CSNbbs
2017/18 mens basketball - Printable Version

+- CSNbbs (https://csnbbs.com)
+-- Forum: Active Boards (/forum-769.html)
+--- Forum: MACbbs (/forum-513.html)
+---- Forum: MAC - East Team Talk (/forum-463.html)
+----- Forum: Kent State (/forum-474.html)
+----- Thread: 2017/18 mens basketball (/thread-813106.html)

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10


2017/18 mens basketball - Muskrat - 03-21-2017 04:46 PM

Some questions for you who are not as out of the loop as I am:
Is anyone expected to leave the program other the than the three seniors? Who all will be new? Is Castora a walk-on? What's the story on Rosel Hurley?


RE: 2017/18 mens basketball - Slinkin Street Flash - 03-22-2017 12:20 PM

Here's my take on looking ahead to next year - with no insider or expert knowledge - and hoping that no one unexpected leaves the program -

I think at guard, we can look at the roster, and figure the next guy off the bench will replace Deon Edwin. Avery and J-Wal developed during the season and should also be a notch better next season. Zabo also was a better player in March than he was in November. Mitch Peterson also played a lot in Edwin's roles. Desmond Ridenour and Taishaun Johnson would be the next men off the bench with Deon Edwin gone. Ridenour showed he could take Edwin's place when Edwin was in foul trouble during the MAC tournament, and Johnson's 12 ppg as a freshmen at South Alabama makes me hopeful he can help replace the scoring

The big loss is Jimmy Hall - you don't easily replace 1st team All-MACs. I'm hoping we see improvement from all the current forwards, Danny Pippen, Adonis De La Rosa, Leo Edwards, and Alonzo Walker. BJ Duling sounds like he'd come in and be productive too. The issue isn't just replacing Hall, but we played a lot this year with just one real forward on the floor, so we also need a 2nd forward to step up.

Guards Edwin and Peterson spent a lot of time defending the other teams' forwards, and while they did a good job, that's not ideal. De La Rosa needs work - too many fouls, Pippen and Alonzo need experience. They all need to work on shooting - I expect inside players to shoot at least 48% and De La Rosa shot 41%, Edwards 43%, and Pippen shot 39%. Alonzo was over 50%.

So - looking at a guard rotation of Jalen and Jaylin, with Zabo, Peterson, Ridenour, and Johnson. The forward rotation looks like De La Rosa, Pippen, Alonzo, and Duling. I had expected Edwards in the forward rotation this year, and he hardly played, so I wouldn't expect him in there next year.

By my count, we have 12 scholarships out (Zabo, Pippen, Peterson, Ridenour, Edwards, A-Walker, J-Walker, Hurley, De La Rosa, Johnson, Avery, Duling) (assuming Castora is a walk-on). We should have one to offer. With our successes with Avery, Walker, Pippen, Peterson, etc, I'd like to pick up a new freshman, but don't know if there's a quality recruit available.

The biggest need a transfer could fill would be at forward or center. Next year we lose Zabo, Edwards, and Ridenour, so there isn't a big need to fill for 2018-2019 with a recruit.

One thing we definitely have to improve - our .428 shooting percentage was nearly the bottom of the MAC - only BGSU's .425 and CMU's .424 was worse - .450 is about median for the MAC. Hall and Edwin were our best shooters. The remaining players averaged .387. This needs to be improved.


RE: 2017/18 mens basketball - GFlash68 - 03-22-2017 12:42 PM

With Bobby Steinberg scouting the JC ranks, it would not be surprising to see a new body join the program who can be of immediate help. Help means at least 15 to 20 minutes per game. Just hoping as that could make this a pretty good and complete team.


RE: 2017/18 mens basketball - anti-zip - 03-22-2017 08:58 PM

My guess is they try to bring in an offensive minded post player through JC or graduate transfer. I don't think any of our current posts have shown enough to enter next season relying on them to score inside every night. Not saying they can't but my guess is we'd want some insurance at least. I've seen us linked to a 6'8"/6'9" JC post from Columbus, Akiean Frederick, that averaged 22.4 ppg and 11.3 rpg this year. He's a late bloomer that wasn't on anyone's radar until this winter but it seems like a lot of teams are after him so we'll see if our March run can pay off and land him or someone like him.

My head tells me that we'll go with an older post player but I'm still hoping there's a chance we could get Naz Bohanan from Lorain (I know we've offered). He's a 6'6" SF that's built like a house and has a serious motor. I fell in love with his game a couple years ago when I went to watch Andrews play. If he wants to play football he could be a big recruit, hold an offer from MSU. He's supposed to be really smart and supposedly academics is going to be his deciding factor (4.15 GPA and I read he'll already have his associates degree when he starts college). My guess is he's a long shot for us but there's not a lot of HS players like him available this late, so I can dream, right?


RE: 2017/18 mens basketball - OLNWFLSH - 03-23-2017 11:51 AM

Speaking of next year - sorry to hear his team lost but Congratulations are in order for BJ Duling of Newark - First Team Division I All-State Ohio and future Golden Flash!!


RE: 2017/18 mens basketball - KSU Agee - 03-23-2017 12:22 PM

(03-23-2017 11:51 AM)OLNWFLSH Wrote:  Speaking of next year - sorry to hear his team lost but Congratulations are in order for BJ Duling of Newark - First Team Division I All-State Ohio and future Golden Flash!!

I absolutely drool at the thought of a starting 5 being something like Avery, J. Walker, Petersen, Duling and a good JC transfer like the one mentioned above (Akiean Frederick). With the depth we would have off the bench, dreeeaammmm, dream dream dream....

They'd be so young and primed for a run next year and deeper runs in the future...


RE: 2017/18 mens basketball - cleveland - 03-23-2017 02:06 PM

(03-23-2017 12:22 PM)KSU Agee Wrote:  
(03-23-2017 11:51 AM)OLNWFLSH Wrote:  Speaking of next year - sorry to hear his team lost but Congratulations are in order for BJ Duling of Newark - First Team Division I All-State Ohio and future Golden Flash!!

I absolutely drool at the thought of a starting 5 being something like Avery, J. Walker, Petersen, Duling and a good JC transfer like the one mentioned above (Akiean Frederick). With the depth we would have off the bench, dreeeaammmm, dream dream dream....

They'd be so young and primed for a run next year and deeper runs in the future...

Have learned over the years to be very cautious about big athletic high school players translating quickly to college basketball. It's one thing to overpower high school kids when you are the biggest on the block. Quite another to have the same outcomes against equally physical and more mature players the same size.

THAT SAID ...

It does seem like Duling could be the exception to the rule as he was quite good hed-to-hed against several HS playersthis year going high major.

Still ... let's call it cautious but optimistic ... if he can give a solid and productive 12-15 minutes a game, that would be worth a lot. Would frankly rather see a 6-9 Pippen or a 6-8 AWalker emerge at one of the baseline positions with Duling behind them.

Plus a big!


RE: 2017/18 mens basketball - burden - 03-23-2017 02:32 PM

(03-23-2017 02:06 PM)cleveland Wrote:  
(03-23-2017 12:22 PM)KSU Agee Wrote:  
(03-23-2017 11:51 AM)OLNWFLSH Wrote:  Speaking of next year - sorry to hear his team lost but Congratulations are in order for BJ Duling of Newark - First Team Division I All-State Ohio and future Golden Flash!!

I absolutely drool at the thought of a starting 5 being something like Avery, J. Walker, Petersen, Duling and a good JC transfer like the one mentioned above (Akiean Frederick). With the depth we would have off the bench, dreeeaammmm, dream dream dream....

They'd be so young and primed for a run next year and deeper runs in the future...

Have learned over the years to be very cautious about big athletic high school players translating quickly to college basketball. It's one thing to overpower high school kids when you are the biggest on the block. Quite another to have the same outcomes against equally physical and more mature players the same size.

THAT SAID ...

It does seem like Duling could be the exception to the rule as he was quite good hed-to-hed against several HS playersthis year going high major.

Still ... let's call it cautious but optimistic ... if he can give a solid and productive 12-15 minutes a game, that would be worth a lot. Would frankly rather see a 6-9 Pippen or a 6-8 AWalker emerge at one of the baseline positions with Duling behind them.

Plus a big!

+100 on that that first paragraph. Until they show up and prove they can play well in a game anything else is just a dream.


RE: 2017/18 mens basketball - Muskrat - 03-23-2017 06:01 PM

Plenty of highly regarded true freshmen from Ohio high schools have contributed heavily right away at Kent State over the years. I would be disappointed if Duling doesn't. By that I mean I would be disappointed if he isn't at least in the regular rotation with substantial minutes and decent stats.


RE: 2017/18 mens basketball - cleveland - 03-23-2017 07:03 PM

(03-23-2017 06:01 PM)Muskrat Wrote:  Plenty of highly regarded true freshmen from Ohio high schools have contributed heavily right away at Kent State over the years. I would be disappointed if Duling doesn't. By that I mean I would be disappointed if he isn't at least in the regular rotation with substantial minutes and decent stats.

12-15 minutes a game on a championship caliber team would be solid production for any freshman ... Peterson had/has a lot of value, played a lot, and was big in big moments ... but he was still far from consistent. That's what you get from most MAC freshmen.

That's all I'm saying.

Kent should be satisfied with a 'solid' first year from Duling ... while still showing signs of greater things for the future ...


RE: 2017/18 mens basketball - anti-zip - 03-23-2017 07:53 PM

A 6'8" Alonzo Walker sounds pretty good to me too... Unfortunately he's 6'6" and that's probably generous.


RE: 2017/18 mens basketball - Muskrat - 03-24-2017 05:59 AM

Pretty much agree, Cleveland, but I would hope he is good enough to be closer to 20 minutes.


RE: 2017/18 mens basketball - Slinkin Street Flash - 03-24-2017 06:52 AM

(03-23-2017 12:22 PM)KSU Agee Wrote:  
(03-23-2017 11:51 AM)OLNWFLSH Wrote:  Speaking of next year - sorry to hear his team lost but Congratulations are in order for BJ Duling of Newark - First Team Division I All-State Ohio and future Golden Flash!!

I absolutely drool at the thought of a starting 5 being something like Avery, J. Walker, Petersen, Duling and a good JC transfer like the one mentioned above (Akiean Frederick). With the depth we would have off the bench, dreeeaammmm, dream dream dream....

They'd be so young and primed for a run next year and deeper runs in the future...

So has any straight JUCOs since Al Fisher come in and started a lot of games their first season? Even Fisher took the Div I->JUCO->Div I route. Chris Evans came off the bench his first year here (and I see now he was a Div I->JUCO->Div I guy too).

I'm just saying that a JUCO can't be expected to start his first year, and the ramp-up of a freshman wouldn't be much longer than the ramp-up of a JUCO.

[wait - I found that Darren Goodson came in an started 28 games and had 8.9 ppg his first year here]

And we can expect Pippen, De La Rosa, and Alonzo to improve their second year here.


RE: 2017/18 mens basketball - anti-zip - 03-24-2017 09:40 PM

Really to me the big things I'm looking for by the begining of next year is the current players development. With the dedicated trainer can Pippen add 10-15 pounds of muscle? Can De La Rosa get stronger with the ball and improve his conditioning enough to start playing above the rim? He's already taken off the weight, now he needs to learn to jump. Can Avery become more of a factor scoring the ball? He will probably see more shots next year, can he keep his 3 point percentage up? Can Peterson improve his three point shooting? Can J. Walker build off the way he finished this year? Meaning he continues to rebound and defend. I would like to see his fg% into the low 40's and his 3p% over 35 next year. The next part of his game that could really evolve is his passing. He's going to have it in his hands a lot next year and will be getting a lot more attention from the defense. If he can start finishing drives with assists he'll be a much tougher player to guard.

If this stuff happens, Duling comes in and contributes, and we add another solid rotation big we should be a really solid team again next year.


RE: 2017/18 mens basketball - anti-zip - 03-24-2017 10:07 PM

Interesting stat for those who like stats. Jaylin Walker has made exactly 1 out of every 3 threes he's taken through two seasons. He was exactly 1 out of every 3 his first year as well as his second. Now that's consistency.


RE: 2017/18 mens basketball - GoFlashes7 - 03-25-2017 04:35 PM

As expected, there is a lot of transfers already happening in the MAC. Really is unfortunate the large # of transfers each year. (already @ 200 and NCAA tourney still is going on, last year there was 811 transfers in D1)

It will be interesting to see if anyone transfers from KSU and who they use the remaining scholarship or scholarships on. Allen Moff said in his article that Sendy isn't resting after KSU was eliminated from the NCAA Tourney and that he is working hard on recruiting all of this week and moving forward.

**Per Verbal Commits twitter feed:

Northern Illinois G Dontel Highsmith (RS JR) is transferring. Will graduate & play immediately. 2 years to play

Northern Illinois G Nick Wagner (RS FR) is leaving the program.

Akron G Josh Williams (SO) is leaving the program.

Northern Illinois G Dontel Highsmith (RS JR) is transferring. Will graduate & play immediately. 2 years to play.

EMU C Nick Madray (RS JR) is transferring. Will graduate and play immediately @ Wagner. 1 yr to play.

CMU PG Ellis Jefferson (FR) has transferred to Clarendon College.

Wes Clark (SR) has transferred to Buffalo from Missouri. He is a PG.

Toledo (JR) Daniel Dzierzawski PG is transferring to Kentucky Wesleyan.

Missiouri SF Willie Jackson (FR) is transferring to Toledo.

Toledo SF Fred John (SO) is transferring from Toledo to Saginaw Valley State.


RE: 2017/18 mens basketball - anti-zip - 03-25-2017 05:03 PM

Woah, Akron is losing Josh Williams? I know he hasn't lived up to the hype yet, but that's a big loss for them.


RE: 2017/18 mens basketball - fallsdog - 03-25-2017 08:03 PM

Didn't Fairmont State come to the mac center once?


RE: 2017/18 mens basketball - GoFlashes7 - 03-28-2017 09:07 AM

(03-25-2017 08:03 PM)fallsdog Wrote:  Didn't Fairmont State come to the mac center once?

Sure did, a game when the students weren't on campus and KSU almost lost to them. (I was at the game)


RE: 2017/18 mens basketball - GoFlashes7 - 04-01-2017 11:39 AM

Recent Activity
From Verbal Commits:

•3/28/2017 - 2017 SG David Collins (6-3, 200, 2★) has trimmed his list, and removed Kent State from consideration

•3/29/2017 - JUCO SF Jahlil Tripp (6-4, 205, 2★) has received an offer from Kent State

Other recruits with offers from KSU and still uncommitted:
PG Michael Miller, Shawnee Community College
PF Akiean Frederick, Sinclair Community College
PG Ahmad Clark, St Petersburg College
PF Jack Ballantyne, Dakota HS in Warren MI
SF Naz Bohannon, Lorain HS in Lorain OH
SF Levane Beecher, HS in Flint MI
SF Jalen Adaway, Logansport HS in Logansport IN
SG Lapear Toles, Fork Union Military Academy (originally from Canton OH)
SG Devon Cooper, Waggener Traditional HS in Louisville KY
PG Donald Cannon-Flores, Abraham Lincoln HS in Coney Island NY
PG Jahvon Blair, Athlete Institue Prep in Canada