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(01-18-2017 08:41 AM)anti-zip Wrote:  

(01-18-2017 08:20 AM)ksu315 Wrote:  [quote='fallsdog' pid='14008065' dateline='1484739428']
Coach Senderoff acknowledged that part of the problem last night was "we have a guy playing point guard who doesn't play point guard."
*

In his defense, he thought he had a 5th year senior starter returning at the point until late in the game. When Thomas left there wasn't a lot out there. Al Fisher's don't turn up every year.

+1

(01-18-2017 08:50 AM)fallsdog Wrote:  

(01-18-2017 08:41 AM)anti-zip Wrote:  

(01-18-2017 08:20 AM)ksu315 Wrote:  [quote='fallsdog' pid='14008065' dateline='1484739428']
Coach Senderoff acknowledged that part of the problem last night was "we have a guy playing point guard who doesn't play point guard."
*

In his defense, he thought he had a 5th year senior starter returning at the point until late in the game. When Thomas left there wasn't a lot out there. Al Fisher's don't turn up every year.

KT leaving left a huge hole on this team and we had to scramble to find Zabo. I like Ridinour at a back up point and he has done a good job, but he is not a true PG

+1

(01-18-2017 08:41 AM)anti-zip Wrote:  

(01-18-2017 08:20 AM)ksu315 Wrote:  [quote='fallsdog' pid='14008065' dateline='1484739428']
Coach Senderoff acknowledged that part of the problem last night was "we have a guy playing point guard who doesn't play point guard."
*

Well coach you have 13 scholarships, 5 assistant coaches and you recruited and coach the team then why in a guard dominated league do we NOT have a point guard??? Whose fault is that???

In his defense, he thought he had a 5th year senior PG starter returning at the point until late in the game. When Thomas left there wasn't a lot out there. Al Fisher's don't turn up every year.

IF Zabo was Al Fisher this would not be part of the KSU conversation ... if Zabo was Rod Sherman or Derek Jackson this would not be part of the conversation ... if Zabo was even Jordan Mincy this would not be part of the conversation ...

But Zabo is Zabo ???

The second point is ... AS REQUESTED BY MOST ON THIS BOARD .... the bulk of the team right now, and certainly the bulk of the talent, are freshmen and sophomores still searching for themselves ... this right now - SADLY - is part of the struggling youth process particularly with no true Kent veterans on hand to show the way ...

It would be one thing if you looked on the court and said Senderoff had no MAC talent ... that's not the case ... the talent is mostly there, just not yet a cohesive unit .. and with no PG leader. With the possible exception of maybe one player ... there is not a freshman or sophomore a true Kent fan would want to see leave this program ... and there are seven or eight of them, I believe.

Thomas was a huge, huge loss both on the court and in the lockerroom ...

And why is there no veterans on the team? It is constantly going to be young and rebounding until we do a BETTER JOB of recruiting players that fit our program- not one leave because they don't fit our program. Way too much turnover. It may be happening elsewhere but lately our margin of recruiting mistakes is too small. I know there are many who "dislike" Akron but they don't have any problem recruiting or replacing players that graduate. What attracts the recruits there???? I remember not too long ago they wanted to be like Kent-I'm sure they aren't saying that now. I hope Kent finds some answers soon- I'll still be in the stands waiting.

There is a problem throughout college basketball, but it seems amplified in a weaker MAC this season. If Akron is the best team this year, they will be the weakest MAC champ in memory. It's far from Dambrot's best team. They beat a bunch of terrible teams and not even all of the terrible teams they played: they lost to Youngstown who is one of the worst teams in the Horizon. The whole MAC is just not good and got its lunch handed to it OOC. I watched Akron play Gonzaga and Creighton. The Zags went through the motions for 2/3 of the game and then crunch time came and they basically shut Akron out for the last 6-7 minutes and won by 18. It was a mismatch. Creighton, early in the second half, turned it on and went up 17-18 pts. and just cruised down the stretch and won by 12. It seems like the MAC has lost all hope of being able to compete against these top non-major conference schools. Sure, Creighton and Gonzaga and teams like Wichita St. have become power basketball schools, but we all remember when these were KSU's peers. The conference just doesn't compete at the mid-major level it used to.

And we are certainly worse than Akron so far: our team seems lost, disorganized, and hasn't found a sense of unity. It was to be expected with such turnover as many have said, and we hope they get it together come March because there is talent. It is very difficult to watch now, though. Very difficult. But this season, what we have is a team we can only hope can put it together in 6 weeks. It's what every MAC team has to hope for this year because whoever wins the tourney will get a crappy seed in the NCAA and will be looking for miracles.

I would like to ask why do we have this sad state of affairs in the MAC? The coaches make plus or minus half a million a year. I know that is not prime time pay, but that pay check will go a long way towards a good life style in MAC markets. The schools are good colleges and in areas of close by talent. Is it too much to expect respectability. Is it too much to demand that our coaches recruit better talent. I assume that all the coaches know how to coach. I am not sure that I see D1 talent on our teams. I must say that I was impressed with the Buffalo young players. Their prospect for the future looked better than ours from a talent stand point. No doubt recruiting is hard work and year long. It takes a long term view rather than a next year view. What makes the A10 and MVC so much better than MAC. A free ride is a free ride.

(01-18-2017 01:50 PM)GFlash68 Wrote:  I would like to ask why do we have this sad state of affairs in the MAC? The coaches make plus or minus half a million a year. I know that is not prime time pay, but that pay check will go a long way towards a good life style in MAC markets. The schools are good colleges and in areas of close by talent. Is it too much to expect respectability. Is it too much to demand that our coaches recruit better talent. I assume that all the coaches know how to coach. I am not sure that I see D1 talent on our teams. I must say that I was impressed with the Buffalo young players. Their prospect for the future looked better than ours from a talent stand point. No doubt recruiting is hard work and year long. It takes a long term view rather than a next year view. What makes the A10 and MVC so much better than MAC. A free ride is a free ride.

no $$$$ to invest in programs as we don't have huge donors. I'm sure a 100 posters will disagree with me and how we need football at highest levels but the A10 and MVC don't spend the $$ we do on football either.

Football is the culprit. Well, and a AD that cannot get in line with the university's plan

(01-18-2017 11:11 AM)cleveland Wrote:  

(01-18-2017 08:41 AM)anti-zip Wrote:  

(01-18-2017 08:20 AM)ksu315 Wrote:  [quote='fallsdog' pid='14008065' dateline='1484739428']
Coach Senderoff acknowledged that part of the problem last night was "we have a guy playing point guard who doesn't play point guard."
*

Well coach you have 13 scholarships, 5 assistant coaches and you recruited and coach the team then why in a guard dominated league do we NOT have a point guard??? Whose fault is that???

In his defense, he thought he had a 5th year senior PG starter returning at the point until late in the game. When Thomas left there wasn't a lot out there. Al Fisher's don't turn up every year.

IF Zabo was Al Fisher this would not be part of the KSU conversation ... if Zabo was Rod Sherman or Derek Jackson this would not be part of the conversation ... if Zabo was even Jordan Mincy this would not be part of the conversation ...

But Zabo is Zabo ???

The second point is ... AS REQUESTED BY MOST ON THIS BOARD .... the bulk of the team right now, and certainly the bulk of the talent, are freshmen and sophomores still searching for themselves ... this right now - SADLY - is part of the struggling youth process particularly with no true Kent veterans on hand to show the way ...

It would be one thing if you looked on the court and said Senderoff had no MAC talent ... that's not the case ... the talent is mostly there, just not yet a cohesive unit .. and with no PG leader. With the possible exception of maybe one player ... there is not a freshman or sophomore a true Kent fan would want to see leave this program ... and there are seven or eight of them, I believe.

Thomas was a huge, huge loss both on the court and in the lockerroom ...

Agree strongly with the bolded line. I remember how much everyone complained about JC's recruiting practices of building heavily through JUCO. Sendy still brings in a lot of JUCOs (with much less success) but seems to focus more on HS recruiting and, in my opinion, has had more success in that area than JC was. Unfortunately, the JUCOs he tries to supplement with haven't been working out.

I think there's a lot of reasons for it and this might be over simplifying it, but it seems the current staff values size and athleticism over JUCO production. Until his last recruiting class (Rashad Woods) most of Christian's JUCO recruits were the best player on their team. Now this is seldom the case. Kevin Zabo is a perfect example. He played on a really good JUCO team and had prior D1 experience, but was it really fair for us to expect him to come in and be a starting PG? I mean he averaged 7.0 ppg and 4.3 apg last year. The second thing I think might hurt us in recruiting JUCO is we often wait until after the season to add those guys. It makes some sense because you can see how they played this year and evaluate what holes you need to fill immediately. But the crop is more picked over at that point. JC got lucky with some late summer JUCO's but he also inked some of the real good ones in the fall period (Youngblood comes to mind).

Lastly, for anyone thinking we should clean house, think about what that could mean for the program. Guys like Jaylin Walker, Pippen, and Peterson all have their redshirt year left, so they could easily transfer. And it could very easily cost us Duling and Ghoston who both seem like really good recruits at this point. Not to mention all ties to Andrews would be gone so any pipe dream of getting him back would be over. Basically, it could be completely hitting the reset button. So whoever you hire better be a damn good coach and recruiter or it might be awhile until the program recovers.

(01-18-2017 11:32 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  

(01-18-2017 11:11 AM)cleveland Wrote:  

(01-18-2017 08:41 AM)anti-zip Wrote:  

(01-18-2017 08:20 AM)ksu315 Wrote:  [quote='fallsdog' pid='14008065' dateline='1484739428']
Coach Senderoff acknowledged that part of the problem last night was "we have a guy playing point guard who doesn't play point guard."
*

Well coach you have 13 scholarships, 5 assistant coaches and you recruited and coach the team then why in a guard dominated league do we NOT have a point guard??? Whose fault is that???

In his defense, he thought he had a 5th year senior PG starter returning at the point until late in the game. When Thomas left there wasn't a lot out there. Al Fisher's don't turn up every year.

IF Zabo was Al Fisher this would not be part of the KSU conversation ... if Zabo was Rod Sherman or Derek Jackson this would not be part of the conversation ... if Zabo was even Jordan Mincy this would not be part of the conversation ...

But Zabo is Zabo ???

The second point is ... AS REQUESTED BY MOST ON THIS BOARD .... the bulk of the team right now, and certainly the bulk of the talent, are freshmen and sophomores still searching for themselves ... this right now - SADLY - is part of the struggling youth process particularly with no true Kent veterans on hand to show the way ...

It would be one thing if you looked on the court and said Senderoff had no MAC talent ... that's not the case ... the talent is mostly there, just not yet a cohesive unit .. and with no PG leader. With the possible exception of maybe one player ... there is not a freshman or sophomore a true Kent fan would want to see leave this program ... and there are seven or eight of them, I believe.

Thomas was a huge, huge loss both on the court and in the lockerroom ...

Agree strongly with the bolded line. I remember how much everyone complained about JC's recruiting practices of building heavily through JUCO. Sendy still brings in a lot of JUCOs (with much less success) but seems to focus more on HS recruiting and, in my opinion, has had more success in that area than JC was. Unfortunately, the JUCOs he tries to supplement with haven't been working out.

I think there's a lot of reasons for it and this might be over simplifying it, but it seems the current staff values size and athleticism over JUCO production. Until his last recruiting class (Rashad Woods) most of Christian's JUCO recruits were the best player on their team. Now this is seldom the case. Kevin Zabo is a perfect example. He played on a really good JUCO team and had prior D1 experience, but was it really fair for us to expect him to come in and be a starting PG? I mean he averaged 7.0 ppg and 4.3 apg last year. The second thing I think might hurt us in recruiting JUCO is we often wait until after the season to add those guys. It makes some sense because you can see how they played this year and evaluate what holes you need to fill immediately. But the crop is more picked over at that point. JC got lucky with some late summer JUCO's but he also inked some of the real good ones in the fall period (Youngblood comes to mind).

Lastly, for anyone thinking we should clean house, think about what that could mean for the program. Guys like Jaylin Walker, Pippen, and Peterson all have their redshirt year left, so they could easily transfer. And it could very easily cost us Duling and Ghoston who both seem like really good recruits at this point. Not to mention all ties to Andrews would be gone so any pipe dream of getting him back would be over. Basically, it could be completely hitting the reset button. So whoever you hire better be a damn good coach and recruiter or it might be awhile until the program recovers.

Good point on JC recruits ... although Chris Evans and Derek Jackson after JC era were valuable JC recruits ... (Tabb and Goodsen ????)

Of the current batch one is already gone (Deberry) one is not playing (Edwards) and two (Zabo, ADR) are very weak role players.

If any one of them was a front line double-figure producer this team would look a lot different. As much as Zabo has been a disappointment the argument can be made that ADR is equally or more so. This guy has a ton of holes in his game. Those who thought he was a pro must have been thinking PRO-ject.

The big kid that left the program last year - while he didn't play much as a freshman and a sophomore ... would be a much bigger help this season than ADR .. and interestingly, would actually have been the most veteran player on the team and only player who had already player (sat???) in every MAC gym already.

Jackson was a transfer. I think he went to Tri C for classes but he never played in JUCO. Evans was definitely an exception but if memory serves he committed while Geno was the coach. Sendy was the associate head coach so he should still get some credit for getting Evans though. I do think we nailed it with Edwin, I like him a lot. The connection with his brother might be the only reason we had a chance though.

Jackson played at Central Michigan.

The most important ingredient in college basketball success is the players. And that means recruiting. Unless your name is Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina or Duke, the recruiters have to provide good reasons to come to your school over other interested schools. Kent State's main selling point, and for most kids its only one, for years has been that it is a perennial winner. If this ship doesn't get turned around this year or next at the latest, I shudder to think what will likely happen.

(01-19-2017 10:06 AM)FlashPan Wrote:  Jackson played at Central Michigan.

Then went to TRI-C ... then to Kent State.

(01-19-2017 05:41 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(01-19-2017 10:06 AM)FlashPan Wrote:  Jackson played at Central Michigan.

Then went to TRI-C ... then to Kent State.

He was a fine fine player...Cleveland, how did the media not give this guy any type of post-season award? He was the best "on the ball defender" in the league, a decent scorer, passer and a great team player! No way he was not one of the top overall 15 players in the league as a Senior. Makes me think most MAC media have their heads up their a**es!

(01-19-2017 11:16 PM)Old School Flash Wrote:  

(01-19-2017 05:41 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(01-19-2017 10:06 AM)FlashPan Wrote:  Jackson played at Central Michigan.

Then went to TRI-C ... then to Kent State.

He was a fine fine player...Cleveland, how did the media not give this guy any type of post-season award? He was the best "on the ball defender" in the league, a decent scorer, passer and a great team player! No way he was not one of the top overall 15 players in the league as a Senior. Makes me think most MAC media have their heads up their a**es!

'Media' ... can be anybody it seems. Lots of misses over the years ... Leon Williams at Ohio should have been POY once ... several others ... bias obviously comes into play ... shot-blockers become easy DPOY guys ... on-ball defenders have to be extra special to be noticed.

Just my opinion ... JGuy at the MAC office could probably answer the question better.

(01-19-2017 11:16 PM)Old School Flash Wrote:  

(01-19-2017 05:41 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(01-19-2017 10:06 AM)FlashPan Wrote:  Jackson played at Central Michigan.

Then went to TRI-C ... then to Kent State.

He was a fine fine player...Cleveland, how did the media not give this guy any type of post-season award? He was the best "on the ball defender" in the league, a decent scorer, passer and a great team player! No way he was not one of the top overall 15 players in the league as a Senior. Makes me think most MAC media have their heads up their a**es!

n

The media votes based on PPG - Spicer was DPOY and.not even an All MAC Honorable Menntion

(01-21-2017 08:08 PM)Slinkin Street Flash Wrote:  

(01-19-2017 11:16 PM)Old School Flash Wrote:  

(01-19-2017 05:41 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(01-19-2017 10:06 AM)FlashPan Wrote:  Jackson played at Central Michigan.

Then went to TRI-C ... then to Kent State.

He was a fine fine player...Cleveland, how did the media not give this guy any type of post-season award? He was the best "on the ball defender" in the league, a decent scorer, passer and a great team player! No way he was not one of the top overall 15 players in the league as a Senior. Makes me think most MAC media have their heads up their a**es!

n

The media votes based on PPG - Spicer was DPOY and.not even an All MAC Honorable Menntion

Media votes POY -- COY .. FOY ...

Coaches vote All-MAC, DPOY

(01-22-2017 11:00 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(01-21-2017 08:08 PM)Slinkin Street Flash Wrote:  

(01-19-2017 11:16 PM)Old School Flash Wrote:  

(01-19-2017 05:41 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(01-19-2017 10:06 AM)FlashPan Wrote:  Jackson played at Central Michigan.

Then went to TRI-C ... then to Kent State.

He was a fine fine player...Cleveland, how did the media not give this guy any type of post-season award? He was the best "on the ball defender" in the league, a decent scorer, passer and a great team player! No way he was not one of the top overall 15 players in the league as a Senior. Makes me think most MAC media have their heads up their a**es!

n

The media votes based on PPG - Spicer was DPOY and.not even an All MAC Honorable Menntion

Media votes POY -- COY .. FOY ...

Coaches vote All-MAC, DPOY

Thanks for this info Cleveland. Did not know that. Shocked to learn it was the coaches who did not vote D Jack to win anything. They must have still been pissed for all the turnovers he caused their teams!