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YSU Penguin Athletics => YSU Penguin Athletics => Topic started by: Double ET on September 27, 2022, 06:03:01 AM

Title: MBB starts practice
Post by: Double ET on September 27, 2022, 06:03:01 AM
From today’s Tribune/Vindy

YSU searching for identity in preseason

LOCAL SPORTS
SEP 27, 2022

JOEL WHETZEL
Staff writer
jwhetzel@tribtoday.com
 
 

Staff photo / Joel Whetzel. The Youngstown State men’s basketball team comes together during practice on Monday.

YOUNGSTOWN — The talent is there, no question. So, too, is the hype.


But what remains to be seen for Youngstown State men’s basketball, considered by many to be among those in contention for a Horizon League title, is how this year’s group of transfers, returners and lone true freshman will come together.

The Penguins took their first step toward finding that answer Monday, as preseason practices across the country got underway in college basketball.

“This time of year, (we’re) trying to install things offensively and defensively, getting them in good shape,” said head coach Jerrod Calhoun. “I thought we had a really, really good day — very competitive. I really didn’t even know who won the day. We shared the ball; we value the ball. Defensively, we’re getting better. It’s the start of a fun journey, and it’s a fun time of year.”

The Penguins are coming off of a 2021-22 season in which they finished 19-15 and won a game in The Basketball Classic (formerly the CIT). Gone from that team are forwards Jamir Thomas and Michael Akuchie, as well as guards Tevin Olison, Luke Chicone, Owen Long and Daniel Ogoro.


To replace that crop, YSU hit the portal hard. The Penguins welcomed forwards Adrian Nelson from Horizon League foe Northern Kentucky and Malek Green from Cansius, and also nabbed guards Brandon Rush (Fairleigh Dickinson) and Bryce McBride (Eastern Michigan).

Youngstown State also picked up freshman guard John Lovelace Jr. through the traditional recruiting method.

Those five newcomers join a roster that brings back All-Horizon League Third Team selection Dwayne Cohill, as well as key contributors in forwards Will Dunn and Myles Hunter, as well as guards Shemar Rathan-Mayes and Garrett Covington, who entered the portal this offseason before opting to return for a sixth year at YSU.

“I think it’s a work in progress,” Calhoun said of how the group is meshing. “Anytime you’re bringing a lot of new guys together, it takes a little bit of time. But I think there’s a sense of urgency here in our program to take that next step, and I really like the direction of this group here in the preseason.”

From Nelson’s perspective, things are going well.

“I feel like it’s really a family here,” he said. “Everyone’s genuine. It’s been really welcoming, and from the top to bottom of the roster, I can tell we have a lot of talent. So we need to stay the course and keep working hard, and I know we’re going to have a special year.”

What Nelson says he’s noticed early on is how capable of scoring the roster is from top to bottom.

“We can all score the ball real well,” he said. “I feel like everybody, every play is aggressive. We can have pretty big nights.”

For Calhoun, the excitement is actually at the other end of the court.

“I think we’re deep, certainly a really, really deep roster, and I think an older roster. They enjoy playing with each other,” Calhoun said. “But our identity has got to be on the defensive end. We got to ramp this thing up, and we have to guard at a high level. We’ve got guys that are really capable of doing it, so that’s what I’m most excited about.”

What Calhoun and Nelson both say needs to happen now is determining roles.

“Everybody pretty much finding a role and understanding what we have to do to help the team win,” Nelson said. “Because, yeah, we can all score, but at the end of the day, we have to play together and play in our roles to get those victories.”

To that end, Calhoun said the Penguins are taking a team retreat this weekend.

“We’ll do some real identity exercises and spend a lot of time with each other away from basketball,” he said. “I think ultimately, we have to stay healthy. This time of year, you have to stay healthy, and just stay the course as you build a team. We have a lot of new guys and just have to continue to get better and enjoy the process. A lot of these guys, it’s their final go-around, so really value the days and get better each day.”

YSU opens its season Nov. 7 at Canisius.

jwhetzel@tribtoday.com


Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: Cimo7 on September 27, 2022, 07:35:35 AM
Certainly a season with high hopes! A lot of new faces. Will be interesting to see which of the bunch steps up. I imagine Cohil & Covington are the nucleus and the guys you give the ball to when you need a basket.
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: Double ET on September 27, 2022, 09:04:13 AM
Certainly a season with high hopes! A lot of new faces. Will be interesting to see which of the bunch steps up. I imagine Cohil & Covington are the nucleus and the guys you give the ball to when you need a basket.

Coach might consider playing with 3 guards  with Cohil and Mayes @ back court and Covington @ small forward
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: A Penguin-Husky on September 28, 2022, 09:05:34 AM
Well I certainly hope all goes well.  My wife and I will return to the stands for the first time in several years for both the men's and women's season.  Our winter travel plans have been reduced so back to basketball!!  A shout out to Tom Morella and Austin Snodgrass for setting us up with seats in our desired location.  Could not have asked for better service.
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: YsuPride on October 03, 2022, 01:43:34 PM
Anyone know how practice is going?   Do they have any scrimmages against anyone besides themselves coming up?
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: mudclods on October 04, 2022, 08:44:47 AM
Anyone know what happened to Mattia Acunzo?  He played HS at Kennedy.  Was at Toledo during the COVID year, transferred to Robert Morris last year and only played 3 games.  He then transferred to YSU at some point last year and was with the team the last several games.  Guessing he transferred again with YSU picking up several in the portal.
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: ucfpengbuck on October 04, 2022, 03:36:19 PM
Anyone know what happened to Mattia Acunzo?  He played HS at Kennedy.  Was at Toledo during the COVID year, transferred to Robert Morris last year and only played 3 games.  He then transferred to YSU at some point last year and was with the team the last several games.  Guessing he transferred again with YSU picking up several in the portal.

A friend of mine ran into him .  Can't remember if it was a knee but Mattia has a leg injury and is done for the season.   I'll ask again for clarification.
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: PeteGuinYo on October 08, 2022, 09:03:49 AM
Anyone know how practice is going?   Do they have any scrimmages against anyone besides themselves coming up?
Scrimmage today (Sat 10/8) from 11:00 am - 12:30 pm at Beeghly.
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: PeteGuinYo on October 08, 2022, 09:10:41 AM
Certainly a season with high hopes! A lot of new faces. Will be interesting to see which of the bunch steps up. I imagine Cohil & Covington are the nucleus and the guys you give the ball to when you need a basket.

Coach might consider playing with 3 guards  with Cohil and Mayes @ back court and Covington @ small forward

Only Cohill returns as a starter from last year's team.  The four (4) new guys Rush, Nelson, Green and McBride) will all start.  Rathan-Mayes, Dunn, Hunter, Covington all become bench players.  Owens, Shleton & Irwin will also contibute off the bench.  Watch for true Freshman Lovelace to contribute as well.
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: Double ET on October 08, 2022, 10:33:12 AM
If those 4 new transfers could start over Covington, they are either pretty good or Covington’s plays drop off.
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: IAA Fan on October 08, 2022, 11:25:23 AM
I was just thinking the exact same thing ET. It definitely makes me feel better about the teams and the depth
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: ucfpengbuck on October 08, 2022, 12:45:50 PM
If Mayes is not starting then who will run the point ?
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: ytownchief22 on October 08, 2022, 12:54:00 PM
If those 4 new transfers could start over Covington, they are either pretty good or Covington’s plays drop off.

Covington's injury is one of the hardest to come back from and get back to the same level for a basketball player.
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: PeteGuinYo on October 13, 2022, 04:48:17 PM
If Mayes is not starting then who will run the point ?
Either newcomer Bryce McBride or Cohill will run the point.  Shemar will spell them off the bench.
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: ucfpengbuck on October 13, 2022, 05:22:27 PM
If Mayes is not starting then who will run the point ?
Either newcomer Bryce McBride or Cohill will run the point.  Shemar will spell them off the bench.

I thought that would be the way it would go.   Bigger size at the point.   Any info on the scrimmage ?
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: JCC on October 13, 2022, 06:18:33 PM
Scrimmages: Youngstown State – Oct. 23 vs. Indiana State (neutral); Oct. 30 vs. Duquesne
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: Double ET on October 18, 2022, 05:50:04 AM
From today’s Tribune/Vindy on YSU MBB upcoming season :


YSU’s Calhoun optimistic about 2022-23 season

LOCAL SPORTS
OCT 18, 2022

GREG GULAS
Correspondent
sports@tribtoday.com
 
 
BEAVER TOWNSHIP — For the first time since his arrival on the Youngstown State campus, Penguins’ head basketball coach Jerrod Calhoun feels like his team has finally caught the eye of national pundits.


The 2022-23 campaign marks the sixth for Calhoun at YSU and preseason basketball publications have his team ranked as high as No.2 in the Horizon League, as low as No. 6 with all agreeing that this year’s team is poised to make a run, not at just a first ever conference title but a first ever NCAA tournament appearance.

“As far as the Horizon League, I think this year it is a very deep, talented league with seven or eight teams fighting for the championship,” Calhoun told the Curbstone Coaches during Monday’s meeting at Avion Banquet Center. “Fort Wayne and Northern Kentucky are going to be picked at the top while Oakland, Detroit, Wright State and Robert Morris are teams vastly improved so the league is just getting better and better.

“The conference retained a lot of talented players from last season but teams in the league also took advantage of the transfer portal, adding multiple good players as well. I certainly think we have the depth and I think we have the talent to make a run but can we develop that chemistry, can we develop that identity on the defensive side? The next 20 days or so are going to be important to this group but I have a lot of faith in this team. I really feel good about this year’s group.”

YSU is coming off a 19-win campaign, its third straight winning season – it is the first time they have done that since the 1982-83 through 1984-85 seasons – while its 12 conference wins are the most since joining the Horizon League in 2001.


Calhoun said their offseason was very productive.

“We had a good offseason,” he added. “First, it starts with retaining the guys on your current roster and I feel great about the eight guys that have come back. They played a lot of minutes for us last year and were part of a really successful season, plus some have been a part of history with the three winning seasons in a row so these guys have been around it, they know what it looks like.

“Then, going out and recruiting which is an area really important to your program. I thought our staff did an excellent job of identifying our needs. We needed front court help and were certainly able to find that in Adrian Nelson, Malek Green and some other exceptionally good guards in Brandon Rush and Bryce McBride. Then, a really talented freshman, who I think is the most talented player I have ever recruited to YSU in John Lovelace so retaining and recruiting players, and certainly summer workouts leading into the season are really important to set your foundation, your culture and what you are trying to build.”

Returnees this season include Dwayne Cohill (team leader who averaged 14.9 points per game), Shemar Rathan-Mayes (8.1 ppg), Will Dunn (5.6 ppg), Myles Hunter (5.5 ppg), Chris Shelton (4.2 ppg), Jacori Owens (2.2. ppg), Garrett Covington (10.2 ppg in three games before a knee injury ended his season) and red-shirt freshman Josh Irwin.

Rush is a transfer from Fairleigh Dickinson, Nelson from league foe Northern Kentucky, Green from Canisius and McBride from Eastern Michigan while Lovelace is a true freshman.

“Garrett has been around, he put himself in the portal then decided to come back,” Calhoun stated.

“He was part of our first recruiting class five years ago so he understands the goals we have in place for the regular season and trying to get to the NCAA tournament so we were really happy when he came back, along with all the guys that are returning.”

With their success the past three years, scheduling has become a challenge for Calhoun.

“Scheduling gets harder when you have a little success,” he noted. “People start to look at you a little bit differently so scheduling home games is a much taller task than usual. What we have tried to do is get a good balance. We certainly want to challenge ourselves but I also think that you need to give kids confidence.

“I am a big believer in playing like-opponents, teams from the MAC, Ohio Valley Conference and the Summit League because confidence comes in the non-league if you can have a good showing and I think that’s everything.

“We are certainly excited about it, there are tons of Notre Dame fans in the Youngstown-area so we expect a nice contingent to make that trip on November 13. Plus, Ohio University will be a big draw at Beeghly Center on December 11 as well.”

The Penguins open their season at Canisius on November 7 with their home opener set for November 9 when they host the University of Tennessee-Martin.

Next week, John Barnes, YSU head women’s basketball coach will serve as guest speaker.


Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: ucfpengbuck on October 18, 2022, 03:36:46 PM
"a really talented freshman, who I think is the most talented player I have ever recruited to YSU in John Lovelace"

That's a big statement.  Lovelace > Quisenberry ?
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: Double ET on October 18, 2022, 04:38:35 PM
"a really talented freshman, who I think is the most talented player I have ever recruited to YSU in John Lovelace"

That's a big statement.  Lovelace > Quisenberry ?

Lovelace > Kendrick Perry ?
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: ucfpengbuck on October 18, 2022, 06:05:22 PM
"a really talented freshman, who I think is the most talented player I have ever recruited to YSU in John Lovelace"

That's a big statement.  Lovelace > Quisenberry ?

Lovelace > Kendrick Perry ?

Only difference is slocum recruited KP .   Perry arguable best in the last 20 years.
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: Double ET on October 18, 2022, 08:47:46 PM
"a really talented freshman, who I think is the most talented player I have ever recruited to YSU in John Lovelace"

That's a big statement.  Lovelace > Quisenberry ?

Lovelace > Kendrick Perry ?

Only difference is slocum recruited KP .   Perry arguable best in the last 20 years.

Sorry, I forgot Perry was in the Slocum era.
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: Penquin68 on October 18, 2022, 09:28:51 PM
I recall a great player from the past, I think his name was Quinn Humphrey. He was the rebounding leader in the Horizon League and a top scoring guard as well as I recall. He played in Europe I think and they had a reception for him after his career was over in the Round Ball Room. I don't recall all of this for sure, but hopefully someone else does.
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: Double ET on October 19, 2022, 05:30:30 AM
I recall a great player from the past, I think his name was Quinn Humphrey. He was the rebounding leader in the Horizon League and a top scoring guard as well as I recall. He played in Europe I think and they had a reception for him after his career was over in the Round Ball Room. I don't recall all of this for sure, but hopefully someone else does.

Yes. I think he was known as “Q”. He had a good run in Europe. There was another good shooting guard on the team at that time. It was a really fine 1-2 punch. His name sounded like Preston or something. Not sure if it was his first  or last name.
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: ucfpengbuck on October 19, 2022, 04:08:40 PM
I recall a great player from the past, I think his name was Quinn Humphrey. He was the rebounding leader in the Horizon League and a top scoring guard as well as I recall. He played in Europe I think and they had a reception for him after his career was over in the Round Ball Room. I don't recall all of this for sure, but hopefully someone else does.

Yes. I think he was known as “Q”. He had a good run in Europe. There was another good shooting guard on the team at that time. It was a really fine 1-2 punch. His name sounded like Preston or something. Not sure if it was his first  or last name.

Keston Roberts ?
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: Double ET on October 19, 2022, 05:13:26 PM
I recall a great player from the past, I think his name was Quinn Humphrey. He was the rebounding leader in the Horizon League and a top scoring guard as well as I recall. He played in Europe I think and they had a reception for him after his career was over in the Round Ball Room. I don't recall all of this for sure, but hopefully someone else does.

Yes. I think he was known as “Q”. He had a good run in Europe. There was another good shooting guard on the team at that time. It was a really fine 1-2 punch. His name sounded like Preston or something. Not sure if it was his first  or last name.

Keston Roberts ?

Yes, he was Keston Roberts. These two cats could shoot the 3 ball. I was at one of the game when these two guys poured in almost close to 30+ points. They were as good as another pure shooter, Tony Mitchell, before them.
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: ucfpengbuck on October 23, 2022, 03:51:25 PM
Any info on today's scrimmage ?
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: YsuPride on October 23, 2022, 08:09:48 PM
Any info anyone?
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: YsuPride on October 27, 2022, 09:08:01 PM
Anyone have any insight on the basketball scrimmages?
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: YsuPride on October 27, 2022, 09:09:56 PM
Any info on the 23rd one vs Indiana State?
Title: Re: MBB starts practice
Post by: ucfpengbuck on October 28, 2022, 09:48:35 AM
Any further details/stats??

Nah, I just know we won by like 20 and pretty much had our way with them.


This was from the administrator of the ISU message board.    Not what I wanted to hear.