(03-12-2020 08:18 PM)Slinkin Street Flash Wrote:  The season ended abruptly, stopped at 20-12, with a few more wins possible. With the way NCAA basketball is set up, most years every team but one ends their season with a loss. This is the first year in a long time where we ended the season with a win

For me, I was very optimistic early when we were 13-3, then the season went south, with games missed with the flu, suspensions, and injuries and a 7-9 run to end it.

Booman Williams had a good year, ending up 2nd team All-MAC, and on the All-Conference Defense team. Danny Pippen ends up All-MAC Honorable Mention.

Next season, we lose a lot - Williams, Williamson, Whittington, Peterson, and Simons graduate. Anthony Roberts and Pippen should be a strong base to next year's team. Giovanni Santiago shows promise at PG, Tervell Beck will be in the rotation. James Jordan and Gabe O'Neal are coming in as JUCOs, VonCameron Davis is a solid recruit at SF. Bainbridge and Bennett should progress as sophomores; we didn't see much of Anyeuri Castillo this year; and Jeremiah Hernandez will be a redshirt freshman.

I'd like to see a addition at guard for next year. We have one scholarship open at this time. We'll probably lose a couple of transfers this April, like what happens every year.

(03-13-2020 10:47 AM)cleveland Wrote:  

(03-12-2020 08:18 PM)Slinkin Street Flash Wrote:  The season ended abruptly, stopped at 20-12, with a few more wins possible. With the way NCAA basketball is set up, most years every team but one ends their season with a loss. This is the first year in a long time where we ended the season with a win

For me, I was very optimistic early when we were 13-3, then the season went south, with games missed with the flu, suspensions, and injuries and a 7-9 run to end it.

Booman Williams had a good year, ending up 2nd team All-MAC, and on the All-Conference Defense team. Danny Pippen ends up All-MAC Honorable Mention.

Next season, we lose a lot - Williams, Williamson, Whittington, Peterson, and Simons graduate. Anthony Roberts and Pippen should be a strong base to next year's team. Giovanni Santiago shows promise at PG, Tervell Beck will be in the rotation. James Jordan and Gabe O'Neal are coming in as JUCOs, VonCameron Davis is a solid recruit at SF. Bainbridge and Bennett should progress as sophomores; we didn't see much of Anyeuri Castillo this year; and Jeremiah Hernandez will be a redshirt freshman.

I'd like to see a addition at guard for next year. We have one scholarship open at this time. We'll probably lose a couple of transfers this April, like what happens every year.

Looking back: ... I think staff learned a bit of a lesson trying to meld six (counting Pippen) seniors together who had not played much together, if at all. Particulary with no strong on-court leader and a staff that was also 2-years or less together. When things looked good, they looked great. When things looked bad, they looked awful.

The three games that cost Kent from having a typical season were losses to Miami/WMU/NIU-home. Win those three games and the season/team looks a lot better on many levels. In my mind ALL THREE of those are supposed to be 'program' wins, effectively won because players/seniors recognize Kent just doesn't lose those games. Period. Seniors win those games, not coaches. A 23-9 season probably gets Booman on All-MAC first team and Pippen 2/3rd team and possibly on All-MAC defensive team. Not to mention a MAC Tournament bye.

Considering the current college bb landscape, the key formula is to have a soph/jr heavy roster with hopefully 1-2-3 'program' seniors who have come through the system. For all his shortcomings, I have to think MP was a huge plus everywhere except on the court.

Looking ahead: ... If there are no transfers (Pippen/Roberts) Kent's foundation for next season is solid, particularly because they have come through the system, and will have the ball in their hands much more than they would as transfers. The key from there in my mind is to recruit/develop a solid PG and bring in another post player.

(03-13-2020 01:52 PM)GFlash68 Wrote:  I do not like to read about MP being a liability. I agree with Danny about the value of MP. There is always a place on a team for a player like him. For one thing, he never let up, and I can not say that about some other players.

(03-13-2020 03:12 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(03-13-2020 01:52 PM)GFlash68 Wrote:  I do not like to read about MP being a liability. I agree with Danny about the value of MP. There is always a place on a team for a player like him. For one thing, he never let up, and I can not say that about some other players.

Bad writing on my part ... MP was a plus everywhere, including on the court. MP had his shortcomings in the box scores. My bad ...

Still say biggest plays in MAC Tournament win over Akron was by MP.

1) Loose ball rebound in the corner where he's trapped, but flipped pass fullcourt to Hall for uncontested dunk.

2) 3-pointer for the cushion needed to close out the victory.

Again ... bad writing on my part. Not what I really meant at all.

(03-13-2020 11:11 AM)KSUforever Wrote:  What a year. I really hope we can see a cohesive team next year. During some games I would look and see CJ and Mitch on the floor at the same time and just cringe. I know they do "the little things" etc. But good grief they have to be two of the worst shooters in KSU history. Addition by subtraction with those two.

(03-16-2020 10:17 PM)Muskrat Wrote:  Well, the one walk-on, Nalls, was a "preferred" walk-on so it would be unethical not to give him one, assuming he wants to stay. I don't know what the deal was with Castillo. I guess he is just another on a long list of guys that come and go in a year or two without leaving any mark at all. That's not just true for Kent State. It's college basketball in this era.

(03-17-2020 09:10 AM)cleveland Wrote:  

(03-16-2020 10:17 PM)Muskrat Wrote:  Well, the one walk-on, Nalls, was a "preferred" walk-on so it would be unethical not to give him one, assuming he wants to stay. I don't know what the deal was with Castillo. I guess he is just another on a long list of guys that come and go in a year or two without leaving any mark at all. That's not just true for Kent State. It's college basketball in this era.

THIS IS A REAL PUZZLE FOR ME, ALSO .... nothing about Castillo's bio, his JC stat line, his measurements for the position, Nothing, indicated he would be anything worse than a role player or top 6/7 guy.

Don't know if it was a language barrier??? ... or perhaps not knowing the plays ... but for a short-handed team, in particular, even with whatever shortcomings he had, it seemed he was worth 5-10 minutes a game.

Oh well ... cei la vie.

(03-16-2020 05:47 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  According to Verbal Commits Castillo is transferring. Not surprising at all. So I believe that puts us at 2 available scholarships available right now. Not sure if they would consider putting either of the walk-ons on scholarship.

(03-13-2020 10:47 AM)cleveland Wrote:  

(03-12-2020 08:18 PM)Slinkin Street Flash Wrote:  The season ended abruptly, stopped at 20-12, with a few more wins possible. With the way NCAA basketball is set up, most years every team but one ends their season with a loss. This is the first year in a long time where we ended the season with a win

For me, I was very optimistic early when we were 13-3, then the season went south, with games missed with the flu, suspensions, and injuries and a 7-9 run to end it.

Booman Williams had a good year, ending up 2nd team All-MAC, and on the All-Conference Defense team. Danny Pippen ends up All-MAC Honorable Mention.

Next season, we lose a lot - Williams, Williamson, Whittington, Peterson, and Simons graduate. Anthony Roberts and Pippen should be a strong base to next year's team. Giovanni Santiago shows promise at PG, Tervell Beck will be in the rotation. James Jordan and Gabe O'Neal are coming in as JUCOs, VonCameron Davis is a solid recruit at SF. Bainbridge and Bennett should progress as sophomores; we didn't see much of Anyeuri Castillo this year; and Jeremiah Hernandez will be a redshirt freshman.

I'd like to see a addition at guard for next year. We have one scholarship open at this time. We'll probably lose a couple of transfers this April, like what happens every year.

Looking back: ... I think staff learned a bit of a lesson trying to meld six (counting Pippen) seniors together who had not played much together, if at all. Particulary with no strong on-court leader and a staff that was also 2-years or less together. When things looked good, they looked great. When things looked bad, they looked awful.

The three games that cost Kent from having a typical season were losses to Miami/WMU/NIU-home. Win those three games and the season/team looks a lot better on many levels. In my mind ALL THREE of those are supposed to be 'program' wins, effectively won because players/seniors recognize Kent just doesn't lose those games. Period. Seniors win those games, not coaches. A 23-9 season probably gets Booman on All-MAC first team and Pippen 2/3rd team and possibly on All-MAC defensive team. Not to mention a MAC Tournament bye.

Considering the current college bb landscape, the key formula is to have a soph/jr heavy roster with hopefully 1-2-3 'program' seniors who have come through the system. For all his shortcomings, I have to think MP was a huge plus everywhere except on the court.

Looking ahead: ... If there are no transfers (Pippen/Roberts) Kent's foundation for next season is solid, particularly because they have come through the system, and will have the ball in their hands much more than they would as transfers. The key from there in my mind is to recruit/develop a solid PG and bring in another post player.

(03-17-2020 09:12 PM)Muskrat Wrote:  We all talk, and with some justification, about players being too quick to transfer. But the other side of the coin is coaches that don't give enough players enough chance to develop in pre-conference season. I think all coaches feel the need to get as many wins as possible, but I have been around coaches at all levels most of my life and far too many, in my opinion, don't give enough minutes in actual game situations to develop and earn some meaningful minutes.

(03-17-2020 05:39 PM)Older and Older Wrote:  

(03-16-2020 05:47 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  According to Verbal Commits Castillo is transferring. Not surprising at all. So I believe that puts us at 2 available scholarships available right now. Not sure if they would consider putting either of the walk-ons on scholarship.

Wouldn’t be surprised if Pippen, Roberts, Santiago also leave .No info to support that just a gut feeling from a very observant season ticket holder