Coach Slocum's era at YSU tips off in Loretto

His first good look at the team was in an exhibition win over Geneva.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Jerry Slocum era officially begins Saturday night when the Youngstown State men's basketball team opens the season.
The Penguins are on the road for the opener, traveling to Loretto, Pa., where they will take on St. Francis in a 7 p.m. tip-off at DeGol Arena.
Slocum became the new men's basketball coach last spring when he was hired to replace John Robic, whose contract was not renewed after six seasons, the last four being 20-loss campaigns.
Slocum has had nothing but success in previous coaching stops at Nyack College, Geneva College and most recently Gannon University.
New faces
Slocum has brought in some new faces, but had done a remarkable job of mixing the old with the new on this year's team.
The Penguins will be led this season by the same guy who led them through all of last year, junior guard Quin Humphrey.
The 6-foot-4 Humphrey, who led the team in scoring, averaging 14.4 points, (he also averaged 5.4 rebounds), was a preseason All-Horizon League second team selection.
He'll be joined in the starting lineup by three other holdovers, 6-6 sophomore John Barber, 6-2 senior point guard Derrick Harris and 6-10 sophomore forward Colin LaForme.
The fifth starter will be junior transfer Keston Roberts, a 6-4 guard.
Slocum got his first good look at the team last Saturday in an exhibition contest against Geneva College, which the Penguins won, 82-64.
"I thought we did some good things in that game," Slocum said. "We shot the ball well."
Looking at others
Slocum also plans to get a look at several other players, including holdovers Dwight Holmes, a 6-6 junior, 6-8 sophomore Alex Sanchez and 6-4 senior Dominique Crawford.
Newcomers expected to see action are 6-8 freshman Jack Liles and 6-2 freshman Mikki Niemi.
St. Francis got a jump on the season and has already played two games in the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic in Syracuse, N.Y.
The Red Flash dropped both games in the classic, losing to Cornell, 75-54, in the opening round and then to Bethune-Cookman, 63-52, in the second game.
"We have to play them at their place and that's not going to be easy," said Slocum. "They posted an 11-2 record at home last year."
St. Francis, which was 15-13 a year ago, has been led by J. R. Enright, who has scored 31 points and grabbed 25 rebounds in the first two games.
32nd meeting
This will be the 32nd meeting between the two teams with the Red Flash holding a 19-12 advantage. The Penguins have only won four times in the 16 meetings in Loretto in a series that dates back to 1932.
St. Francis had a 10-game home winning streak against the Penguins before YSU ended the streak with a thrilling 64-63 victory in 2000.
The Penguins will also be trying a snap a non-league road losing streak that dates back to Jan. 2, 2001, a span of 21 games. Their last non-league road victory came against Robert Morris, 59-56.
All YSU men's basketball games will be broadcast live over WNIO-AM (1390).
mollica@vindy.com