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Keene, Schlegel receive top honor
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Schlegel
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Keene
By Joe Scalzo
YOUNGSTOWN
After scoring player of the week honors from the Horizon League on Monday, Youngstown State senior Heidi Schlegel and sophomore Marcus Keene made sure their teammates got credit for the assists.
Schlegel earned her third Horizon League player of the week award — and second this season — after averaging 19.5 points and 12 rebounds in the Penguins’ wins over Oakland and Detroit last week.
“It’s nice to get recognized for the hard work, but then also how the team has been playing, it’s nice to get recognized,” Schlegel said. “The team has been playing very well.
“Obviously, I’m a post, so I wouldn’t be able to score without my teammates getting me the ball.”
Keene scored 21 points in a one-point loss to Green Bay on Wednesday and had 20 in YSU’s win over Wright State on Sunday.
“It’s an honor to receive this recognition,” Keene said. “It’s my first one this year and my first one in college. But it’s not all me. It’s my teammates, as well, for finding me, getting me open. We’ve just been playing well lately.”
Schlegel, a first team all-conference selection last year, is fifth in the league in scoring (16.4 points per game) and third in rebounding (10 per game) for the Penguins (17-7, 6-5), who are fourth in the league standings, a half-game behind Cleveland State (14-9, 6-4).
She’s also second in the league in free throw percentage (.806) behind teammate Latisha Walker (.847). On Saturday against the Titans, Schlegel broke Brandi Brown’s school record for career free throws with 453.
Schlegel ranks eighth in YSU history with 1,539 points and ninth with 735 rebounds.
“I don’t necessarily think she’s the most talented player in the league but she’s the hardest worker, at least of anyone that I’ve dealt with,” YSU coach John Barnes said. “I’ll still watch film our games and just be kind of amazed at how hard she works and how hard she goes after rebounds.
“We kind of made the decision that we’re going to just rely on her down the stretch and give her the ball and let the chips fall where they may. She’s worked hard enough and put in so much time, she deserves that. She’s just been unbelievable.”
While Schlegel was a preseason all-conference pick, Keene has been better — and more consistent — than most people expected this season. He leads the team in scoring (16.1 ppg) and is second in assists (75) and steals (32).
Last season, Keene averaged 8.6 points per game in non-conference games only to fade in Horizon League play, scoring 2.1 points per game on 21 percent shooting.
He’s been much better this year for YSU (11-17, 2-11), scoring in double figures in all but one of the Penguins’ conference games. The lone outlier was a nine-point game against Valparaiso on Jan. 20.
“I’m very excited for him,” said YSU assistant coach Michael Wernicki, who filled in at Monday’s press conference for Jerry Slocum, who was under the weather. “Well-deserved.
“He just did a very good of controlling the ball, making big shots when we needed him,” Wernicki said. “He’s had a really good conference season he was really good out of the league and kind of struggled early on in the league.
“This year, he’s kind of found his way. It’s a glimpse of what’s to come. He’s evolving as a player and his best basketball is still ahead of him.”