Cleveland State Vikings MBB 2024-25 Preview

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Photo courtesy of Cleveland State Athletics

Vikings move on from Enaruna; stand pat on defense

One might think the upset win for Cleveland State at Youngstown State in the 2024 Horizon League tournament was only a few days ago, but it’s already time for another season. One similarity with that win against YSU is the Vikings will be playing without star Tristan Enaruna.

With Enaruna set to join the Boston Celtics training camp, Tae Williams gone, Drew Lowder gone, and Jason Woodrich gone, the Vikings are going to have to find scoring from their remaining roster and some new faces. In his third year at the helm, head coach Daniyal Robinson looks to continue his winning ways and add another postseason berth to his resume.

One thing that will remain with the Vikings is their identity of a tough defensive and hustling team. “Well for us we are gonna play physical on both sides of the ball…[the team is] just a scrappy, gritty bunch that plays hard anytime we hit the floor,” Robinson said at Horizon League Media Day.

That mindset led CSU to its victory against Ohio University last season along with a slew of other big wins. With a tough start to the season including an away game at Michigan, the Vikings will be tested right off the bat. Robinson thinks this game and others will only help as the season gets into conference play.

“Putting those guys in situations where we’ll have hostile environments [and] high-level play is only gonna prepare us as we move toward January, February, and March in our Horizon League schedule.”

When viewed as a whole, the roster seems to have many questions but breaking it down player by player shows the team is full of talent and should be able to replace the scoring of Enaruna and Co…perhaps with a bit more height and rebounding.

Lineup

Tevin Smith – Smith will once again be a major contributor in a rotation of guards for the Vikings. In his first season at CSU in 2023-24, Smith filled numerous roles. He started 14 games, averaged 8.1 points per game (PPG), and nabbed four rebounds a game. Despite having the ball in his hands a lot, he only averaged one turnover a game. With the need for scoring this season, Smith will be a likely place to find it. Robinson echoed this versatility in Smith’s game by professing “[h]e’s one of our glue guys. He’s like a Swiss army knife. He can play a little bit of the point…he can guard a forward. He can guard one through five…he’s got the ability to score as well.”

Tahj Staveskie – In the words of Robinson, “[h]e feels like he’s been with us already…his work ethic and the way he approaches every single day has been great.” Coming over from Canisius University down I-90, Staveskie immediately fits in with the team. Although he was injured most of last season, the year prior saw him average 12.4 PPG. He also shot over 87% on free throws at Canisius, and the Vikings always need help in that area. The question on everyone’s mind is who is going to start for the Vikings, and one would not be surprised to see Staveskie in one of those guard spots.

Jalin Rice – For CSU fans last season, watching Rice go down with a shoulder injury and then getting right back in the rotation a few games later was nothing short of a miracle. Rice brings that unique piece to the team one can call “energy” or “something special off the bench” or any other flowery phrase. Although he mainly came in for his suffocating defense and hustle, he did score in double figures three times last season (even with his injury). Look for him to also be a major player in the carousel of guards.

Ebrima Dibba – Now that he is officially on the roster, Dibba will certainly be an interesting watch for Horizon League fans. In his sixth(!) year of college basketball (four at Coastal Carolina and one at South Carolina), Dibba is back again. Another player, another possible horse for the guards carousel. His best season at Coastal Carolina he averaged 10.8 PPG (though it was only six games). He has the ability to score but his 4.9 assists career average is exciting. If he can keep down his turnovers, he brings another veteran to Robinson’s squad.

Isaac Abidde – The first player with any height on the team, the 6’8” Abidde from Wichita State might be the most enticing story on the team. He only played 10.3 minutes a game the last two years at Wichita, but could more time lead to more points and better play? Robinson was able to turn Enaruna into an NBA draft prospect after he didn’t play much at bigger schools. Could Abidde take a jump as well?

Dylan Arnett – There’s a reason that Arnett rhymes with Garnett. Last season, after KJ Debrick went out with injury, Arnett became the entire front court for the Vikings. Starting all 36 games, he averaged 5.4 PPG and 4.9 rebounds a game. He also swatted 1.3 blocks to go along with this but there is more than just the simple numbers. First off, Arnett from his first year to last year clearly put on a ton of muscle and at times took over the game. He needs to stay on the floor by keeping his fouling down, but there is a real possibility he can provide many points that the Vikings desperately need this year. With Debrick back, Arnett will have some help and be able to rest. His season could be insane.

Reece Robinson – Although freshmen are always a difficult thing to talk about for projections, one can’t write about the upcoming CSU season without mentioning the coach’s son. Reece will join the ranks of Antoine Davis and Patrick Baldwin Jr. who played for their dad in the Horizon League. Coming over from St. Ignatius, he adds even more height to the growing roster (6-8).

Chase Robinson – The other Robinson on the roster, Chase is back, and Cleveland is excited. After finishing the season strong with a 20-point performance in the Horizon League Tournament at YSU, Robinson will look to play an expanded role in 2024-25. He only had five starts last season, but his 5.5 points were always big buckets. He can get to the rim and also hits threes at the most opportune moment. With more possessions available for him, he should flourish. A great facilitator and just joy to watch, fans will be happy to see a familiar face run the offense.

KJ Debrick – When historians review the 2023-24 Cleveland State Vikings season they will point to Debrick’s injury as the turning point. Although the Vikings had a stellar season and upset YSU, Debrick may have taken them over the top. This 6-9 force had ten blocks and 23 rebounds in only five games off the bench. The tandem of Arnett and Debrick means that the Vikings will be able to grab rebounds all the time through two athletic forwards. The injury last season was disappointing and seeing him back on the court will be a sight for sore eyes. CSU’s single season block record may be in jeopardy.

Danny Young – The last guard discussed here, Young is 6-1 and from Shaker Heights, Ohio. After redshirting last season, this will be his time to play and try to grab a spot in the rotation. Obviously there are plenty of guards on the roster, but Young has plenty of talent to run with them. Hopefully an entire year in Robinson’s system will lead to good results.

Outlook

One can look at this team and see five wins. One can also look at this team and see 20 wins. Losing four scorers is never easy, but this group brought in by Robinson, along with the return of Debrick, should lead to a fun Vikings season yet again. As with all Cleveland sports, they are their best when no one expects them to be good.

Look for lots of pressure defense, plenty of ball movement on offense, and everyone diving for every loose ball. Over his first two seasons, Robinson has shown that even when the ball isn’t going in the hoop, his squad is going to play hard and make it a game.

Lastly, the addition of Deshon Parker to the coaching staff will add even more Vikings flair to the team. Hopefully he brings with him the energy on the bench that was in Cleveland during his time. A realist would expect a mediocre season because of the change in roster, but in current college sports that is always going to happen. The optimist sees the Vikings down the street at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse for the NCAA tournament in March. Let’s go with that view.

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