Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2005 10:28:18 GMT -5
Youngstown State Penguins – Saturday December 10, 2005
W/L 5-23
RPI 321
How bad were the Penguins last year? Only nine teams had worse RPI’s! Remember back in the day (you don’t have to look too far) when SBU couldn’t guard a statue? When teams shot over 50% from the field on a nightly basis? Yes? Let me introduce you to Youngstown State.
Opponents shot 46.3% from the field and an eye popping 39.9% from three against YSU. Twelve times the Penguins allowed the opposition to shoot better the 50% from the field and in half their games (14), opponents shot better the 40% from behind the arc. Need more? Twice (Wisconsin GB and Butler) YSU allowed teams to shoot better then 60% (9/15 and 11/18, respectfully) from behind the arc. I think a matador would give more resistance.
To say new head coach Jerry Slocum has his work cut out for him would be an understatement. Yet, Slocum, who brings 30 years of experience to his first division one job has 580 wins under his belt and ranks 17th on the active wins list for college coaches regardless of classification.
Slocum will look to 6-4 junior guard Quin Humphrey to lead the way out of the woods. Humphrey, who averaged 14.4 points and 5.4 rebounds in 35.5 minutes per game should have the green light to shoot at will. Humphrey, a preseason All-Horizon 2nd team selection, is good athletes that likes to attack the rim, but has the ability knock down the three if given space.
Another player who played a lot of minutes is Derrick Harris. Harris, a 6-2 senior, must be a defensive stopper, because his stats don’t warrant the 30.2 minutes per game he got. Harris averaged 6.8ppg and 2.8rpg, while shooting just 37.1% from the field. He appears to be a decent three point shooter (led the team at 36.9%) that doesn’t take it to the hoop often, which is a good thing for opponents since he shot 90.9% (in only 33 attempts) from the free throw line. With the addition of two guards Harris’ minutes will decrees.
Slocum will look to Finnish import, Mikko Niemi, to man the point for graduated Jon Mends. The 6-2 Niemi was a member of the Finland U-20 team which placed 10th at the 2005 European “B” Championships. Slocum has said that Niemi “has solid total game and is exactly what we needed in terms of backcourt help."
Another newcomer that should see plenty of minutes is Keston Roberts. The 6-4 junior is an athletic wing that did not attend college last year taking care of family matters, but as a sophomore at Connors State College he averaged 16ppg and 10rpg. When asked about Roberts, Slocum replied, “For us to have the year that we want to have, Keston’s a major part of it. He’s a very offensively skilled kid. When you can put Quin Humphrey and Keston Roberts on your two wings, those are athletic guys who can put the ball in the basket and find a way to score. Both of those kids are above-average scorers. I look for both of those guys to have good years for us.”
Senior Domonique Crawford fills out the backcourt. The 6-4 senior averaged 1.6ppg and 0.9rpg in 5.1 minutes of action.
Ok, enough of the good news, ‘cause the frontcourt is a mess.
John Barber a 6-6 red-shirt sophomore is back after starting 12 games as a freshman and should start at power forward. A natural small forward, Barber averaged 6.4ppg and 3.7rpg in 18.8 minutes a night while shooting a very respectful 34.2% from three. Barber is also said to be a good defender that can take his man off the dribble.
Starting along side Barber may be freshman newcomer, Jack Liles. Liles, a rugged 6-8 power forward averaged 10ppg and 8rpg at prep powerhouse National Christian Academy last year as a senior. He is said to be a good post defender that plays well with his back to the basket.
Three other players will battle for minutes in the paint. Colin LaForme, a 6-10 sophomore, may be the best of the three. The Ontario native is more comfortable facing the hoop then with his back to the basket still has the size to mix it up in the paint. LaForme averaged 2.5ppg and 1.5rpg in 8.4 minutes.
Another sophomore, 6-8 Alex Sanchez, also saw minutes in the paint last season. The native of the Canary Islands averaged 1.9ppg and 1.0rpg in 8.1 minutes. Sanchez is stronger then LaForme and is much more comfortable in the paint.
The final post player that saw action last season was Mike Adams. The 6-11 senior averaged 0.4ppg and 1.2rpg in less than four minutes a game last season. Adams is a big body that can take up space in the lane.
The final member for the Penguins that will see action is Dwight Holmes. Holmes, a 6-6 junior wing averaged 1.6ppg and 0.3rpg in five minutes, is said to be a good shooter that rarely ventures into the paint.
When asked by the local media what to expect from a Jerry Slocum team he said he like to play 10 guys a night and pressure the opponent on offense and defense. Unfortunately for Slocum, he may need to have all ten on the court at the same time to be competitive. Slocum, himself understands this. In response to the question, is his team in better shape now that when he took over in April, Slocum replied, “I think we’ve made progress. Where we are in terms of the scale of where we want to be to contend for the conference championship, yeah we’ve got a ways to go... Now we need to start to put the pieces together and work towards the goal of being competitive and getting on the floor and doing the things that you love to do. For a basketball coach this is a favorite time of the year. You’re still undefeated. You get a chance everyday to work with good kids that are hungry to want to get better. Everything is on the up tick in terms of being positive.”
BABY STEPS…
PROBABLE STARTERS
PG MIKKO NIEMI 6-2 FR
SF KESTON ROBERTS 6-4 JR
PF JACK LILES 6-8 FR
F JOHN BARBER 6-6 SO 18.8 – 6.4 – 3.6
SG QUIN HUMPHRIES 6-4 JR 35.6 – 14.4 – 5.4
BENCH
SG DERRICK HARRIS 6-2 SR 30.2 – 6.8 – 2.8
SG DOMONIQUE CRAWFORD 6-4 SR 5.1 – 1.6 – 0.9
PF ALEX SANCHEZ 6-8 SO 8.1 – 1.9 – 1.0
C COLIN LaFORME 6-10 SO 8.4 – 2.5 – 1.5
C MIKE ADAMS 6-11 SR 3.7 – 0.4 – 1.2
SF DWIGHT HOLMES 6-6 JR 5.0 – 1.6 – 0.3
W/L 5-23
RPI 321
How bad were the Penguins last year? Only nine teams had worse RPI’s! Remember back in the day (you don’t have to look too far) when SBU couldn’t guard a statue? When teams shot over 50% from the field on a nightly basis? Yes? Let me introduce you to Youngstown State.
Opponents shot 46.3% from the field and an eye popping 39.9% from three against YSU. Twelve times the Penguins allowed the opposition to shoot better the 50% from the field and in half their games (14), opponents shot better the 40% from behind the arc. Need more? Twice (Wisconsin GB and Butler) YSU allowed teams to shoot better then 60% (9/15 and 11/18, respectfully) from behind the arc. I think a matador would give more resistance.
To say new head coach Jerry Slocum has his work cut out for him would be an understatement. Yet, Slocum, who brings 30 years of experience to his first division one job has 580 wins under his belt and ranks 17th on the active wins list for college coaches regardless of classification.
Slocum will look to 6-4 junior guard Quin Humphrey to lead the way out of the woods. Humphrey, who averaged 14.4 points and 5.4 rebounds in 35.5 minutes per game should have the green light to shoot at will. Humphrey, a preseason All-Horizon 2nd team selection, is good athletes that likes to attack the rim, but has the ability knock down the three if given space.
Another player who played a lot of minutes is Derrick Harris. Harris, a 6-2 senior, must be a defensive stopper, because his stats don’t warrant the 30.2 minutes per game he got. Harris averaged 6.8ppg and 2.8rpg, while shooting just 37.1% from the field. He appears to be a decent three point shooter (led the team at 36.9%) that doesn’t take it to the hoop often, which is a good thing for opponents since he shot 90.9% (in only 33 attempts) from the free throw line. With the addition of two guards Harris’ minutes will decrees.
Slocum will look to Finnish import, Mikko Niemi, to man the point for graduated Jon Mends. The 6-2 Niemi was a member of the Finland U-20 team which placed 10th at the 2005 European “B” Championships. Slocum has said that Niemi “has solid total game and is exactly what we needed in terms of backcourt help."
Another newcomer that should see plenty of minutes is Keston Roberts. The 6-4 junior is an athletic wing that did not attend college last year taking care of family matters, but as a sophomore at Connors State College he averaged 16ppg and 10rpg. When asked about Roberts, Slocum replied, “For us to have the year that we want to have, Keston’s a major part of it. He’s a very offensively skilled kid. When you can put Quin Humphrey and Keston Roberts on your two wings, those are athletic guys who can put the ball in the basket and find a way to score. Both of those kids are above-average scorers. I look for both of those guys to have good years for us.”
Senior Domonique Crawford fills out the backcourt. The 6-4 senior averaged 1.6ppg and 0.9rpg in 5.1 minutes of action.
Ok, enough of the good news, ‘cause the frontcourt is a mess.
John Barber a 6-6 red-shirt sophomore is back after starting 12 games as a freshman and should start at power forward. A natural small forward, Barber averaged 6.4ppg and 3.7rpg in 18.8 minutes a night while shooting a very respectful 34.2% from three. Barber is also said to be a good defender that can take his man off the dribble.
Starting along side Barber may be freshman newcomer, Jack Liles. Liles, a rugged 6-8 power forward averaged 10ppg and 8rpg at prep powerhouse National Christian Academy last year as a senior. He is said to be a good post defender that plays well with his back to the basket.
Three other players will battle for minutes in the paint. Colin LaForme, a 6-10 sophomore, may be the best of the three. The Ontario native is more comfortable facing the hoop then with his back to the basket still has the size to mix it up in the paint. LaForme averaged 2.5ppg and 1.5rpg in 8.4 minutes.
Another sophomore, 6-8 Alex Sanchez, also saw minutes in the paint last season. The native of the Canary Islands averaged 1.9ppg and 1.0rpg in 8.1 minutes. Sanchez is stronger then LaForme and is much more comfortable in the paint.
The final post player that saw action last season was Mike Adams. The 6-11 senior averaged 0.4ppg and 1.2rpg in less than four minutes a game last season. Adams is a big body that can take up space in the lane.
The final member for the Penguins that will see action is Dwight Holmes. Holmes, a 6-6 junior wing averaged 1.6ppg and 0.3rpg in five minutes, is said to be a good shooter that rarely ventures into the paint.
When asked by the local media what to expect from a Jerry Slocum team he said he like to play 10 guys a night and pressure the opponent on offense and defense. Unfortunately for Slocum, he may need to have all ten on the court at the same time to be competitive. Slocum, himself understands this. In response to the question, is his team in better shape now that when he took over in April, Slocum replied, “I think we’ve made progress. Where we are in terms of the scale of where we want to be to contend for the conference championship, yeah we’ve got a ways to go... Now we need to start to put the pieces together and work towards the goal of being competitive and getting on the floor and doing the things that you love to do. For a basketball coach this is a favorite time of the year. You’re still undefeated. You get a chance everyday to work with good kids that are hungry to want to get better. Everything is on the up tick in terms of being positive.”
BABY STEPS…
PROBABLE STARTERS
PG MIKKO NIEMI 6-2 FR
SF KESTON ROBERTS 6-4 JR
PF JACK LILES 6-8 FR
F JOHN BARBER 6-6 SO 18.8 – 6.4 – 3.6
SG QUIN HUMPHRIES 6-4 JR 35.6 – 14.4 – 5.4
BENCH
SG DERRICK HARRIS 6-2 SR 30.2 – 6.8 – 2.8
SG DOMONIQUE CRAWFORD 6-4 SR 5.1 – 1.6 – 0.9
PF ALEX SANCHEZ 6-8 SO 8.1 – 1.9 – 1.0
C COLIN LaFORME 6-10 SO 8.4 – 2.5 – 1.5
C MIKE ADAMS 6-11 SR 3.7 – 0.4 – 1.2
SF DWIGHT HOLMES 6-6 JR 5.0 – 1.6 – 0.3