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YSU ROUNDUP | News and notes
Fresh start: Sophomore guard Marcus Keene returns to the Penguins after being suspended for the second half of last season for punching then-teammate Ryan Weber in practice. Weber, an Indianapolis native, transferred to Ball State in the offseason. Keene (a San Antonio, Texas, native) said he never considered leaving. “I just wanted to be with my guys,” he said. “I love being at Youngstown State, I love playing for Coach [Jerry] Slocum and the rest of the coaching staff. I’m glad to be back and glad to be playing with the team.” As for allowing him to return, Slocum said, “The situation that arose, I was the sole person that decided on the suspension and the sole person who decided he could return. We’re excited to have him.” Keene averaged 6.5 points in 22 games last season, playing well in YSU’s non-conference schedule before struggling in Horizon League play, when teams have more thorough scouting reports on opposing players. “My game didn’t adjust to conference play and that’s why I struggled,” he said. Keene’s size will always be an issue defensively — he’s listed at 5-foot-10, which is an inch shorter than last year and still might be generous — but he’s a natural scorer with tremendous quickness. “Marcus has a nose for being able to score the ball,” Slocum said. “I think he’s better. There’s such a huge step between your freshman and sophomore season. Bobby [Hain] and some other guys made a big step between their freshman and sophomore year and I think you’ll see that with Marcus.”
Consistency needed: Maybe the biggest X-factor this season for the Penguins is senior guard Shawn Amiker (6-5), who averaged 5.6 points and 2.3 rebounds in 32 games (four starts) last season. He’s shown flashes of his potential, like when he scored a career-high 25 points last February against Detroit, but hasn’t been consistent enough, Slocum said. “He’s got to be solid,” Slocum said. “I think he has the ability, quickness-wise, to score the ball but we need him to rebound the ball and play a little bit more consistent. He’d have games last year like the Detroit game where he scores 24-25 points and then has a donut. He’s a guy that clearly has to have a good year for us and I think he will. His mind is good, he’s ready to go, it’s his [starting] spot now and I think it’ll be a really good year for him.”
Beeghly makeover: YSU replaced the floor in the Beeghly Center lobby and added two new ticket windows as part of a multi-year upgrade to the facility that has included a new scoreboard, new weight room and a new floor. “They did a tremendous job,” Slocum said. “The inconvenience of the summer [installation] was well worth the upgrade. It’s beautiful out there.”
Far and wide: YSU’s roster features players from eight different states, including four from Michigan and two each from Ohio (including Ursuline High graduate Ryan Strollo, who is transferring from Walsh), Florida, North Carolina, Texas and Kansas. Slocum credited his coaches for aggressively finding talent and said the staff sells recruits on the Horizon League, the program’s recent success, the style of play (uptempo), its academics (tops in Horizon) and its player development. “There’s a lot of positive things to speak about,” he said.