.

6. Green Bay

Coach: Brian Wardle (14-18, one year).

2010-11: 14-18, 8-10.

Key returners: Alec Brown, 10.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg; Daniel Turner, 6.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg.

Overview: Nearly all of the Phoenix backcourt scoring punch has departed, but the 7-1 Brown showed signs last season of delivering big offensive numbers inside, along with being a defensive presence with 67 blocked shots. He has some baseline help in Turner, yet both are sophomores, meaning this team will have to mature quickly, especially the unproven backcourt.

7. Milwaukee

Coach: Rob Jeter (101-89, seven years).

2010-11: 19-14, 13-5.

Key returners: Tony Meier, 12.3 ppg; Kaylon Williams, 8.3 ppg.

Overview: The Panthers mirror most of the league that lost the bulk of its experience and firepower. However, in the 6-8 Meier, Milwaukee has the top returning 3-point shooter in the HL (44.3 percent); and Williams, a guard, posted the lone triple double in the league last season. Evansville transfer James Haarsma (10 ppg, 7 rpg) will be a key addition.

8. Wright State

Coach: Billy Donlon (19-14, one year).

2010-11: 19-14, 10-8.

Key returners: Cole Darling, 4.3 ppg; Johann Mpondo, 3.2 ppg.

Overview: While the top four scorers are gone, the next five players who all averaged double-figure minutes return. A summer trip to Italy not only was good for extra practice, but also helped to define new roles. N.C. State transfer guard Julius Mays (4.6 ppg) will be counted on heavily with a team carrying eight freshmen.

9. Loyola

Coach: Porter Moser (first year; 105-101, eight years overall).

2010-11: 16-15, 7-11.

Key returners: Ben Averkamp, 12.0 ppg; Walt Gibler, 9.4 ppg.

Overview: The loss of starting PG Courtney Stanley to anterior cruciate ligament injury for the season is a negative for Moser's first year with the Ramblers. But he does have some returning firepower in Averkamp and HL Sixth Man of the Year Gibler. Also, a refurbished arena should be a boost.

10. Illinois-Chicago

Coach: Howard Moore (7-24, one year).

2010-11: 7-24, 2-16.

Key returner: Paris Carter, 4.8 ppg.

Overview: Second-year coach must completely rebuild as the bulk of 2010-11 veterans have departed. The Flames will have one of the biggest rosters in the league, with 6-9, 282-pound Darrin Williams, 6-7, 230-pound Carter and 6-8, 220-pound Hayden Humes, a transfer from Toledo.


The league's top five players

1. Chase Simon, Detroit, 6-6 Sr. G

Size alone will get him a look from NBA scouts, but he's a mid-range scorer with 3-point capabilities, which is hard to find.

2. Eli Holman, Detroit, 6-10 Sr. C

Natural rebounders are few and far between, so Holman can dominate play with his glass work alone.

3. Ray McCallum Jr., Detroit, 6-1 So. G

With a season of experience under his belt, McCallum can solidify his credentials as a leader by taking the Titans to the top of the league.

4. Damian Eargle, Youngstown St., 6-7 Jr. F

Quietly one of the most athletic and productive baseline players in the league, offensively and defensively.

5. Ronald Nored, Butler, 6-3 Sr. G

A career defensive stopper who is still capable of taking and making the big shot.

[ysuindy]

A preview from the blog Horizon League hoops -

http://horizonleaguehoops.com/2011/10/22/2011-2012-season-previews-no-7-youngstown-state/

Record: 9-21, 2-6 HL (t-9th)
Offensive efficiency (points scored per 100 possessions): 98.2 (9th)
Defensive efficiency (points against per 100 possessions): 107.5 (10th)

This Season

Only Detroit, Cleveland State and Milwaukee return a greater percentage of last season’s minutes than Youngstown State (63.3 percent), the likely force behind’s the Penguins’ seventh place preseason selection after another abysmal season under head coach Jerry Slocum.

Rivals writer Steve Megargee picked Slocum as the “coach on the hot seat” in the Horizon League. Afterall, in his six seasons Slocum’s teams have gone 58-121 with no postseason tournament appearances. The two previous head coaches before him only lasted six seasons each. Could this be the year Slocum turns things around?

Key Losses

Vytas Sulskis (13.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg) - No question Sulskis was the offensive engine behind the 2010-2011 YSU team. As a versatile combo guard he pulled off a 56.7 eFG% from the floor and grabbed defensive boards at a rate of 16.3 percent.

Sulskis now plays professionally in Lithuania.

The rest: Tre Brewer (4.2, 3.2), Devonte Maymon (9.2, 1.0), Dan Boulder (1.7, 2.7), Sheldon Brogdon (3.0, 1.2).

Key Additions

Cale Zuiker (6-9, 190, F) - Slocum secured Zuiker’s intent early in the signing period, probably for his height. While the rest of the freshman class will likely red-shirt because of the the Penguins’ big corps of returners, Zuiker may see some minutes off the bench this season.

The rest: Shawn Amiker, Jr. (6-4, 175, G), DJ Cole (5-11, 175, G), Danny Reese (5-11, 160, G), Fletcher Larson (6-8, 215, F), Chris Morgan (6-6, 230, F).

Key Returners

Kendrick Perry (9.0, 3.6) - Earning more minutes than any of his teammates (29.2 mpg) last season, Perry, now a sophomore, will be Slocum’s go-to starting point guard. His 27 percent assist rate last season was fourth-best in the Horizon and nicely supplemented by a steal rate approaching three percent. He also hit 58 of 112 shots from inside the arc (51.8 percent).

Oh yeah, and there’s that 2.1 assist to turnover ratio. Perry is one of the best points in the League this season, and should be a force in the YSU backcourt for years to come.

Blake Allen (7.1, 2. - Allen started in 21 games last season, and is a flexible combo guard that saw his minutes and stats continually rise as the season went on. He’s solid from range 47 of 120 (39.2), and there’s that 2.2 assist to turnover ratio to boot.

Oh, and he’s a sophomore too.

Damian Eargle (11.3, 6.0) - The 6-7 junior forward logged 28 starts last season and destroyed the stat charts with a very low 13.6 percent turnover rate, an incredible 11.8 percent block rate (good for eighth nationally) and an 18.4 percent defensive rebounding percentage.

Ashen Ward (8.9, 3.3) - Now a senior, the 6-3 guard will be a leader in the backcourt. He was depended on or the outside shot a lot last year and usually delivered (50 of 153 from three).

DuShawn Brooks (6.0, 3. - The 6-6 senior forward served as a solid fifth man for the Penguins last season, but will probably step in as a starter this year. He led Youngstown with a 19 percent defensive boarding rate, and posted a 13.3 percent turnover rate.

The rest: Nate Perry (2.1, 0.2), Josh Chojnacki (1.4, 0., Mike Podolsky (1.2, 0.5).

The Schedule

Whoever handles the schedule at YSU had it easy this year: The Penguins play almost a copy of last year’s sched. These are the games that carryover: Samford, Buffalo, St. Francis (PA), Toledo and Robert Morris. The Penguins won all of those game except at Robert Morris and should do so again.

The rest of the non-con schedule includes UC-Riverside, Penn St., Fredonia St. and Akron.

Season Outlook

Slocum has plenty of good reasons to hang around for a seventh and even an eighth season if he can translate this team’s potential into wins. Some major changes on the defensive end would give this team a whole new outlook on life: That’s where Slocum needs to exert his focus.

[IAA Fan]

Kind of seems like he takes some common knowledge and adds his twist to it. Also, it look as though he wrote the first half before he looked at his numbers, or the second half is a different blogger.