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Calhoun, players say YSU basketball culture has changed
Calhoun, players say Penguins’ culture has changed
By Brian Dzenis
YOUNGSTOWN
The young are leading the young on the Youngstown State men’s basketball team.
After a busy offseason that saw five players leave the team after Jarrod Calhoun’s side went 8-24 in his first season in charge, it’s time to start a new era of Penguin basketball. All of the players from previous head coach Jerry Slocum are gone to either graduation or transfers. Leading the charge is a pair of sophomores: forward Naz Bohannon and guard Garrett Covington.
The pair are the most experienced players returning this season and after being pressed into leadership roles, they’re not going to abide by a losing culture.
“It was instilled in me when I was young, even when I was playing tic-tac-toe, I have a legit hatred for losing,” Bohannon said. “By any means necessary, I want to win. I could go out and not score anything, but if I help the team win, everybody’s happy. The school is happy, The fans are happy. The coach and players are happy. Nobody wants to lose.
“Last year, I almost drove myself crazy,” Bohannon added. “I’ve never done it in my life and I never plan on doing it again. I’m getting hot thinking about it right now.”
Covington doesn’t miss last year’s team. There’s more excitement to fix what was lacking with a new group of players.
“It’s that competitive edge. We’d get so close and then it would be like, ‘It’s whatever.’ I feel like the willingness to win wasn’t there,” Covington said.
“This year, everybody has bought in. Our culture has shifted so much in the best direction. I think everyone has the right attitude. We’re ready to win.”
Bohannon and Covington are two starters out of four returning players who saw the floor last year. Bohannon was named to the Horizon League’s All-Freshman team after averaging 7.2 points and 8.1 rebounds. Covington averaged 8.3 points. Senior forward Noe Anabir and sophomore forward Michael Akuchie are the other returning players. Every upperclassman on the team is a transfer player and combining that with four incoming freshmen makes for nine newcomers.
Redshirt junior Devin Morgan, who has two years of Division I experience at Delaware State, helps form YSU’s big three.
“Garrett needs to be an all-league player. Naz needs to be an all-league player. Devin Morgan needs to be an all-league player if you’re going to be in the top half of this league,” Calhoun said. “I think all three have the capabilities to go and do it and you’ll see that.”
Bohannon acts as the vocal leader while Covington is more inclined to pick his spots to speak and tends to let his play speak for him.
“If things get slow or sloppy, I’ll pull the team together and say, ‘Hey, let’s do this or do that,’” Bohannon said. “Garrett, he plays hard. He’s one of the hardest players I’ve ever played with. He’ll say a little, but it will speak a whole lot to the team. When Garrett says something, it’s real and it sticks with the whole team.
“It’s a mixture of him doing and me talking. It’s both of us doing and letting [the younger players] see how to contribute to the team.”
Calhoun has a roster in which every player is one of his guys. He has the leaders for his “press Virginia” system and players who believe in his vision.
“I’m really excited for the returning guys because they really understand the system and that’s always better in year two,” Calhoun said. “I’m really excited about the culture. I think the guys really bought into the team and putting the team first. We’re ready to roll.”