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October 31, 2017 at 12:00a.m.

Preseason snub has Morse ready, inspired

YOUNGSTOWN

While the Horizon League zigs, Youngstown State is going to zag.

With a new head coach in Jerrod Calhoun bringing a pace and space offense and a pressing defense, his Penguins teams thinks they can improve on their 13-21 record last year.

“We really only have Detroit and Green Bay who really play an uptempo style. Every other team wants to slow the ball down,” senior guard Cameron Morse said. “With our style, we can speed them up, create turnovers and get out in transistion, getting in passing lanes for steals and easy baskets that get the crowd into it. I feel like with our style, we could be top three in the league.”

Calhoun, an East Liverpool native, comes to YSU from Division II Fairmount State. His style comes from a blueprint a lot of upstart mid-majors follow.

“If you look if you look at all the mid-majors that went to a final four or won an NCAA tournament game or have consistently made the NCAA tournament, most of those teams play fast and have really good guards,” Calhoun said. “You look at (Virginia Commonwealth), George Mason or (St. Joseph) when they had Jameer Nelson and those teams went to the Elite 8.

“At our level, it starts with the guards. You have to have really good guard play, you have to have guys that are decision-makers that are tough gritty and can spread you out.”

Calhoun has those ingredients in hand in Morse, who was second in the Horizon League in scoring last year at 22.9 points per game. Despite his scoring prowess, he wasn’t selected as the league’s preseason Player of the Year. The honor went to Northern Kentucky sophomore Drew McDonald, who averaged 16.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. It’s bulletin board material for Morse.

“I felt like I was the best player in the tournament last year,” Morse said. It’s fine that they picked McDonald, it just gives me extra drive to go out and play my hardest and play my best.”

Joining him is in the backcourt is fellow senior Francisco Santiago, who averaged 11.6 rebounds, 5.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game last year. He’s seen limited action in the preseason because of a knee injury, but he is expected to be ready — even if it’s limited minutes — for the season opener against Kent State on Nov. 11, Calhoun said.

“I’ve been waiting since the season ended to get this started,” Santiago said. “It’s taking way to long to get to November and I just can’t wait for it to come around.”

The pair joins just four returning players, who are now working with 14 newcomers on the roster.

“Personally it’s been fine. About 12 of us live on one floor at The Edge and our doors are all unlocked for when people want to come and just hang out,” Santiago said. “On the court, it’s a little tougher because we’ve only had six or seven guys who who have played Division I basketball. That’s why these scrimmages are important for the new guys to get their feet wet. This isn’t high school. This isn’t junior college. This is the real deal and we need everyone on board.”