The 2023-2024 season for the Cleveland State Vikings men’s basketball team has come to a close, with their second round exit in the College Basketball Invitational at the hands of top seeded High Point. However, in a season that was defined by injury and constant lineup changes, Daniyal Robinson and his staff should be commended on the job they did as they continue to instill their fingerprints on a program that has reached a level of sustained success.
While the Vikings had trouble maintaining their standards of play away from home for a majority of the season, they have successfully established The Wolstein Center as one of the toughest places for road teams to come out victorious. In Robinson’s two years thus far at the helm, the Vikings are a combined 27-6 in front their home crowd. This has helped pave the way for him to become the first head coach in program history to start his tenure with back to back 20 plus win seasons. While Robinson had the luxury of inheriting a program that was in a healthy state thanks to Dennis Gates, he has continued to evolve into the perfect figurehead as sustained success at Cleveland State has been an afterthought in men’s basketball seemingly for decades.
While Cleveland State fell short of the ultimate goal that is the NCAA Tournament, many different Vikings showcased an improved game this season as their developments have been instrumental in team successes. Tristan Enaruna has become a legitimate NBA prospect, as the big man has received interest from multiple organizations. While Enaruna’s path is likely to start in the developmental league, his abilities have been recognized by scouts, as his improvement as a scorer, defender, and rebounder were evident in his senior season. Despite Cleveland State falling short of the NCAA Tournament during Enaruna’s two year’s in Cleveland, he should be looked upon as the best player the program has had since Norris Cole.
Additionally, the Vikings should be encouraged with the development of some of their underclassmen, who will be returning next season baring any unforeseen occurrences in the transfer portal (however such things can never be ruled out). Dylan Arnett deserves immense credit for his maturation as a player over the course of the season, as he took on a much larger role than anticipated before the year began after the loss of KJ DeBrick due to injury. The sophomore’s high motor led to the Vikings finishing the season as one of the premier offensive rebounding teams in the Horizon League, as Arnett’s instincts as a rebounder even prompted Tristan Enaruna to compare his teammate to NBA legend Dennis Rodman following the team’s Horizon League tournament victory over Youngstown State. Daniyal Robinson has credited Arnett for being a major piece of Cleveland State’s puzzle going forward.
While the transfer portal can be unpredictable in 2024, the Vikings should feel confident that they have the right people in place to best navigate the evolving scene that includes the vast world of NIL. However, Coach Robinson and company will be on the hunt for multiple capable big men, as Arnett, DeBrick, and the seldom used Dok Muordar are the only players with game changing size slated to return. The Vikings will want to invest heavily in these spots to ensure they do not run into depth issues in the interior as they did this season. This will be a monumental offseason for the Vikings with much of their current scoring punch set to graduate.
With the end of this season also marks the end of my time as the beat reporter for Cleveland State men’s basketball. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone at HoriZone Roundtable for welcoming me with open arms four seasons ago and supporting me and my work throughout my time with the organization. It has truly been a dream to be able to this for as long as I have been able to. Thank you to the readers and to Cleveland State Athletics as well. Telling the stories of these last four teams has been a ride I will remember fondly for the rest of my life.
With Gratitude,
Alec Kwait 
