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Going out with a smile
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Vytas Sulskis (44) grabs a rebound during a game against Milwaukee on Jan. 24. Sulskis is one of just three returning players for the Youngstown State men’s basketball team this season.
Engaging senior Vytas Sulskis wants to make the most of his last year and plans on …
By Joe Scalzo
YOUNGSTOWN
YSU senior Vytas Sulskis had just finished a round of interviews last week when he spotted teammates Damian Eargle and Sheldon Brogdon posing side-by-side for a photo.
“Oh, look at them,” he said. “How cute.”
Sulskis has never been shy about taking a shot — on the court or, in this case, off it — but now in his fourth season, he has the confidence of a player who’s played in every game for the past three seasons.
The rest of the roster? Well, put it this way. Sulskis has 55 career starts at YSU, more than the rest of the team combined.
And if the Penguins are going to be competitive this season, he’ll need to be more than a scorer.
Is he ready?
“It’s what I have to do,” he said. “I have no choice. I’m willing to take that responsibility and lead us this year.”
Sulskis is one of just three returning contributors from last year’s 8-22 team — and by far the most accomplished.
YSU’s other senior, Dan Boudler, has averaged just 10 minutes per game for his career and junior guard Ashen Ward, the other returnee, has averaged 16.7.
Penguins coach Jerry Slocum is counting on all three to provide leadership.
“Those three guys have been in this thing, they know what it’s like to play in the Horizon League,” Slocum said.
“Those three guys have given us great leadership in our early part of our year and I don’t expect anything less as the year goes on.”
Sulskis was born in Lithuania and attended The Rock, a Christian high school in Gainesville, Fla.
As a senior, he led the Lions to Florida’s 1-A state championship game and earning the prestigious Florida Dairy Farmers player of the year award.
One YSU staffer described him as “quiet as a mouse” when he arrived as a freshman, but he made some noise on the court, starting 29 of 30 games while averaging 9 points and 4.4 rebounds per contest.
Over the next two years, his starts declined but his minutes increased as Slocum used him to provide instant offense off the bench.
He also emerged as an outgoing “goofball,” the type of guy who will unbutton his shirt to show off his chest and claim his rugby background is “why I’m so tough right now.”
(Sulskis does not have a reputation as a physical player.)
Last winter, he posted career-highs in points per game (11.3), minutes per game (27.4), total rebounds (133) and total blocks (20) — all after recovering from injuries suffered from a car wreck on a summer trip home to Lithuania.
His career-best 340 total points brought his three-year total to 919 and he should soon become the 32nd Penguin to reach 1,000 for his career.
He’s also tied for sixth on the school’s career 3-pointer list with 126 and, at his current pace of 42 per year, he’d finish with 168 — second-best all-time.
“I’m not really big on my own statistics,” Sulskis said. “I just want to win and have a good senior year and have fun and get better.”
Although he plans to return to Europe after graduation — preferably to play pro basketball — he’s learned to enjoy Youngstown.
“It’s really not as bad as people say,” he said, laughing.
“It’s my fourth year now, I’ve been having fun.
“It’s all about the attitude you have and the people you hang out with. I get to meet a lot of good people and I’m happy with my experience here.”