Liles: YSU has talent, but must learn

By Pete Mollica

The Penguins’ senior said this year’s basketball team is the best since he came here.

YOUNGSTOWN — Jack Liles is in his fourth season with the Youngstown State men’s basketball team, and although he has played alongside some talented individual players, he’s never had an overall group as talented as the one he’s currently with.

But the Penguins are 1-4.

The 6-foot-7, 240-pound senior from Odenton, Md., said it’s all about learning how to finish games.

And — obviously — by blowing a 23-point second-half lead at Robert Morris and then losing a 66-65 squeaker to St. Francis in the last two games — the Penguins have more learning to do.

“We’re just not finishing games,” said Liles. “We’re just not doing the things that need to be done to get you over the hump.

“This is still a team that is learning to play together,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of new faces here, but we’re learning from our mistakes.

“We’ve been having stretches where we kind of lose our focus out there,” he added. “It’s going to take a little time, but we’re learning and getting better.”

Liles likes the group he’s working with this year.

“Of the four teams that I’ve played with since I’ve been here this one has the best overall talent of any, but again we’re new to each other.

The Penguins need to get things turned around quickly this week.

They play host to Horizon League rival Valparaiso on Thursday and then entertain another league opponent, Butler, on Saturday night, both games at Beeghly Center.

“This is a big week for us, two very important games,” Liles said. “Valparaiso and Butler were two of the league’s top teams a year ago and I’m going to make a big point of that importance to my teammates.”

Liles has played a key role for the Penguins ever since he walked onto campus in 2005.

He played in 27 games his freshman season and started 16 of them, finishing with 88 points and 75 rebounds.

The next season he played in all 31 games and started the final 24, scoring 229 points and getting 197 rebounds.

Last year he started 22 of the Penguins’ 30 games, including the last 19 straight, and finished with 292 points and 131 rebounds.

His three-year totals were 609 points in 88 games (62 starts) and 403 rebounds with 80 blocked shots. He also had 246 fouls which have cut down on his playing time.

Liles knows what he has to do to help the Penguins get back to winning ways.

“Rebound, that’s the key for me,” he said. “I’ve got to get on those boards, better than I have been.”

This season Liles does have some bench support in 6-9 junior Dallas Blocker, a transfer from Cloud County Community College, and 6-8 sophomore Dan Boudler of Louisville, who missed most of last season with injuries.

“I love those guys and I know that they’ve got my back, but I know that I need to be on the floor and I have to cut down on my fouls,” he said.

mollica@vindy.com