Archive for the ‘YSU Basketball’ Category

Hangovers are usually the result of doing something bad.  People respond to hangovers in individual fashions.  Some folks sleep them off, some insist on being active, and others resume the activity which forced the hangover initially.  Whatever the correct remedy, YSU did not have it in their medicine cabinet in dropping a 70-48 verdict to Cleveland State.

Youngstown State Coach Jerry Slocum said his team did not handle the hangover of a loss, to Robert Morris just three nights earlier, very well.  “We had a horrible night and I am very disappointed in our performance.  We did not respond well to the hangover from the Robert Morris loss.  We had a couple of days and the practices were not very good.  Our intensity at home is not where I want it to be.”

Cleveland State used a full-court pressure defense early to force four YSU turnovers in the first four minutes. The turnovers mostly resulted in Viking points as they opened the game on a 15-2 run. Anthony Wells had seven points in the first seven minutes for CSU.

With 11:26 left in the first half, YSU found themselves in a 17-6 hole. Cleveland State was forcing the tempo of the game in the early minutes and once YSU established their offense, they were able to knock a couple of buckets down, but were not successful in slowing the Vikings pace in any way.

With 7:54 left in the first half, Cleveland State increased their lead to 25-7. Youngstown State was struggling with basic fundamentals such as passing and dribbling for a good part of the game to this point. 

With 2:55 left in the half, not much had changed. The Penguins trailed by 19 with the score at 36-17. Cleveland State was still using a full-court press and YSU was showing signs of breaking it, but could not institute consistency advancing the ball to the hoop.

Cleveland State enjoyed their biggest lead of the game going into halftime at 42-19. Jeremy Montgomery and Norris Cole paced the Vikings attack with nine first half points apiece. Kelvin Bright (pictured) had six points for the Penguins.

The Penguins opened the second half with an 8-4 run and forced Cleveland State to use a timeout. Sirlester Martin hit a three to pull YSU to 46-30, but Cleveland State called and raised with a Trevon Harmon bucket to reclaim a 22-point margin.

With just under ten minutes to go in the game, a pattern was developing. YSU would cut into the 22-point lead only to have Norris Cole hit a shot to push the lead back to twenty or more. With YSU trailing 56-34, and Viking big-man Jared Cunningham cranking one up from three, four Penguins awaited the airball under the hoop and none of them could collect a rebound, it is just the way things went for YSU on this night.

YSU never would pull closer than 15 points. Cleveland State dribbled out the last twenty seconds with a 70-48 victory to savor.

YSU was paced by Sirlester Martin’s 15 points and eight rebounds.  As a team, the Penguins shot 12.5% from three-point range and 36% from the field.  Bright and DeAndre Mays each chipped in with 11 points for the home team.  The Penguins fell to 5-8 and are winless in four conference games.

Cleveland State got 20 points from Norris Cole and 16 rebounds from Aaron Pogue. The Vikings improved to 5-10 overall and 1-2 in Horizon League play.

Youngstown State faced off against a lesser-known yet qualitive opponent on Wednesday night at Beeghly Center. Robert Morris already had a victory against Cleveland State on the road and looked to knock off another Horizon League team in the Penguins. Free throw shooting (65.7%) and rebounding proved to be enough for Robert Morris (5-7 ) to prevail 72-67.

The Penguins and Colonials both seemed in and out of sync in the early moments of the game. Sirlester Martin hit a jumper from just inside the three-point line and a short hook off of the right line of the key to keep YSU down just one point at 5-4 with 15:46 left in the first half.

An Ashen Ward 3-point shot staked the Penguins to a 13-10 lead with 11:15 left in the half. YSU was doing a good job penetrating to this point and had the Robert Morris defense collapsing which allowed better looks from the outside.

The Colonials tied the game at 15 when Dallas Green took a lead pass in the paint and stuffed the ball with both hands. Karon Abraham added three when he was fouled and his reverse layup fell at the 8:21 marker of the first half. Vance Cooksey hit Eddie D’Haiti with a beautiful no-look pass to give the Penguins a 21-20 lead.

Abraham gave Robert Morris its biggest lead of the game at 28-23 with a 15-foot jumper that found nothing but the twine. Coach Slocum called for a timeout to regroup, but a couple of turnovers and cheap fouls prevented a momentum shift as the Colonials went on a 15-2 run to take a 35-23 lead with under two minutes remaining in the first half of play. YSU, however, managed to shave the 12 point lead to nine before the intermission and only trailed 38-29.

Karon Abraham was top banana on both teams in scoring with 14 first-half points for the Colonials. D’Haiti, Ward, and Martin had six apiece for YSU.

At the 16:25 mark of the second half, YSU had dug themselves into an 11-point hole that was going to be hard to crawl out of unless they started doing a better job rebounding on both ends of the court. To this point in the game, the Colonials were just a step ahead, winning the matchup battles and forcing YSU to take shots that they may not have been accustomed to.

A pair of free throws by Green reestablished the double-digit lead that the Penguins seemed unable to cut into. With 11:20 left in the game, the Colonials pushed their lead to 52-39.

Riding the hot hand of Ashen Ward, the Penguins finally sliced the lead to nine with 8:41 to go. The 6’3″ Sophomore from Cleveland first connected on a three from the left arc area, and then converted a steal for a good-hustling two. A Rob Robinson slam put the Colonials back in front by 13 just :38 later at 60-47.

Kelvin Bright’s dunk ignited the crowd and reaped the benefits of a full-court press that was forcing turnovers. With 5:08 left in the game, the Penguins had cut the lead to four points at 61-57 on a DeAndre Mays three. The pressure had the Colonials coming unglued.

Vytas Sulskis buried a three to trim the lead to one. The Penguins tied the contest when Sirlester Martin hit the second of two free throws. With four minutes left it was a new game as the two squads were knotted at 61 points each. The teams exchanged points and remained tied at 65 with 2:21 left in the game. The crowd was really into the game and chanting defense with every Colonials possession.

Abraham, who led all scorers with 20, first knocked the ball away from Cooksey and then converted a layup to give the Colonials a 69-67 lead with just :33 to go in the contest for his team-high 18th point. After Robert Morris converted the first of two free throws, YSU regained possession and Sulskis heaved a three for the tie but was an eighth of an inch short. With nine seconds left, YSU had to foul and Abraham missed the first of two. After he missed the second, YSU could not garner the rebound.

Robert Morris had 16 offensive rebounds to Youngstown State’s 8.  A dejected Jerry Slocum talked about a flat start and how turning the ball over hurt down the stretch.  “We came out and stood around in the first half.  I am very, very, disappointed.  We come back and take the lead by four and miss two wide open shots and turn the ball over twice.  If you want to have a season like we are aspiring to have, you have to make plays when the game is on the line.  No one stepped up and made those plays.  We gift wrapped it for them.”

YSU (5-7) returns to action Saturday when they face Cleveland State at the Beeghly Center.

Kelvin Bright is enjoying life at Youngstown State University.  He feels that this year’s basketball team brings something really special to the table and that they can win games in bunches.  Bright is one of the most personable players on the team and his trademark big smile can light up the room.  He is among the team leaders in scoring and had a nice showing against Pitt.

Paneech:  Growing up in Maryland, what schools recruited you, and how did you decide on Robert Morris?

Bright:  Coming out of high school, not too many Division-I schools were recruiting me.  Robert Morris was interested in me, as was Mount St. Mary, which is in the same conference as Robert Morris.  Those were the only D-I schools with interest in me.  There were alot of Division-II and Division-III schools that showed an interest in me, but I ended up wanting to go to Robert Morris.

Paneech:  You averaged 24.2 ppg at Hagerstown Junior College, meaning you were pretty much “the man“.  How much pressure is there on you to be “the man” at YSU?

Bright:  It is a transition, but I am used to it now.  At Hagerstown, I could take all of the shots and that wouldn’t be a problem.  At Youngstown State, there are other guys who can shoot and I don’t have to have that load on my shoulders by trying to score all of the points.  We have got great guards like DeAndre Mays, and other players like Sirlester Martin who can score.  I don’t have to force it or worry about it as much here, I can kind of just let it come to me.

Paneech:  What brought you to YSU?

Bright:  When I was at Hagerstown, I told myself that I wanted to be in a situation that would allow me to trust the coaches and feel good with everything.  Obviously, Robert Morris did not allow me to get too many minutes or do the things that I needed to do.  The second time around, I wanted to get to a place where I felt I could trust the coaches.  When I came here on my visit, I was told what would be expected of me and trusted what the coaches were saying, so I made the decision to come here.

Paneech:  What has it been like playing for Jerry Slocum?

Bright:  It’s up and down, but mostly up.  Players and coaches go through things, but that is normal.  Coach Slocum is a great guy and I really believe that he only wants the best for me.  Sometimes he will get on me, and I feel like he is ‘just getting on me’, but in the long run, I know that he is just looking out for my best interests.

Paneech:  You have selected Communications as a major, how is that going so far?

Bright:  It’s going good, I am looking forward to finishing up in the Spring.  Guys like Jamie Hall and Robb Schmidt are a part of the Communication Department, and I would like to do something along the lines of what they do after I graduate. 

Paneech:  You are tied 42-42 with Pitt in the second half.  Does something like that boost the confidence of the team?

Bright:  Just being in the game with those guys [Pitt], and them being a Big East team, we felt we played well against them.  With Horizon League play getting ready to start it gives us the confidence that we can play with anyone. 

Paneech:  Heading into conference play, do you feel that the strengths and weaknesses of this team are better spelled out after the first six games?

Bright:  We have been working really hard at practice and we are discovering how good we can really be.  I feel that six games into the season, at 3-3, that things could obviously be better.  I also believe that we have learned from our mistakes and we are going to take what we have learned and apply it at our next game.

Paneech:  Many people picked YSU to finish 7th in the Horizon League this season.  That hasn’t really sat well with anyone that I have spoken with.  Where can this team finish realistically?

Bright:  We believe that we can finish in the top three of the conference.  We are striving to be number one in the conference.  Everyone knows about Butler and Wright State, and we feel we can beat those guys.  For me to say that I don’t think we can be a top three contender would not be very realistic.

Paneech:  You have a tough stretch coming with four consecutive road games.  How important is it to win at least three of them?

Bright:  It is very important.  Coming into this year, everybody on the team talked about a 20-win seaason.  Coach always stresses how important road games are.  On the road, we become a tighter bunch.  The crowds are rooting against you and nobody expects you to come in and win.  We end up focusing more on the road and sometimes we play better.

(photo courtesy of Ron Stevens)

 

Paneech:  Growing up near DC, were you forced to root for the Bullets / Wizards?

Bright:  In a way (laughs), they were not as good as they should have been.  I got to see Michael Jordan play when he was a Wizard, and he had a really good game against the Celtics.  When he was at Chicago, I never really had a chance to see him, but with Washington I did, and that was a great experience.

Paneech:  What is the deal with free throws?  The team has really been struggling in this department.

Bright:  With free throws, it is more of a mental thing.  Obviously, it is something that we work on every day at practice.  In the games, you put so much pressure on yourself to make free throws that it can work against you at times.  We just need to loosen up, go up there and not think about missing the free throw.  We have free throw contests at practice.  If you miss you have sprints, so there is pressure on you to sort of simulate the pressures of a game.

One Word Answers

Favorite Fast Food:  McDonalds.

Worst Habit:  Procrastination.

A Word To Describe Coach Slocum:  Is he gonna read this or not?  He might:  Thrilling.

Best Movie Ever Made:  Space Jam.

Who Is Your Hero?  My dad.

Biggest Phobia?  Germs.

Favorite Flavor of Gatorade?  Cool Blue.

Toppings You Get On A Pizza:  Just pepperoni.

Who was better, Xavier or Pitt?  Xavier.

Favorite NBA Player?  Michael Jordan.

Favorite Hobby:  Playing NBA 2K10 on my X-Box.

Best Class Ever Taken:  Inetrviewing.

YSU (0-7) and #19 Pitt (6-0) are two teams on very opposite ends of the spectrum. Pitt will contend for a national championship this season, while YSU will just try to get through the season with enough healthy bodies to field a team.  The result was an 89-37 verdict for the Panthers.  YSU played hard, but Pitt has more size than some Division-I men’s teams.  Couple the size factor with only seven Penguins dressing for this game (Boki Dimitrov, the Penguins leading score, sat out injured) and you come out with a 52 point deficit.

Pitt started very strong, controlling the boards on both sides of the court in running out to a 9-2 lead with 15:02 left in the first half. The two teams would remain scoreless over the next 3:00. Pitt was missing layups and YSU was working very hard to get loose balls. An encouraging sign was the presence of Kaitlyn March, a Senior, who has been having issues with her shins dating back to last season.  March played good minutes and scrapped for Youngstown State.

At the 7:08 mark of the first half, Pitt extended their lead to 26-8, using some great perimeter shooting from Chelsea Cole and Shayla Scott. Selena Nwude played the role of big person underneath for Pitt. Nwude had eight points, mostly on second chance putbacks. To this point, YSU was struggling to get good looks at the basket because Pitt was so much taller and playing ferociously in their zone defense.

Canfield native, Kate Popovec (pictured above), completed a three-point play when she gathered an offensive rebound and laid the ball up while being hacked.  After the game Popovec commented on playing near home.  “It was really special to have a chance to play in front of so many friends and family members.  YSU played better than the score will tell you, they were diving after loose balls and hustling everywhere.  We [Pitt] expect to do more than we did last season.  Two Sweet 16’s in a row was nice, but now we expect to get farther and hopefully win the national championship this season.”

Pitt, ranked #19 in the country, was just too much for the Lady Penguins in the first half as the Panthers held a commanding 47-19 lead. To build their lead, Pitt used 52% shooting from the field, 37% shooting from three, and outrebounded YSU 31-12.

Give credit to Youngstown State for playing hard. This was a monumental task even if there were 13 players in uniform.

At the 11:32 mark of the second half, YSU trailed by the score of 60-24. Pitt was duplicating what worked in the first half, taking advantage of second chances on offense and limiting the shot selection for the Penguins.

Pitt took advantage of the size differential down the stretch and the YSU Lady Penguins played the last eight minutes looking fatigued.  Too much Pitt tonight and a final result of 89-37 in favor of the Panthers.

Pepper Wilson paced Pitt with 13 points, Popovec and Jania Sims chipped in with 11 points each.

Youngstown State got 10 points and seven rebounds from Brandi Brown who played well against the larger competition. 

After the game, Coach Cindy Martin talked about the game.  “We are not quitters and we don’t lay down.  Pitt is #19 for a reason, they have a great team.  They [Pitt] were struggling with their shooting the last couple of games and they picked tonight to be on fire.  They are a big team and they are going to do well in the Big East, and I wish them luck.”

My heart really goes out to Coach Cindy Martin.  This is a really bad situation to be in with such limited combinations.  Next year when the transfers are completed, the injuries are healed, and the numbers are quantitively fair, Youngstown will get a glimpse of what kind of results the work ethic Coach Martin and her staff yield.  Unfortunately, at least to this point, the numbers game is too much.

It’s the kind of game that gets circled on every YSU magnetic refrigerator schedule handed out at the first home game. It’s the recruiting tool that potential players consider when making their choices. But most importantly, it is a game to gauge the ability of a team that thinks that they might just have enough to compete on a grander level.

YSU had tied the game at 42, but faltered down the stretch as Pitt came away with a 72-56 victory.  Free throws, shot selection, and defensive breakdowns were the difference over the last twelve minutes of the game, which the Panthers outscored the Penguins 30-14.

YSU jumped out to a 10-5 lead on a pair of DeAndre Mays threes, but Pitt used the shot clock to perfection, nailing a couple of their own threes with one second left to have an 18-13 lead at the 12:36 mark of the first half.

With 7:37 left in the first half, Pitt was using its arsenal of good guards to attck the hoop, knock down shots, and complete three-point chances. Brad Wanamaker (pictured above) and Travon Woodall completed drives to the hoop and each knocked down a free throw to post a 26-19 lead for the Panthers.

The Penguins used a 13-4 run to pull to 30-28, but Pitt would score the last four points of the half to hold a 34-28 halftime lead.

Vance Cooksey hit one of two free throws at the 12:26 mark of the second half to pull YSU into a 42-42 tie at a silenced Petersen Events Center. YSU, to this point, was playing terrific half court zone defense and outhustling the Panthers to many loose balls.

The hot shooting of Ashton Gibbs and Gary McGhee pushed the Pitt lead to 56-47 with 7:31 left in the game. Gibbs connected on a pair of threes and McGhee hit a pair of free throws and had a basket in the paint.

Pitt pushed their lead to 64-49 with 4:55 left in the game. Everything that YSU was doing right earlier could not be found over a five minute-or-so stretch. The offense was throwing up wild shots and the defense was not as aggressive as they were in the first half.

Pitt coasted the rest of the way to win the contest 72-56 to push their record to 119-10 all-time at the Petersen Events Center.

Coach Jerry Slocum was happy with his team’s effort in the first half but disappointed in the final result. “We missed some easy shots, did not shoot our free throws well and had some breakdowns on defense, and that was the difference in the game. Defensively, we played well for about 32 minutes. This is a great program with great tradition and you have to play a whole game to win.”

For the Penguins (3-3), Kelvin Bright finished with 20 points on 9-13 shooting from the field. Mays had 16 and was the only Penguin perfect from the charity stripe going 4-4.

Pitt was paced by Gibbs and Wanamaker who tallied 14 points each. Pitt (5-1) also got 10 rebounds each from McGhee and Nasir Robinson.

Andy Timko was an area basketball standout while playing his high school ball at McDonald.  Timko ventured over to Westminster for a year but transferred home to Youngstown State.  He goes from being the manager last year to an active member of the roster this season.  Don’t get it wrong, this is no Rudy tale, Timko can play.  He has declared his major to be History.  If studying history means anything to the Mahoning Valley, it may repeat itself in the next few years.  Timko is content with his clearly defined role and all of the hard work is making his fellow Penguin cagers better.  I met with Andy the day before Thanksgiving, and just four days before his 21st birthday to discuss basketball, Coach Slocum, and following a family member (Bruce Timko) who was one of the best to ever wear a Penguin uniform.

Paneech:  Coming out of McDonald, you chose to go to Westminster.  Who else recruited you, and how did you end up a Titan?

Timko:  There was alot of smaller schools like Geneva and Walsh recruiting me.  I went on a visit to Westminster and I really liked the small campus.  They seemed really excited with the chance to have me and that was what made the decision for me.  The first time I was ever on campus, I was with my mother and she asked me if I wanted to swing by and see it.  There was a game going on and the head coach recognized me as soon as we walked in, and that was really the first time I had ever been there.

Paneech:  As a Freshman, you were voted Newcomer of The Year, the future looked bright there so what triggered you to leave Westminster?

Timko:  It was really a financial thing.  Division-III schools really can’t give you much help.  Westminster is a small and private school and tuition was around $30,000 a year.  They can get you a little help for your grades, but after that it was still astronomical. 

Paneech:  How did you end up at YSU?

Timko:  The price of tuition and just being from here, I knew this is where I wanted to be. 

Paneech:  Last year you redshirted and served as team manager.  How did that arrangement come about?

Timko:  I went up and talked to the coaches in the Summer before the season started and explained my situation coming back.  I told them that I understood that nothing was going to be handed to me.  They told me that the best thing they could do for me would be for me to help out the team in practice and they would be able to help me financially.  I would then be given a chance to play the following year.  I just kept working on my game and things worked out for me.

Paneech:  Now that you are a member of the active roster, what is your role with this team?

Timko:  This year what I am doing alot of is scout team stuff.  I learn the other teams plays and run them against our guys.  I’m trying to help out any way I can.  Personally, I am working as hard as I can at practice every day to get better and trying to help us win games by making our guys better.

Paneech:  What is it like playing for Coach Slocum?

Timko:  It’s a good experience.  He is definitely the most knowledgeable basketball coach that I have ever been around.  He has so much passion for the game and a higher understanding that sometimes it takes awhile to comprehend.  You have got to respect someone with all of his accomplishments and it is a real privelage to learn from him.

Paneech:  How big is it for this YSU team to go to Pittsburgh and have a good showing?

Timko:  It’s real big.  It’s always fun to go up against the major schools.  It is also a great test for us before we get into conference play.  We are looking forward to the experience and how we stack up against those guys.

Paneech:  Talk to me about how hard it is to balance practice, school, and a personal life.

Timko:  Your first couple of years in college it is rough.  You go to practices and think it is easy until you get your first couple of tests back, and you are like, wow, I need to study more.  After you get into the flow it isn’t too bad. 

Paneech:  You turn 21 on Sunday.  Are you going to have any time to enjoy your birthday or is the day going to be spent watching film, practicing, and studying for finals?

Timko:  I’m sure we will have practice and it will not be an off day.  I’ll squeeze something in for my birthday, hopefully I can go out to eat or something.

Paneech:  Being the only truly local roster player, I hear alot of cheers for you when you get into a game.  Is that a distraction or does it make you nervous to know that you have friends and family there?

Timko:  Not initially.  I get it more after the game when people are coming up to me telling me that you should have done this or you should have done that, or telling me “Good job, Andy.”  It’s all fun and I really feel privelaged to be a part of the team.  There are guys around here that come out of high school wanting to walk on.  I really appreciate the opportunity I have been given and I am not taking anything for granted.  I am using all of that local support for motivation to keep working harder and hopefully to keep helping the team.

Paneech:  Talk to me about your uncle, Bruce Timko, and his history here.

Timko:  I have seen one grainy film of him playing here.  I have been hearing he was good my whole life.  Just because of him, we have been coming to YSU games for a long time.  I know he is still good too.  He was a high school basketball coach a couple of years ago.  On his off days and after practice he would work with me a little bit and would whip my butt playing one-on-one.  I’ve got two coaches at every family function, my uncle on one side, and my father (Andy) on the other side.  Their passion for the game has rubbed off on me.  They both have alot to say, and sometimes you don’t want to sit there and listen to it, but ultimately what they say helps me.  He’s on the wall behind you, so they know what they are talking about.  (Andy was referring to a painting of Bruce Timko on the wall of the Coaches Court area in Beeghly Center where the interview was conducted.)

Paneech:  How far can this team really go?  Ashen Ward told me last week that you guys might be upset in the third round of the NCAA Tournament.

Timko:  (laughs) If we get to the tournament, and I believe there is a chance we will, I would like to think we could win it.  It would be fun.

One Word Answers

Favorite TV Show:  Ghost Lab.

Best Area Pizza:  Brier Hill.

Best Class You Have Taken At YSU:  Abnormal Psychology.

Worst Habit:  Oversleeping, Sometimes I hit snooze one too many times.

Biggest Phobia:  Ghosts.  I will watch a season of Ghost Lab and then I can’t sleep for a week.

Favorite Holiday:  Christmas.

Best Current NBA Player:  Kobe Bryant.

Favorite Flavor of Chicken Wings:  Teriyaki.

Favorite Color:  Black.

One Word To Describe Coach Slocum:  Passionate.

Jerry Slocum may have had mixed emotions as Youngstown State hosted Geneva Tuesday night. Slocum coached at Geneva, where he posted a 202-81 record.  In the end, Slocum added another win to his career record, this one at Youngstown State as the Penguins rolled 88-47.

Geneva showed some fight early in the game and only trailed 11-9 at the 10:56 mark. A pair of DeAndre Mays (pictured) threes quickly pushed that slim lead to 19-11 less than two minutes later.

The Penguins increased the lead to 15 points with just under three minutes remaining in the opening half. A couple of Zack Rebillot baskets and some sloppy Geneva half-court offense seemed to ignite the Penguins. At the half, the Golden Tornadoes found themselves trailing YSU by the score of 39-23.

Mays had the hot hand for YSU in the first half pouring in 13 points, including 3 three-pointers. Geneva was paced by their leading scorer Rich Colick who had nine points at the break.

The second half was not much different than the first. The Penguins were playing a solid half-court game against undersized Geneva. The Golden Tornadoes did get a few threes from Mineral Ridge Grad  TJ Bevilacqua to shave the YSU lead to 17 at one point.

With just under eight minutes left in the game, YSU held a 66-40 lead. The Penguins capitalized on a few fastbreak opportunities to pull away and the defense was solid with Geneva getting very limited looks at the hoop and almost no second chances on offense. Five minutes later, the lead was stretched to 39 points and the margin of victory for YSU would end up 41, as the Penguins were victorious, 88-47.

YSU (3-2), which shot just over 50% from the field in this one,  got 18 from Mays and eleven from both Ashen Ward and Vance Cooksey.  Ward also hauled in seven rebounds.

Geneva (1-2) was lead by Bevilacqua who scored 17 points and went 3-5 from 3-point range.

Coach Slocum was pleased with the effort.  “It was good for us to just let it go and just play.  When you are open, you have to knock down the shots, and tonight we did.  We have a monumental task in front of us and we just have to keep our focus game-to-game.”

YSU plays against an Elite Eight team Saturday when they travel to Pittsburgh to do battle with the Panthers.  The game tips off at noon and can be heard on AM-570 with Robb Schmidt calling the action.

Coming out of Villa Angela-St. Joseph’s (VASJ), Ashen Ward was the guy who got the ball to win a game near the end, he was Mr. Clutch, and he came through.  Now a Sophomore Penguin, Ward is comfortable with his role, confident in his team, and likes being a student at Youngstown State.  I recently caught up with Ward to discuss the state of YSU Basketball, Coach Slocum, and where this team is headed.

Paneech:  Talk about your high school days at VASJ in Cleveland where you were the team captain.

Ward:  My high school experience was all about tradition.  I started out a Freshman taking in what the people above me were doing and learning.  As I was getting older, I was trying to keep the success going at our school.  It was all about family and tradition.  I didn’t want the program to fall when the guys above me left, I wanted to keep that tradition going.

Paneech:  So how weird is it going from high school, where you are ‘the man’, to going to a college team where you have to again prove yourself for minutes?

Ward:  I love proving myself.  As a Freshman in high school to the time you get older, proving yourself makes it all the more better, knowing that you really deserve it.  That’s all I am doing now, just working hard, and I know that me working hard is making our team better.  I love it here, I am getting to know this area a little better.  When you are all brothers on a team, it helps, just like a family.

Paneech:  What is it like playing for Coach Slocum?

Ward:  He is really hands-on, he is really knowledgeable and is always teaching.  When he tells you something, he wants to see it progress and use it in a game.  He will do whatever he has to do, simulate drills, do drills with us, and wants to be a part of it, and that helps us.

Paneech:  You have now played 4 games, two were against NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago in Xavier and Kent State.  Do these games give confidence to the team?

Ward:  We had confidence before the first game, we had confidence after our loss at Xavier, and we are a confident team that needs to bring that to the floor.  Those games against Xavier and Kent will help us because we were competitive.  When we play other teams we will go in thinking we are the better team.  When you go against a powerhouse like Xavier, it feels good to come back and be the powerhouse against Hiram.  We bring it every night and compete no matter who we are playing.

Paneech:  Against Kent State, Coach Slocum was not happy with free throw shooting and called missed free throws additional turnovers.  Will you be shooting extra free throws at practice?

Ward:  Well, we will, but we take it upon ourselves as a team to be good free throw shooters.  I know it didn’t show against Kent, but we spend alot of time in practice and on our own getting better at the line, and we need to just bring that to the game. 

Paneech:  Describe a practice day from the time you wake up until you go to sleep.

Ward:  I wake up and have an eight-o’clock class.  Then we have practice from 9 until coach feels it should be over, usually about 12 or 12:30.  My next class is at 2 and I have a night class at 5.  I usually go to the gym after that class and get some shots up with some of the guys.  After that, I will head home, do some homework, and go to sleep knowing I am going to do it all over again.

Paneech:  What does it mean to the team when alot of people show up for a game?

Ward:  It means alot to us.  To know that people are behind us like the Kent game means alot.  When you put so much work and effort, it feels good to know that you have people behind you.  It gets everybody going, even if you are not on the floor, you feel it. 

Paneech:  Who wins the NCAA Tournament this year?

Ward:  (laughs)  Youngstown State!

Paneech:  Good answer.  Say YSU gets upset in the Final Four, who do you see winning?

Ward:  I like Kansas.  They get good play out of the guards and have a strong big man.  They have got a good all-around game.

Paneech:  Where does YSU finish in the Horizon League this year?

Ward:  I feel like last year we proved ourselves to be a strong team in the conference.  I don’t really see anyone in this league that we can’t beat.  This team has alot of heart.  What we lack in talent and execution sometimes, we make up with heart. 

Paneech:  How does it feel looking up and seeing football players, track and field champions, and golfers watching you guys play a home game?

Ward:  I have seen that grow alot over my first year here.  I went to the football games and volleyball games, and it is good to see everyone returning it. 

Paneech:  Coach Slocum said everything on this team is symmetric and two-fold, meaning the team depth should not be an issue.  Who is your twin, the guy you replace?

Ward:  Kelvin Bright is my boy.  He goes out and does his thing and if he needs a blow I step in and do my job, we are like a tandem out there.  I guard him at practice and we live together so I see his face all of the time. 

One Word Answers

Favorite Flavor Of Ice Cream:  Strawberry.

Biggest Phobia:  Failure.

Worst Habit:  Humming, I hum alot.

Nicest Thing About Youngstown:  The teachers here really care.

Favorite TV Show:  Law & Order.

The Toy You Cherished Most As A Child:  My Power Rangers.  You could stick them all together and use five of them together and they would make this big monster, I loved it.

Favorite Color:  Black.

Favorite Holiday:  Christmas.

Favorite NBA Player:  LeBron James.

Sport You Watch When Basketball Isn’t On?  Football.

Favorite Flavor Of Chicken Wings:  Hot.

Big time basketball atmosphere on Wednesday night at the Beeghly Center. Youngstown State was challenging their second 2008-09 NCAA Tournament qualifying team in three games, Kent State.  The Golden Flashes took advantage of poor YSU free throw opportunities and walked away 70-61 winners in front of 4,000 plus fans.

Kent State looked powerful in the early going and held an eight point lead just 1:50 into the contest. YSU roared back to take a lead of their own, going up by a point with eight minutes left in the half. Eleven first half turnovers were probably a big difference in the six point deficit. With one half in the books, Kent State was ahead, 30-26.

The Penguins shot 39% on 9-23 from the field. Kent shot 44% on 12-27 attempts. Tyree Evans had 10 points at the half for Kent, and Sirlester Martin tallied eight points for YSU. With YSU only down six at the break, could a big crowd and some momentum give this team the second half boost they needed to get over the hump and win a big game?

With 15:49 left in the game, Kent State had a 36-31 lead. Eddie D’Haiti drew a foul and hit one of his two free throws and YSU forced a five second violation to get the ball back. After Vytas Sulskis sunk a pair of free throws, the Golden Flashes lead was cut to a mere two points. Sulskis then hit a layup with 14:24 left in the game to tie things up at 36.

With 9:25 remaining, Kent State took a five point lead on a big Anthony Simpson baseline jumper from 12 feet. From there, the Golden Flashes started to pour it on taking advantage of a poor Youngstown State shot selection and a couple of turnovers. Youngstown State finally ended the Kent State run at 13-0 when Sulskis hit a pair of free throws to make it 53-42.

YSU flirted with cutting into the lead, but hustle fouls on D’Haiti and Sulskis, their fifth each, kept the Penguins at bay. At the 2:49 mark, Kent held a 58-49 lead. YSU had one tactic that proved effective with about two minutes left in the game – a full court press.  However, the Penguins really struggled from the free throw line in the second half and ended the game just 19-28 from the charity stripe, many the front end of one-and-one situations.

Evans headed the Kent offense with 18 points.  Justin Greene tallied 17 and Rodriguez Sherman chipped in with 15 for the Golden Flashes.

Youngstown State got 15 points each out of Sirlester Martin and Sulskis and DeAndre Mays added 14.

Youngstown State Coach Jerry Slocum was vocal about the blown opportunities.  “19 turnovers and you give up 14 offensive rebounds and you are not going to beat a good team.  When you miss the front end of three or four one-and-ones, we count that as a turnover and you are not going to beat a good basketball team like they are when you do those kinds of things.”

Youngstown State travels to New Jersey for a Saturday meeting with Saint Peter’s at 2 p.m.  You can catch all of te action on AM-570 with Robb Schmidt.

Coach Cindy Martin knows that her 2009-10 Lady Penguins team has the potential to win more than the three games last year’s squad walked away with.  Marked improvement over last year against Kent State is proof to the naysayers.  The scrappy YSU women are playing shorthanded with really only seven able bodies right now and fought until the end.  The result was respectable, albeit a loss, as Kent State came away with a 71-55 victory at the Beeghly Center.

The Lady Penguins held the lead for the majority of the first half.  Kent State nabbed the lead at the 13:10 mark, taking a 14-13 lead.  A pair of Rachael Manuel free throws ended a long Youngstown State drought and put an end to the Golden Flashes run.  Macey Nortey hit a nice underhand running layup when she was fouled and hit the bonus toss to pull YSU to within two, a 20-18 deficit.   Kent closed out the half on an 11-4 run and took a 31-22 lead into the break. 

YSU was only 6-29 from the field in the half combined with 11 turnovers and was having an issue with fouls.  Dressing only eight players and having a couple of them with three fouls has to cut back on the aggression YSU would be able to play with defensively in the second half.  Kent’s bench outscored YSU’s 15-0 in the opening half. 

Youngstown State battled to keep things close in the second half, but Kent would not yield any ground.  At the 11:50 mark, the Golden Flashes extended their halftime lead by a point to a 46-36 advantage. 

Kent State would start to pull away, but YSU would show some fight and battle back from trailing by 18 to just 13 on a Nortey three.  Nortey, who finished with a career high 20 points for the Penguins,  then connected on a pair of free throws to chop the lead back to 11.  The lack of numbers and fatigue factor were both seemingly working against YSU with about five minutes left in the game.  Kent State had five offensive rebounds and six shots on one trip down the floor.

When all of the remaining time elapsed, Kent State claimed the victory with a 70-55 verdict.  Give the Lady Penguins some credit for hanging in there against Kent when they could have easily thrown in the towel several times earlier in the game.

Nortey collected her 20 points for YSU on 7-15 shooting and 5-6 on her free throws.    Kent State was paced by Jamilah Humes who tallied 14 for the Golden Flashes.

Coach Martin was not completely disappointed with the effort.  “I am not satisfied, I won’t be satisfied until we cut down the nets here at Youngstown State.  I am happy and proud.  The ladies have alot of fiestiness and we did well with our late game situations.  Last year we lost 95-58 to Kent State, they have a great program over there, so yes, I am happy with the effort tonight.”

Youngstown State (0-3) hosts Canisius this Sunday at 2 p.m. in hopes of getting that elusive first win on the year.  Hang in there Coach Martin, your hard work will pay off eventually.