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

(09-10-2018 09:00 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  I think the team will be about the same as we've been for the past several seasons. A lot of talent. A lot of new pieces. How well and how quickly they gel will determine how far we go. Pippen's injury is really unfortunate because I was expecting him to take a big step. While he still could, this has to be a set back in his off season work.

I like Frederick. He showed me some subtle things I think you could work with last year. He wasn't much of a hs recruit or a freshman in juco. Then he reinvented himself between his freshman and sophomore seasons. That shows he puts in the work. Time will tell if D1 is too big for him, but I have a hard time believing a guy that put up the numbers he put up can't play at this level. Also in an era of transferring like crazy, he stuck it out so he's an easy guy to root for in my mind.

I'm excited to see Whittington. If we had a sophomore post put up the numbers he put up we'd be pretty excited about him... I know this because he put up really similar numbers to whar did Pippen last year (other than threes).

I too expect big strides from Duling. The skill and potential he possesses is glaringly obvious every time he steps on the court.

I do like what I've seen on tape from a lot of the other new guys as well. I'm really excited to see Williams. From the clips on him, what he lacks in height he makes up for in length and athleticism. Nothing will get a gym as loud as a little guy postering a big guy. As for Gholston and Roberts I always like having two 4 year guards in the same class. I hope they both stick around even if they don't get the minutes they hope. My hope is that becomes the next guard duo to build around.

One concern, I believe Harris and Whittington will both be able to leave after this season if they want.

I don't know how good we'll be, but I'm confident we have talent and it will be interesting, and likely frustrating at times to watch it come together.

What's frustrating is what could have been ... De La Rosa and Pippen together should have made a huge production jump, together after a season of learning under their belts. It just points to how transfer/injury can really hit a program hard.

Oh well ... Kent will be playing run-and-gun basketball like the rest of the league, now. Problem is ... the rest of the league - the good teams - all have Kent-type size inside.

Interesting.

(09-10-2018 09:00 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  <snip>
I like Frederick. He showed me some subtle things I think you could work with last year. He wasn't much of a hs recruit or a freshman in juco. Then he reinvented himself between his freshman and sophomore seasons. That shows he puts in the work. Time will tell if D1 is too big for him, but I have a hard time believing a guy that put up the numbers he put up can't play at this level.
<snip>
As for Gholston and Roberts I always like having two 4 year guards in the same class. I hope they both stick around even if they don't get the minutes they hope. My hope is that becomes the next guard duo to build around.

One concern, I believe Harris and Whittington will both be able to leave after this season if they want.
<snip>

I like Frederick too - from what I saw of him last year he looked like he could score. He just didn't get a lot of minutes behind ADLR, Pippen, and Duling. I expect more out of him this year.

The only graduating seniors we have this year are Walker and Avery. I know you can't count on anyone returning next year, but if the students choose to stick around, we might have an experienced team next year.

And with "having two 4 year guards in the same class" - Walker and Avery are finishing up their 4 year run, and they started right after Brewer and Manley finished. If Roberts and Gholston match either of those sets, we'll be OK at guard for the next 4 years

Just got a commitment from Kalin Bennett. 6'9 and 275. He is from LR Christian HS and a good friend of mine has a son who plays for them. He says his weight has always been a problem and he has slow feet. Hopefully this year in prep school he is working on his conditioning and will come in committed to the process.

Verbal Commits has him at 6'10", 290 lbs! Sounds like a project but good to have a legit center coming on board. He had a couple other offers including Cleveland State.

Can't teach size, so you gotta like that. In today's game big slow guys are a liability though, so hopefully conditioning isn't a problem. He's now the second big man in the 2019 class but the other is a stretch 4 so in theory their games will fit together fine.

Looks like a new version of Akron's Big Dog Johnson. Dambrot used the inside out game effectively by featuring Big Dog. Will Kent take the same risk and go with a slow half court offense to make him effective?

Also, hope the people on campus don't confuse him with Kaitlin Bennett!

(09-29-2018 03:58 PM)dannyb73 Wrote:  Just got a commitment from Kalin Bennett. 6'9 and 275. He is from LR Christian HS and a good friend of mine has a son who plays for them. He says his weight has always been a problem and he has slow feet. Hopefully this year in prep school he is working on his conditioning and will come in committed to the process.

(09-30-2018 09:51 AM)MACFAN Wrote:  Looks like a new version of Akron's Big Dog Johnson. Dambrot used the inside out game effectively by featuring Big Dog. Will Kent take the same risk and go with a slow half court offense to make him effective?

Also, hope the people on campus don't confuse him with Kaitlin Bennett!

(09-29-2018 03:58 PM)dannyb73 Wrote:  Just got a commitment from Kalin Bennett. 6'9 and 275. He is from LR Christian HS and a good friend of mine has a son who plays for them. He says his weight has always been a problem and he has slow feet. Hopefully this year in prep school he is working on his conditioning and will come in committed to the process.

I would not call Akron's offense with Johnson as 'slow' by any means. In fact one of the highest scoring of that era if I'm not mistaken.

What Johnson did, when surrounded by a slew of frankly undersized guards, was be a post presence, making it one-on-one on the perimeter. And when the 3's weren't falling .. Akron went to Johnson inside.

If Bennett is as 'skilled' as Johnson then being slow will be offset by his ability to pass and score ..... Hopefullly Bennet shoots free throws better than Johnson ...

Time will tell on all of it.

(09-30-2018 09:51 AM)MACFAN Wrote:  Looks like a new version of Akron's Big Dog Johnson. Dambrot used the inside out game effectively by featuring Big Dog. Will Kent take the same risk and go with a slow half court offense to make him effective?

Also, hope the people on campus don't confuse him with Kaitlin Bennett!


HA!

(09-29-2018 03:58 PM)dannyb73 Wrote:  Just got a commitment from Kalin Bennett. 6'9 and 275. He is from LR Christian HS and a good friend of mine has a son who plays for them. He says his weight has always been a problem and he has slow feet. Hopefully this year in prep school he is working on his conditioning and will come in committed to the process.

Another commit.

http://verbalcommits.com/players/jeremiah-hernandez

I dunno - Isaiah Johnson ended up MAC POY (even though Jimmy Hall deserved it) so big, slow guys can be productive.

I wonder how much Bennett was influenced by Adonis De La Rosa's career here - ADLR was well north of 300 lbs when he signed and was able to get into shape at Kent State. If Bennett is pushing 290, he should look up the ADLR diet.

I think we're all going to be fans of Kalin Bennett. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thv11.c...-558656805

(10-02-2018 08:57 AM)goldenflash99 Wrote:  I think we're all going to be fans of Kalin Bennett. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thv11.c...-558656805

Try this link ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yt-9J_MyM2I

(10-02-2018 09:14 AM)cleveland Wrote:  

(10-02-2018 08:57 AM)goldenflash99 Wrote:  I think we're all going to be fans of Kalin Bennett. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thv11.c...-558656805

Try this link ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yt-9J_MyM2I

Wow, that's incredible! Excited to see what he can do. I wonder if he'll be the first division 1 scholarship player with autism? MSU had an autistic player a couple years ago but I'm pretty sure he was a walk-on.

(10-01-2018 09:18 PM)dannyb73 Wrote:  Another commit.

http://verbalcommits.com/players/jeremiah-hernandez

Interesting addition. With only 3 seniors this fills up next year's class unless they want to over recruit knowing someone always leaves. What's interesting here is the three players are two posts and one wing. With two freshman wings on scholarship, the only true PG a senior, and the expected candidates for the backup juniors this makes me believe the staff thinks one of the freshmen wings could be the PG of the future. Additionally this makes me think they like what they have with the current roster because they're not holding a scholarship open to plug a hole with a JUCO.

(10-02-2018 06:09 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  

(10-01-2018 09:18 PM)dannyb73 Wrote:  Another commit.

http://verbalcommits.com/players/jeremiah-hernandez

Interesting addition. With only 3 seniors this fills up next year's class unless they want to over recruit knowing someone always leaves. What's interesting here is the three players are two posts and one wing. With two freshman wings on scholarship, the only true PG a senior, and the expected candidates for the backup juniors this makes me believe the staff thinks one of the freshmen wings could be the PG of the future. Additionally this makes me think they like what they have with the current roster because they're not holding a scholarship open to plug a hole with a JUCO.

Story out of Chicago said Kent promised 6-5 Hernandez (No. 2 SF in the state) he would be a PG for the Flashes.

https://www.suntimeshighschoolsports.com...hernandez/

It is so wonderful seeing basketball news on this site. I cannot wait to see how this year progresses. Losing Adonis will hurt but I like our athleticism. Lets go get a MAC Championship!

(10-02-2018 06:20 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(10-02-2018 06:09 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  

(10-01-2018 09:18 PM)dannyb73 Wrote:  Another commit.

http://verbalcommits.com/players/jeremiah-hernandez

Interesting addition. With only 3 seniors this fills up next year's class unless they want to over recruit knowing someone always leaves. What's interesting here is the three players are two posts and one wing. With two freshman wings on scholarship, the only true PG a senior, and the expected candidates for the backup juniors this makes me believe the staff thinks one of the freshmen wings could be the PG of the future. Additionally this makes me think they like what they have with the current roster because they're not holding a scholarship open to plug a hole with a JUCO.

Story out of Chicago said Kent promised 6-5 Hernandez (No. 2 SF in the state) he would be a PG for the Flashes.

https://www.suntimeshighschoolsports.com...hernandez/

More on Hernandez from the R-C:
https://www.record-courier.com/sports/20...ssion=true

Seasons just around the corner. Anyone hear anything out of practice? Who's looking better than expected? Worse? Etc. How Pippen's recovery is going?

I saw this article on De La Rosa in Illinois. Seems their coach thinks very highly of his basketball IQ. https://www.pantagraph.com/sports/colleg...a58d0.html

In 28 days, the off-season will be over. We’ll need a new thread.

Opening night four weeks from tonight!

There's an exhibition game tomorrow vs Robert Morris at 12. I don't remember us playing an exhibition game against a real D1 team before. Should be interesting.