Scalzo: Penguins need Belin at his best

Youngstown State junior Kamren Belin — all 6 feet, 7 inches of him — strode into YSU’s Coaches Court Tuesday wearing an untucked white dress shirt, designer blue sweater vest, maroon skinny(ish) jeans, red-white-and-blue (untied) hightop Air Max 180 sneakers and a gold watch.

“Do you feel like you’re the best-dressed guy on the team?” Belin was asked.

“I feel like I’m the best-dressed guy on campus,” he grinned.

Outside of the shoes, Belin looked nothing like his teammates, who show up to press conferences wearing sweatsuits and T-shirts.

When asked about Belin’s outfit, his coach, Jerry Slocum smiled and said, “He looks good, doesn’t he?”

Thing is, Belin’s never had a problem looking good off the court.

On the court? That’s a different story.

Belin, a junior college transfer, announced his arrival in YSU’s second game, scoring 17 points in a 68-56 win over SEC-member Georgia. He scored in double figures in the next three games (adding double-digit rebounds in two of those games) and looked like a more-consistent version of DuShawn Brooks, last year’s talented-but-maddening power forward.

Then Belin went quiet. He failed to reach double digits in scoring over the next eight games — including a zero-point, three-rebound stinker against South Florida — and was basically invisible in the Penguins’ blowout loss to Detroit two weeks ago.

His teammates and coaches have been supportive. But, as Slocum said last week, it’s time for Belin to produce. YSU’s coach has benched Belin twice this year in favor of freshman Bobby Hain — including last week at Green Bay — but Hain is a year away from being ready for that role.

To win in the Horizon League, the Penguins need Belin at his best.

“I’m just getting used to my teammates believing in me,” Belin said. “Before the game in Green Bay, KP [Kendrick Perry] told me, ‘Our chances of winning increase when you have a good game.’”

He didn’t. And the Penguins didn’t, falling 67-58. Two days later, he did — and they did. Belin scored a career-best 21 points and the Penguins escaped with a 75-72 victory at Milwaukee.

“I’m still trying to find my role on the team,” Belin said. “I think I’m carving that out more right now. I need to score, I need to rebound. I need to just do whatever it takes.”

He did that against Milwaukee, which Slocum called his best game of the season.

“And at no point was it a surprise,” Slocum said. “That’s the kind of play that I’ve always felt he was capable of.”

Belin may look like a man — and a model — but he’s still in his first year at YSU. Growing pains are part of the deal.

But tonight is YSU’s 19th game. Patience is a December luxury. Sweater vests and skinny jeans are one thing, but for the Penguins to finish in the top half of the Horizon League, they need Belin to look good in one outfit above all others.

His uniform.

Joe Scalzo covers YSU sports for The Vindicator. Write to him at scalzo@vindy.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoeScalzo1.