Penguins work hard to beat Buffalo

By Joe Scalzo | November 17, 2010 at 12:08a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

YSU coach Jerry Slocum walked into Tuesday’s postgame press conference, took one look at the sweat-drenched chair in front of him and said, “Can I get a towel? [Ashen Ward] was sitting here and I’m not sitting in that. It’s a freaking pool.”

With the group of reporters already cracking up, he shook his head and said, “He wanted to hug me after the game.”

Dressed in a nice suit, Slocum didn’t want to get dirty on Tuesday night. His team had no such qualms. Facing a big, physical team in Buffalo, the Penguins stepped up their defense and got huge games from Ward and sophomore Damian Eargle en route to a 64-53 victory at Beeghly Center.

It was the first win over the Bulls since 2002 for YSU (2-0), which is off to its best start since 2004.

“We’re having a lot of fun right now,” said Slocum. “There’s a confidence that comes from being in two tough games and coming out on top.”

Ward, a junior guard who didn’t score in the opener, overcame some first-half foul trouble to score a career-high 13 points. Five of them came during a crucial stretch in the game’s final minutes, when Ward hit a 17-footer, got a rebound on the other end and followed it up with a 3-pointer that gave YSU a 58-49 lead with two minutes left.

“I’m just happy to be on the floor, man,” said Ward. “I’ve been in foul trouble in both games in the first half and I’m just happy to help the team any way possible.”

Eargle, a 6-foot-7 forward out of Warren Harding, played a team-high 34 minutes and grabbed 14 rebounds to go with three blocks and seven points. Junior guard Tre Brewer added 10 rebounds off the bench to help the Penguins gain a 46-33 edge in that category, due to a combination of hustle and good fundamentals.

“I only weigh a buck 98, so I have to get into position,” Eargle said, smiling. “My long arms are only going to take me so far.”

Junior guard Devonte Maymon also had 13 points and senior forward Vytas Sulskis scored 10 points. Both players finished with four fouls in a game where the teams combined for 47 fouls and 52 free throws. (Longtime NBA referee Joe DeRosa, a Lowellville native, was one of the officials.) YSU made just 16 of 25 from the line, but it was a lot better than Buffalo, which made just 9 of 27 free throws and 2 of 15 3-pointers.

“I hope they do that every night,” Slocum said, laughing.

YSU got points from nine different players and contributions from 11, a good sign for a team with just three returnees. Afterward, Ward (one of the three) and Eargle (who watched last season from the bench after transferring) raved about the team’s chemistry, something you didn’t hear much last year.

“I don’t really want to compare this year to last year,” said Ward. “I just know this year we’ve got a group of guys working together and we’re building chemistry every day.

“Basketball has to be fun and I’m enjoying every minute of it. I think that’s what correlating to our wins.”