Youngstown -- The Youngstown State men's basketball team will hold its first official practice of the 2013-14 season, Friday. Sept. 27. An NCAA rule change this offseason allows schools to practice earlier.
Prior to the rule change, schools held their first practice of the season in mid-October. This year, the Penguins can hold 30 practices in 42 days from their first game.
Head Coach Jerry Slocum, who has won 34 games over the last two seasons, enters his ninth year at the helm of the Penguins and his 39th overall. Slocum, who has 673 career wins, is a fan of the new rule.
"We are excited to get started and this rule change gives a us chance to implement things sooner and give our guys days off at the same time," Slocum said.
The Penguins return three starters from last season's 18-16 squad that earned the program's first Division I postseason berth and advanced to the second round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.
Senior guard Kendrick Perry (Ocoee, Fla.), a two-time All-Horizon League First-Team selection, was named the Horizon League Preseason Player of the Year by Blue Ribbon Sports; named a Top Ten Mid-Major Point Guards to Watch in 2013-14 by MidMajorMadness.com; named 2013-14 Horizon League Preseason Top Player by TheHoopsReport.com; and ranked #17 on Bleacher Reports Top 20 Mid-Major Stars in 2013-14.
Perry has scored 1,309 career points and ranked second in the Horizon League in scoring last season with 17.3 points per game.
Senior Kamren Belin, a Horizon League All-Newcomer Team selection last year, averaged 11.1 points per game overall and 12.3 points per game against league opponents. His 57 3-pointers made ranked seventh in the league and his .407 3-point percentage was fifth in the circuit.
Junior DJ Cole returns for his second season at the point guard spot. Cole averaged 6.9 points per game and ranked ninth in the league with 3.4 assists per game.
The squad also returns seniors Josh Chojnacki and Mike Podolsky, juniors Shawn Amiker, Larry Johnson, Jr. and Fletcher Larson, and sophomore Bobby Hain and Ryan Weber.
The Penguins freshmen including redshirt freshman Ronnye Beaman and true freshman Marcus Keene, Jalon Plummer and Kyle Steward.
The Penguins open the 2013-14 season at the Kennesaw State Men's Basketball Tournament with three games, Nov. 8-10. The Penguins first take on Kennesaw State on Nov. 8 at 7:30 p.m., and face Florida International on Nov. 9 at 3 p.m. and Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 10 at 1 p.m.
The Penguins host Warren Wilson, Thursday, Nov. 14, at 7:05 p.m. in the home opener as part of the Kennesaw State tournament.
