Senior forward Kamren Belin

Coming off the best season in more than a decade and earning the first Division I postseason tournament berth in school history, the YSU men's basketball team is poised to reach for higher successes in 2013-14.

And posting consecutive winning seasons in nearly 30 years, people are taking notice of the program's accent. Although predicted to finish fifth in the Horizon League Preseason Poll, the Penguins garnered a first-place vote for the first time.

YSU returns three starters from last year's 18-16 squad that made it to the second round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, but according to Head Coach Jerry Slocum, the team has more depth, although it lost the school's all-time 3-point shooter in Blake Allen and the Horizon League's all-time shot blocker in Damian Eargle.

"I think we have more depth at more positions than we've had in the past," Slocum said.  "Do we have questions? Yes, we do, but I like our answers right now."

After having a taste of the postseason in 2012-13, it is apparent that this team wants another, but on a bigger scale.

"It was a great honor for us to be that first team to make a Division I postseason," Slocum said of last year's team. "Our guys liked it but are not satisfied. They want more and they are working extremely hard for a Horizon League Championship and the NCAA Tournament."

Slocum admitted that the complexion of the team has changed with the loss of Allen and Eargle.       

"Are we going to shoot as many 3-pointers? Maybe not, but we definitely have to play better defensively because we don't have a guy like Damian to bail us out." Slocum said. "But our goals are still the same and that is to compete for a Horizon League Championship."

One thing that the Penguins do have is the 2014 Horizon League Preseason Player of the Year in senior guard Kendrick Perry.

Perry, a 2014 Senior CLASS Award candidate, is the first Youngstown State player to be named preseason player of the year and is a two-time First-Team All-Horizon League selection. Perry, who ranked second in the league in scoring, led the Penguins with 17.3 points per game and ranks 17th in school history with 1,309 career points.

"Kendrick is what is good about college athletics," Slocum said. "Not only is he a tremendous basketball player, but he does well in the classroom, he is a leader in the locker room and in the community."

Perry has a chance to become just the 13th three-time All-Horizon League First-Team pick in league history, and needs 513 points to become Youngstown State's all-time Division I leading scorer.

He also averaged 8.8 points per game against Horizon League opponents last season.

"DJ was one of our most consistent players all season," Slocum said. "This year, he needs to move into more of a leadership role as an upperclassman and continue to keep his turnovers at a minimum."

The Penguins will also look to newcomer Marcus Keene (San Antonio, Texas) to add depth to the point-guard position, although he is a scoring threat from the perimeter.

Keene, who finished his career as Warren High School's all-time leading scorer, averaged 25 points and four assists per game as senior.

Senior Mike Podolsky is a three-year letterwinner and was named as one of the team captains this season and is expected to provide quality minutes in the backcourt.

The Small Forwards
One area that the Penguins could have some questions is at the small forward/wing position. Sophomore Ryan Weber had a tremendous spring and fall and appears to be the front runner to start at that spot.

Weber averaged just 1.9 points per game in just 9.8 minutes per game last year, but played well at times. He scored a career-high nine points in his first career start against Central Michigan in February.

Freshman Jalon Plummer (Belleville, Mich.) and redshirt freshman Ronnye Beamon (Calumet, City, Ill.) are also challenging for that spot and will provide the Penguins with some depth.

Plummer was a third-team all-state performer and helped Romulus High School to the Michigan Class A State Championship.

Beamon, who sat out last season as a redshirt, averaged 14.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.6 assists per game as a senior at Bishop Noll High School in 2011-12.

The Front Court
Senior forward Kamren Belin, a 2013-14 Preseason All-Horizon League Second-Team selection, returns to lead the front court from his power forward position.  Last year, Belin averaged 11.1 points per game, but was more productive against league foes with a 12.3 points per game scoring average.

An all-newcomer team pick a season ago, Belin made 57 3-pointers last year and connected on 40.7 percent of his attempts behind the arc.

"Kam really made a big impact for us last season, especially in league play," Slocum said. "He is a tough match up because he can shoot the ball so well from the perimeter."

Junior Shawn Amiker, who could also see time at the small forward, changed positions last season and is one of the most athletic players on the squad. Amiker played in 33 games and made 19 starts last season and averaged 5.4 points per game.

Sophomore Larry Johnson, Jr., and freshman Kyle Steward, a tall, lanky high-flyer, are also poised to see some action in the front court.

Johnson, from Oak Park, Mich., averaged 15 points and seven rebounds as a senior at West Bloomfield High School in 2011-12.

Steward, a 6-7 forward from Detroit, Mich., averaged 14 points, eight rebounds and three assists per game. He also helped Cass Tech High School to a 19-4 record to clinch the PSL West Division Championship last season.

At center, the Penguins are forced to deal with replacing Eargle, the 2013 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year. That chore will fall upon the shoulders of a trio of big men – sophomore Bobby Hain, senior Josh Chojnacki and junior Fletcher Larson.

Hain, 6-foot-10, is slated to see most of the action after coming off a solid freshman campaign. He scored 204 points and averaged 6.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Hain, who shot 52.5 percent from the field, posted a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds in his college debut against George Washington and reached double figures nine times.

"I think Bobby is going to surprise a lot of people in our league," Slocum said. "He is a gifted scorer from the inside and we are looking for big things from him."

Chojnacki, who has appeared in 77 career games, and Larson combined to score 46 points and grab 29 rebounds a season ago.

The Penguins open the 2013-14 season at the Kennesaw State Men's Basketball Tournament, Nov. 8-10. YSU takes on Kennesaw State, Friday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 p.m. in Kennesaw, Ga.