The unofficial online home for fans of the Kent State University Golden Flashes. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(03-15-2018 07:39 AM)Slinkin Street Flash Wrote:  For me, this was a disappointing season for the Flashes. I had a lot of expectations that they'd do better - only losing 2 rotation players from last year's MAC Championship - but I felt we were worse. 17-17 after 22-14 last year? For the first time, I wouldn't be disappointed if we replace Senderhoff.

Digging into the numbers, the I do feel that a few players did improve over 2016-2017. A lot of people grumble about De La Rosa, but he did show improvement - 41% shooting to 56%, 78% from the line. When he was on the floor, I felt the Flashes did better. He's a center, you have to expect him to get a lot of fouls, he might improve there a bit. Could you imagine what a drag he would have been if he shot 41% this year?

Danny Pippen looks like he has the potential - but he shot 41% this year. It would be great if he could improve to 56% like DLR did from sophomore-to-junior. He also tended to catch a lot of fouls.

I think Avery improved a lot - even without looking at going from 5.1 ppg to 10.3 ppg. He looked like he was in control when he was on the floor. And this improvement really started with the run at the end of last season.

Petereson was a disappointment, he didn't seem as strong of a defender, and his offense was worse. Last year he was pretty bad shooting, at 35% from the field and 30% for 3s, and this year his numbers went down.

Zabo? All the times I saw him, he looked like he was trying too much, but when he got hot, he could carry the team for 5-10 minutes. Too many fouls though. Running down his game log, he fouled out of 6 games (DLR fouled out of 9)

Duling and Ridenour, they played their roles well. I'm disappointed Frederick and Nwankwo couldn't earn more playing time.

Jaylin Walker, to me was the biggest disappointment. I was expecting him to be at least 2nd team All-MAC, and with all the 1st team All-MACers leaving from last year, he could have made 1st team. I can't say I saw any improved skills in 2017-2018 over 2016-2017. FG%, 3P%, FT% all about the same. I think if he learned better shot selection, and if he would have shot 43% instead of 38% from the field, he'd have been about 18 ppg, and I think he would have been a 1st team All-MAC

A bit confused by this summation ....

I think a better view is .... a lot of players got better, but the record does not reflect it. And that may be a point of later discussion.

Most of what is written here credits improvement by ADR, JAvery and even Pippen ... and while Zabo did indeed have foul trouble, his offensive numbers greatly improved as well over last season ..

Losing Hall/Edwin was no small subtraction as there was no proven rising 'step-in' talent at either position. Just think where this team would have finished w/o ADR, JA and Zabo's improvement.

As for JW ... His role changed from 'carrying the team' expectations early in the season to maybe a 2/3 option late. Not easy to do on the fly when handed the keys, then taken away.

All that said, looking back over the schedule still probably could have won 20. But JW aside, there was not one player on the roster considered a top tier starter to begin last season ... and that will be just the opposite to start next season.

PS ... Agree Peterson really needs to improve ... and Frederick/Nwankwo may have been recruiting misses.