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No summer vacation for Slocum, Penguins
Coach: NCAA rule change will benefit YSU men’s team
By Joe Scalzo
YOUNGSTOWN
Youngstown State basketball coach Jerry Slocum is a renowned motorcycle lover, but he’s had to trade some time with his hog this summer to be with some other animals.
For the first time, the NCAA allowed coaches summer access to their players and Slocum believes it will lead to a much better winter for the Penguins.
“It was so positive and beneficial for us with the younger guys and our incoming class,” said Slocum, who was allowed up to two hours per day, and eight hours per week, during one of YSU’s summer class sessions. “I really believe it will help us and help our depth. It won’t be such a culture shock.”
Slocum is coming off the best season of his seven-year tenure at YSU, but must replace two starters off a team that relied heavily on its starting five. After securing his best recruiting class, he’s off to a good start.
Junior college transfer Kamren Belin, a 6-foot-7, 225-pound forward, will join a freshman class with forwards Bobby Hain (6-9) and Ryan Weber (6-7) and guard Ronnye Beamon (6-4)
“All these guys are good players, good students, good people and they all wanted to be here,” Slocum said. “They’re really proud to be in our program.
“After watching those guys for a full summer, I think they’ll be ready to help us.”
Led by first-team all-conference guard Kendrick Perry (who led the conference in scoring with 16.8 points per game and was second in steals) and Blake Allen (ninth in the league in scoring at 12.8 and second in 3-point percentage), YSU had the league’s best backcourt last season en route to a 16-15 record and a first-round Horizon League tournament victory.
But outside of all-defensive team honoree Damian Eargle (who led the league in blocks), the Penguins don’t have much frontcourt depth returning.
Slocum is hoping the recruiting class fixes that.
“We didn’t bring in a 7-footer — we can’t get those guys — but we did bring in some good group size,” Slocum said. “I think that will help us rebound the ball better, which was one of our weaknesses.”
Slocum is also optimistic about sophomore guards Shawn Amiker and D.J. Cole, who showed flashes of their talent in the winter but played like typical freshmen — good one game, not-so-good the next.
“Shawn was a little bit of a deer in headlights and he struggled early on but he played a little better and he was doing well by the end of a year,” Slocum said. “He had a tremendous summer.
“And D.J. Cole had a really good summer. I think he’s going to be a very solid backup point guard and be able to do some different things than Blake. He’s a little more of a slasher. And he’s really good defensively. He’ll be able to physically get up and into you.”
For the second straight year, YSU (excluding the incoming freshmen) participated in the Pittsburgh Summer Pro-Am and Slocum said the league helped his players develop their game, and their confidence.
“When you’re playing against guys from Pitt, West Virginia, Duquesne, I think it shows the guys that, hey, we can play with them,” Slocum said. “It stretches you and it makes you better.”