As an appetizer to their regular season slate which is set to begin on November 9 in Provo, Utah, the Cleveland State men’s basketball team faced off with two Division III Ohio schools in exhibition action. The Vikings’ first opponent was Case Western Reserve University out of the University Athletic Association, followed by a tune up against Otterbein out of the Ohio Athletic Conference. Both contests provided Dennis Gates and his team the unique opportunity to compete against neighboring schools without it counting on their overall win/loss record. While the Vikings were victorious in both preseason affairs, both games allowed for Gates and his staff to fine tune various aspects of their group’s performance before traveling to BYU.
As to be expected in preseason basketball, Dennis Gates utilized nearly his entire roster in both exhibition contests. Cleveland State will undoubtedly use their depth to their advantage this year, as Gates has many capable players at his disposal on the bench, including Jayson Woodrich who showcased his shooting prowess versus the Case Western Reserve Spartans. Additionally, Woodrich was the first player off the bench against Otterbein. This is a role that Woodrich could very well shine in, as he can provide the Vikings with instant offense off the bench and is an immediate threat to defenses as a lethal three point shooter. It will be fascinating to see Woodrich’s continued development as he rounds out his overall game.
Another Viking that has looked to take a step in his development is reserve big man Mabor Majak. While Majak’s minutes might be limited due to Cleveland State’s immense depth in the interior, he has shown improved instincts on the floor through two preseason games. Majak was named the team’s highest rated defender for his play versus Case Western. The developing big man will continue to grow his game as he battles with the likes of Deante Johnson, Al Eichelberger, and Anderson Mirambeaux on a daily basis in practice. What Majak lacks in leaping ability he makes up for in height and length; something that could be a useful tool for Dennis Gates in certain situations.
A third member of the team that looked good during the preseason, especially in game two was first year Viking Deshaun Parker. Parker, a transfer from Appalachian State and Huber Heights, Ohio native has become increasingly comfortable running the Vikings’ offense. He gives Dennis Gates another capable ball handler off the bench, and should see time in addition to Yahel Hill in the backcourt. Some early impressions of Parker are that he is a guard who loves to penetrate to the hoop, and his ability to break down opposing defenses will also create open looks for teammates. It will be fascinating to see how Gates navigates his entire group of reserves, guards included. Parker averaged a career high four assists per contest in his sophomore campaign and will look to rekindle some of that magic with the Vikings.
On the injury front, Cleveland State was without senior big man Algevon Eichelberger for both preseason contests as he recovers from a knee injury. His status for the season opener vs. BYU is in question as a result. Additionally, D’Moi Hodge sat out the entirety of the second half in CSU’s exhibition finale, despite remaining with the team on the bench. It is unclear the nature of Hodge’s injury if he has one, but he looked to be in good spirits despite sitting out. The Vikings will tip off the regular season portion of the schedule against a high octane offensive team in Brigham Young University in their gym on November 9th. Tipoff is scheduled for 10pm Eastern.
On Wednesday evening, the Cleveland State women’s team defeated Division II’s Ursuline College by a 73-47 count in the Vikings’ sole exhibition contest of the 2021-22 preseason. In the spirit of the affair being, you know, a game that doesn’t actually count, let’s focus things on key takeaways with implications that will continue through CSU’s official opener next Tuesday against East Tennessee State.
1. This was fun. At the risk of joining the bevy of writers rapidly turning the “I’m never taking this for granted again” column into a cliché, I’m never taking this for granted again. While there’s plenty to be said about the experience of traveling to the game, working in the ways media was meant to work, and enjoying what you love without any intermediaries between it and your eyes (and others have done just that), a lot of what was missed during the spectator-free 2020-21 season was nuance, atmosphere, and context.
When I say “atmosphere,” I don’t really mean it in the sense most assume because other than the very select few, women’s basketball unfortunately doesn’t draw gigantic crowds. However, there are advantages to that reality. Few people in a packed 15,000-seat arena, for example, can hear the communication on the floor or on the bench, whether it’s something as routine as calling out a switch or a referee dispute like the one CSU coach Chris Kielsmeier took on when a play that initially appeared to end with Nadia Dumas headed to the line after being fouled while making a basket was instead ruled a jump ball. Late in the game, Destiny Leo shot a free through and immediately said “that’s off.” The ball disagreed, however, dropping through after two caroms off of the iron.
Those moments, while small, are also educational and sometimes entertaining, and they make me better at what I do. ESPN+ is amazing, but it has yet to capture the totality of the experience of witnessing a basketball game.
2. It was an exhibition game. Okay, that statement may be a bit broad and obvious, but that doesn’t make it any less true. While the Vikings certainly looked the part of a Horizon League contender in flashes, Kielsmeier generally seemed less than pleased with things, turning even the fluffy “talk about how well you did” questions into musings on the team’s need to develop consistency, like “Our players need to understand the importance of preparation, and the importance of focus and really being locked in regardless of who the opponent is. At the end of the day, it’s still just basketball. Just go out and play.”
“I think some of our offenses are further ahead, we’ve really layered up our system this year, there’s a lot more to what we’re doing offensively,” he added, when asked to grade the offense. “At times it looks like some offenses are further along than the other ones. If it was a real game down the stretch, I probably would’ve called it differently, but I wanted to work on things, throw some different lineups and rotations out there than what I probably would do if it was a real game. You’re just trying to learn a lot about your basketball team.”
Leo handled the assessment of the defensive side of the ball: “We need to pressure the ball more. They got to the basket underneath us well, they were dumping down. I think it all comes down to keeping that somebody in front of you.”
One of the ironic luxuries of playing in a one-bid league is that there’s more latitude to develop through the non-conference schedule, as opposed to a Big Ten team fighting for that seventh at-large spot, so look for the Vikings to continue to fine tune things as the regular season gets underway next week.
3. Amele Ngwafang is the real deal. I spent a fair amount of oxygen this preseason hyping Ngwafang, a Radford transfer, and in my first look at her playing live basketball, she didn’t let me down. Really, she was the engine behind the Vikings taking what was a close game in the second quarter and pushing the gap to 13 before ultimately leading by ten at the half. In the space of a couple minutes, she made several momentum plays, including taking a charge, blocking a shot, grabbing a steal and, of course, coming down with a couple boards. She then began the second half with a bucket and a foul (though she missed the free throw) and by forcing a jump ball with the possession arrow in CSU’s favor.
After pointing out that the Vikings finally generated some separation from Ursuline based on high points from their defense (which he considered inconsistent during the game as a whole), Kielsmeier added this review of Ngwafang: “She’s a young player in this system, so there are going to be ups and downs trying to figure out what she’s doing out there. But Mel’s instant energy, and she needs to understand that she has the capability to really affect our program emotionally every day.”
4. The other newcomers showed plenty of reasons to make you believe that they’ll be good fits in the program, though where exactly that fit is remains an open question. Whether it was Deja Williams as an intense floor leader, the smoothness of Gabriella Smith, or Brittni Moore doing a little of everything, it seems like Kielsmeier has found a portal class that brings a lot to the table that you’d want to see on his, or any, basketball team.
But while the talent is apparent, their specific roles remain in flux.
“They’re trying to find their way in this system, and trying to settle in to where they can make plays and do what they do really well,” Kielsmeier said. “The coaching staff is still trying to figure that out as well. When you coach a kid for a few months, you don’t know their game great yet, you don’t understand everything about what they do well.”
“So both sides are trying to figure out their strengths and put them in a position to make plays. But they’re really good basketball players and can score.”
One other complication comes from the fact that CSU used just nine players during the contest, thanks to a bevy of injuries that kept several key names from 2020-21 out of the lineup. Undoubtedly, as some of those banged up heal and rejoin the rotation, players might find themselves doing something a little bit different that what they were asked against Ursuline.
5. Destiny Leo is ready for her star turn. It’s hard to call it much of a twist, but with one of the offseason’s big open questions being “who is going to replace Mariah White,” the fact that the answer ended up being Leo generated at least a little bit of surprise. At the very least, it certainly stunned the writer with The News-Herald who came into the media workroom after the game amazed that she handled the ball so much after virtually never doing so when he covered her in high school at Eastlake North.
Leo put it a bit more bluntly: “No I’ve never done that before in my life.”
Yet there she was, playing point and taking on what has to be considered a more dribble-drive intensive role than was seen from her last year. The change in direction had a bit of a bumpy start, but by the second quarter she was penetrating and finding open shooters, and finishing plenty herself, just as White did during her Viking career.
“She’s a playmaker,” Kielsmeier explained. “She understands that no matter what we ask of her, she’s going to go out and make plays. She’s learning and growing as a player. Playmakers make plays, regardless of what you’re asking them to do. And Destiny Leo is a playmaker.”
“I think we still have a lot of people that can take charge,” Leo said, hedging a bit. “I’ve been trying to adjust to playing more of a point guard role, but I think we have a lot of girls that can take charge and put us together, but I think I need to take more pride in that.”
Exhibition games have started in the Horizon League, and Bob and Matt talk about all the games that took place this past week. These include a charity match-up between Oakland and Eastern Michigan, the return of defending champs Cleveland State, and the debut of Pat Baldwin, Jr. at Milwaukee.
Last night in the Orena may have been billed as an exhibition/charity game between two in state schools, but it had the feel of an in-league late January slugfest between two teams vying for seeding going into the conference tournament. I have had the chance to attend quite a few exhibition games and even the Hurricane relief charity game where Kendrick Nunn made his debut as a Grizzly and dropped 40 points on Central Michigan. None of those games came even close to the level of basketball atmosphere that was played in Rochester against Eastern Michigan. Here are five takeaways from the game:
1. People are ready to attend games again – The Orena was about 1/4 to 1/2 full last night. Not a standing room only Detroit Mercy rivalry game kind of crowd. Despite the lower attendance numbers, as you would expect for an exhibition game, the environment was electric. The Grizz Gang, despite lower numbers currently, was into the whole game and making noise. Oakland President Ora Pescovitz could be seen doing the YMCA from her courtside seats. Anthony Gallina, better known to many as “flag man,” had his flag flying every chance he had. It felt normal. Despite everyone not on the court being required to wear a mask, it was clear that people were ready to watch live basketball at Oakland University again. After a year of being in the Orena with about 10 people watching, it was clear to everyone that they were on the path towards normal.
2. Jitters will be real for players early in the season- With fans back in attendance, there is a renewed sense of jitters for the players and it will be apparent early in the season. Both Jamal Cain and Jalen Moore talked about it in their post game press conference. While it’s exciting to have that energy back in the building, it has been awhile since any players got to experience that. Where usually as upper classmen they would need to help guide the younger players through that early, they each talked about having some of those butterflies themselves. In that regard, these exhibition and preseason game are more important than usual at reminding players what it is like to play in front of people. From the noise during a free throw to the energy after a Blake Lampman dunk (checks notes – Yes, you read that correct) that brings the crowd off their feet and sends the opponent into a timeout, it has been awhile since the players on the floor experienced it all.
3. Size may not be an issue for Oakland after all- The biggest question mark for Oakland heading into this season was around size, especially at the 5. While they expect to have a size matchup at times due to the length of Townsend, Parrish, and Cain they still need someone to guard the other team’s biggest player. Last night, we saw Chris Conway step into that role and fill it well in his first time really on the court for Oakland. They were down Braden Burke due to a family emergency meaning Conway saw some extended minutes. He not only showed some nice offensive touch but was able to grab 5 rebounds in his 22 minutes. Greg Kampe said he hopes to see him around 7 boards and 8 points a game. He seems to be well on track towards that and with confidence could provide the answer for Oakland in the middle. One other player Oakland fans should expect to see more of is Will Shepard. After making his first appearance in the game and making a slew of mistakes, he did not return. Talking about him after the game, Kampe smiled and talked about how genuinely excited to be out there he was but it led to mistakes. Expect him to settle down and see the floor more in the future.
4. Jamal Cain is being overlooked by many- For some reason, some people around the league seem to be sleeping on what Jamal Cain brings to Oakland. The Marquette transfer went for a double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds. He showed his ability to hit the 3, work inside and maybe most importantly make free throws going 10-11 from the stripe. If he and Moore can both make a living at the line, that will be tough for teams to compete with as they get players into foul trouble. Cain showed a bit of an edge in what at times was a chippy game, and played with a passion that was exciting for OU fans to see out of the transfer. He talked about how exciting it was for him personally to have his family in attendance as they live within 10 minutes of the university and was a big reason for his transfer. He has the skills, size and passion to not only be an All-Horizon league player but to make sure scouts keep an eye on him for the future.
5. If this is middle of the pack Horizon League, it’s going to be a fun season- Oakland was predicted to finish in the middle of the Horizon League at 6th place. If this is what the middle of the league is going to look like, I can’t wait to see what the rest of the league brings this season. While Eastern Michigan isn’t expected to light the MAC on fire this season with a new coach and a lot of new pieces, they still presented a solid opponent. Eastern felt like a good look at what a typical night in the league could look like for Oakland. And it was an enjoyable game from start to finish coming all the way down to the end. If this Oakland team is only the middle of the league, the top tier of teams will need to be playing at a level we have not seen from the league in quite some time. And if that is the case, it will be a season all fans can expect to enjoy.
Oakland gets one more preseason warmup next week against Lake Superior State. You can expect to see more minutes to younger players, a bit more laid back atmosphere and hopefully to see no players injured. Oakland is currently down Zion Young to a knee injury and Micah Parrish to a foot injury and with no timeline on either, staying healthy will be key. Hopefully the students still show back up and the Oakland crowd can grow from the first exhibition game before they won’t see the team at home again for a few weeks.
Bob, Matt and John get together to recap everything that came out during Preview Week (at horizoneroundtable.com). In Part 2, they tackle the top half of the preseason rankings, as well as what will likely be a season-long battle for Horizon League Player of the Year.
Bob, Matt and John get together to recap everything that came out during Preview Week (at horizoneroundtable.com). In Part 1, they discuss how the bottom half of the conference shook out, and what each team could do to outperform their preseason ranking.
In Will Ryan’s first season at the helm, Green Bay lost their first nine games of the season, before finishing with a record of 8-8 over their final 16 contests. Green Bay was a team built for a completely different style of offense, almost the exact opposite actually. The phoenix initially struggled to adapt to the system being implemented, but showed a vast improvement as the year wore on – despite suffering from a severe lack of rotational depth.
Ryan and the Phoenix would go on to finish 9th in the Horizon League and lose a double overtime heartbreaker to Purdue Fort Wayne in the Horizon League Tournament, effectively ending their season and setting the max exodus in motion.
Offensively, the team took care of the basketball (15th ranked nationally in turnover%) and were moderately efficient on offense – ranking 5th in the Horizon League in AdjO efficiency per KenPom. These principles are vitally important in Ryan’s system, however so is three-point shooting, which of course was a major area of concern last season. They were terribly inefficient from beyond the arc due to their lack of outside presence, but made it a clear priority on the transfer market to bring in shooters to fill out the roster.
Green Bay’s greatest downfall was on the defensive end, where the Phoenix ranked 324th in the nation in AdjD efficiency – in short, they were atrocious. The defensive end is where Ryan expects his teams to establish an identity. A lot of this can be attributed to the players simply failing to comply with the principles of the defensive system on every position, and lack of communication. I’d expect positioning, ball screen defense, and rotations to look more fluid this season. The hope is that as this group grows together, defense will eventually become a strength for this program in year three and beyond. The defensive cohesion is going to be vital to the program’s success, but will require some time to gel given the hefty roster turnover.
Last season was essentially an arranged marriage between the incoming coach and the holdovers from the previous regime. Both parties made the best of their situation and ended up pursuing better fits in the off-season. Now, the roster is comprised of hand-picked players that should be a radically better fit for Ryan’s brand of basketball. This will allow for Ryan to finally begin establishing a sustainable culture for the program this season and beyond.
Ryan had a vast amount of re-tooling to be done due to the magnitude of transfers, and now enters year two with a roster in which 61% of it’s players have never logged a minute for the phoenix.
With just three notable contributors returning, Ryan will be forced to lean heavily on the experience of players like former walk-on and Horizon League All-Freshman team member Lucas Stieber. Stieber is not a true point guard, and is more along the lines of a “glue-guy” who can initiate the offense when necessary and provide leadership. He’s best served playing next to a good ball handler that allows him to be a secondary playmaker off the ball. He’ll need to improve upon his outside shooting (29.5%) and ball handling this season, but his gritty defense and dependability should garner big minutes.
Then there’s Emmanuel Ansong who followed coach Ryan to Green Bay from Wheeling University. Ansong is the teams leading returning scorer and rebounder from a season ago (10.4 ppg / 5.3 rpg). He may be undersized at just 6-foot-4, but due to his extreme athleticism, plays much bigger than his size. Ansong wasn’t immediately eligible when the season began, but once he obtained his waiver he began seeing the floor immediately. By the end of the season he began hitting his stride, averaging 15.4 points and 7.6 rebounds over the phoenix last seven games. It’s going to be important that Green Bay establish good front court depth because Ansong needs to be able to play next to a true big on the defensive end. He’s a great piece for Will Ryan to build around, but due to his unique size/skill-set combo he’ll need to be surrounded by good perimeter shooters.
All in all, this team has very few certainties and will enter the season a relative unknown. Depth however should be a strength for this phoenix roster, unlike a season ago. While they may not possess the top end talent, this roster is unquestionably deeper/more versatile than a year ago. It’s also full of players who better fit the system – at least on paper.
The additions of players like Mitch Listau, Donovan Ivory, and Tutu Majok are ones that I expect will pay dividends immediately. In addition, the incoming recruiting class full of in state prospects (Meyer, McGee, Dailey) is particularly strong and could very well produce multiple contributors from day one.
Backcourt:
G – Lucas Stieber, 6-3 RS Fr. G – Blayton Williams, 6-3 RS Jr. G – Mitch Listau, 6-4 2xRS Soph. G – Donovan Ivory, 6-6 RS Soph PG – Kamari McGee, 6-0 Fr SG – Donavan Moore, 6-3 RS Soph SG – Randy Tucker, 6-4 RS Soph. SG – Nate Jenkins, 6-2 RS Soph
It’ll be a mess to sort through initially, but Green Bay has good depth in the backcourt. While they are unproven, there are quite a few players that could feasibly push for time. I’d expect to see a ton of three guard lineups to promote better spacing on offense.
Ryan knows what he has in Stieber, and Blayton Williams is a juco transfer who should immediately slot into big minutes at one of the guard spots. Listau will provide a much-needed spot up shooter, and Donovan Ivory is a big, versatile guard that I think can be dynamic in this offense given the opportunity. Kamari McGee may only be a freshman, but he can flat out play. McGee’s defense alone should be enough to get him on the floor, and in due time should be the point guard of the future for the phoenix. He’ll have a role from the jump, to what degree is unknown.
There are definitely others that could push for minutes, but the players mentioned above would seem to be the early favorites to see the floor. As the young Phoenix team works to find their offensive identity, many players will get a chance to prove themselves.
Forwards/Bigs:
F – Emmanuel Ansong, 6-4 RS Soph. F – Japannah Kellog, 6-8 RS Soph F – Cade Meyer, 6-8 Fr. C – Tutu Majok, 6-9 RS Soph. F – Ryan Claflin, 6-6 RS Fr. F – Cem Kirciman, 6-8 RS Fr. F – Brayden Dailey, 6-6 Fr.
My biggest concern lies with the frontcourt at the moment. What Green Bay gets from Japannah Kellogg, Majok, Cade Meyer, and Cem Kirciman will ultimately determine what the ceiling for the phoenix will be this year.
Kellogg is someone who settled in late last season and made great strides in defending ball screens, however, he doesn’t have the preferred size to defend traditional big men. Which is what Bossier Parrish CC transfer Majok was brought in to do. Majok averaged double figures in rebounding and has good size and length to defend true “5’s” in the horizon league. He can be a difference maker for Green Bay if he’s able to hit the ground running. Meyer, out of Monroe, Wisconsin, was a huge recruiting win and will play as a “4” for the Phoenix. Meyer has good versatility and should earn minutes from day one.
I saw very little from Kirciman last year to suggest he can contribute anything meaningful without taking a noticeable jump from his freshman season. Outside of his ability to stretch the floor, he offers very little on offense, and showed below average footspeed on defense.
If Green Bay can settle on a defensively sound front-court rotation, they’ll be a tough play every night in the Horizon League.
Lineup
My best guess at playing time distribution at the moment (although it’s anyone’s guess)
Probable Starters:
G – Lucas Stieber, 6-3 RS Fr. (3.8 ppg, 4.0 apg, 29.5% 3Pt) G – Blayton Williams, 6-3 RS Jr. (missed 2021 with injury) G – Mitch Listau, 6-4 2xRS Soph. (3.1 ppg, 35.0% 3Pt. at Belmont) F – Emmanuel Ansong, 6-4 RS Soph. (10.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg) F – Japannah Kellog, 6-8 RS Soph (4.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
Bench:
PG – Kamari McGee, 6-0 Fr G – Donovan Ivory, 6-6 RS Soph (played 6 minutes at Boise State). F – Cade Meyer, 6-8 Fr. C – Tutu Majok, 6-9 RS Soph. (10.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg at Bossier CC)
In the mix:
F – Brayden Dailey, 6-6 Fr. G – Randy Tucker, 6-4 RS Soph. (8.5 ppg, 38.8% 3Pt at Vincennes CC)
Outside looking in:
G – Donavan Moore, 6-3 RS Soph (2.6 ppg in 7 games) G – Nate Jenkins, 6-2 RS Soph (0.6 ppg at Iowa State) F – Ryan Claflin, 6-6 RS Fr. (2.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg) F – Cem Kirciman, 6-8 RS Fr. (1.6 ppg, 1.5 rpg)
Outlook
With so many new faces I expect this young Green Bay team to be a slow burn. It’s going to take some time to establish rotations, figure out what groups play best together, and who fits into what roles. Once that happens I think you’ll see a very different Phoenix team by mid-season. Right now, Green Bay’s lacks the top end talent to compete with the top of the league.
So, with that being said, it’ll be hard for me to argue with a bottom third conference projection on paper, but I think they’re deep enough outperform expectations. This is a team who’s in season growth will be fun to monitor, because they’re probably a year away from getting in the mix.
Miss anything from Preview Week? Check it all out below:
Raiders have high expectations despite Love’s graduation
Wright State is in an interesting spot. Two-time Horizon League Player of the Year Loudon Love graduates from a team that typically didn’t go deep into its bench, yet the Raiders are expected to continue to contend in 2022. A big part of the reason for that is that when WSU won, it won big. The team won five Horizon League games by 30 points or more, while losing just four Horizon League games all regular season. Losing the Player of the Year is difficult to overcome, but a 20-point win turning into a 5-point win still counts the same in the standings.
Obviously, the Raiders’ cupboard isn’t bare. The team returns Preseason First Team All-Horizon League Grant Basile and Preseason Second Team All-Horizon League pick Tanner Holden. If the official vote went like our HoriZone Roundtable All-League Team voting, Basile and Holden are widely expected to be two of the top six players in the league this year.
Newcomers
CJ Wilbourn – Wilbourn is new to the Raiders, but not the Horizon League. He was a 2019 All-Freshman Team pick at Milwaukee and seemed like he could be poised for a breakout year, but he didn’t make the jump that was expected and transferred to Wright State at the end of his sophomore year. With a more proven coach, don’t be surprised if WIlbourn bounces back in a big way in 2022.
Riley Voss – Voss joins the Raiders as a graduate transfer after sitting out last year at Cornell when the Ivy League cancelled its 2021 season. Voss averaged 3.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per game in 2020. The 6-foot-6 post player started 15 games and contributed to the team as a tough defender.
AJ Braun – Braun is the third newcomer who figures to have a chance for immediate playing opportunities following Love’s graduation. The 6-foot-9 freshman was an All-Ohio Division II pick after averaging 16.6 points per game as a senior at Bishop Fenwick High School. He averaged 18.2 points and 11 rebounds per game as a junior. If Braun can work his way into the rotation early, he would give Scott nagy another big man who can shoot from long range. He hit 41 percent of his 3-pointers as a junior.
Keaton Norris – Norris is the younger brother of former Oakland point guard Braden Norris, now at Loyola after being named to the 2019 Horizon League All-Freshman Team. The younger Norris averaged 17.8 points and 4.0 assists as a senior at Hilliard Bradley on his way to being named a Division I All-State Second Team honoree. If Norris is anywhere near as good as his brother was, he’ll help lessen the blow of Jaylon Hall transferring to Morehead State.
Trey Calvin – Calvin took over as the Raiders’ point guard last season and did a very respectable job. The 6-foot tall combo guard averaged 9.7 points and 3.5 assists per game as a sophomore. With the experienced Jaylon Hall out and a true freshman coming in, Calvin might be leaned on even more heavily at the position than he was last season.
Tim Finke – In his first year after transferring from Grand Canyon, Finke was an excellent addition on both ends of the floor. The 6-foot-6 wing averaged 10.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while earning Horizon League All-Defensive Team honors. Although he didn’t make it onto any of our Preseason All-League teams, he did receive votes.
Tanner Holden – A big part of the reason Wright State is expected to contend is that Tanner Holden is still there. There was a stretch of last season where you could’ve argued Holden was playing as well as — if not better than — the eventual Player of the Year Love. With Love out of the way, Holden might find a way to be an even more productive player than he was last year while Wright State remains at the top of the conference. If that happens, there could be a third straight season with a Raider taking home Horizon League Player of the Year.
CJ WIlbourn – With four players who have extensive starting experience at Wright State returning, it seems there’s one spot available in the lineup. Wilbourn would give the Raiders a fifth player with extensive starting experience in the Horizon league. He started 42 games at Milwaukee before transferring to WSU. A year ago Wilbourn looked like a player who had breakout potential, maybe a change of scenery will help him get there this season. James Manns, Voss and Braun could also be in play for this spot.
Grant Basile – An interesting development with both the Horizon League’s Preseason All-League picks and ours was that Grant Basile effectively jumped Tanner Holden. Basile was a Second Team All-League pick last year, while Holden was a First Teamer. It appears everyone is in agreement that by stepping into the role as the team’s go-to big man, Basile will also become its most dominant performer. Like Holden, Basile could end the year as a Player of the Year candidate if it turns out we’re too low on WSU and too high on Detroit Mercy and Milwaukee.
Outlook
With four returning starters — two of them projected to be among the league’s elite players — it’s not a surprise that Wright State is projected to largely overcome the loss of Loudon Love. When the Raiders won, they generally won by a lot. Even a player as good as Love might not have been the reason for WSU’s Horizon League Regular Season co-Championship last year.
Basile, Holden and the rest of the Raiders’ returnees appear to have the talent to keep Wright State in contention. If we’re underselling any of the newcomers? Another regular season title might be in play.
Miss anything from Preview Week? Check it all out below:
In just two short years, Cleveland State men’s basketball coach Dennis Gates and his staff have turned their program into the hunted, as opposed to the hunters. Cleveland State will look to defend their 2020/2021 conference tournament crown this season in one of the most stacked Horizon Leagues fans have seen in quite some time.
Despite the rumors of a high major school swooping in and stealing Gates, the CSU head man agreed to a contract extension that will have him with the Vikings through the 2027 season. According to athletic director Scott Garrett, conversations began with Gates regarding an extension after the team’s last second victory over Wright State a season ago. The Vikings’ attention to detail this season must be flawless, as the entire league will be gunning for the defending champions.
Newcomers
Nathanael Jack– Jack spent the last two seasons with the Florida State Seminoles after two successful campaigns at the junior college level. Dennis Gates is familiar with Jack’s game, as he spent time recruiting the former Seminole while he was at Florida State. Jack’s role for the Noles was small, as he averaged just over 3 points per game in almost 7 minutes per contest. Jack brings high major experience to Cleveland State in addition to familiarity with what Dennis Gates wants to accomplish on both ends of the floor.
Cole Middleton– Cleveland State’s lone incoming freshman this season was the 9th ranked player in the state of Georgia according to Max Preps. Middleton comes from one of the premier basketball schools in the state, Pace Academy and led the school to some of their best seasons to date. Middleton possesses the ability to control the painted area, as he averaged a double double in points and rebounds during his final high school season in addition to three blocks per contest. With Middleton being the lone true freshman on the roster, his minutes might be limited especially early in the season. However, if there is an injury at any point to one of the key contributors down low, Middleton could be thrown into the fire.
Anderson Mirambeaux– Mirambeaux comes from another top junior college basketball program, as he led Trinity Valley Community College to round of 16 in the national junior college men’s basketball tournament during his final season with the team. The first year Viking is a big bodied center who also possesses a silky smooth shot for a player of his size as he participated in the team’s three point shooting contest at Viketober. The junior could very well see himself with a significant reserve role as the Vikings if he is able to acclimate to the pace of the division one game.
Deshon Parker– The well traveled Parker returns to his home state for his final collegiate season. The Huber Heights, Ohio native spent time with both James Madison, and most recently Appalachian State where he played a role in the school’s first NCAA tournament appearance since 2000. Despite Cleveland State’s crowded backcourt, Parker should see some minutes due to his experience and playmaking abilities. The newest Viking has already become indoctrinated into the team’s culture, as he has already proven to be a glue guy off the floor who is friendly with the entire roster. Parker’s comfort level with his teammates off the floor should translate to on floor production as well, as he should figure into Cleveland State’s guard rotation in some capacity from day one.
Broc Finsteun– CSU’s final newcomer is another well traveled player who will look to end his collegiate career on a high note with the Vikings. Finsteun spent the last two seasons at the University of Pacific, where he averaged 11.2 points per game in his final campaign with the Tigers. Like Parker, Finsteun comes to Cleveland State with a wealth of collegiate experience having played for both Pacific and Central Wyoming. Much like one of his newest teammates Torrey Patton, Finsteun is a guard who likes to hover around the painted area, despite being able to shoot the three point shot when called upon. While it is still unclear how Dennis Gates will utilize his small army of guards, Finsteun should provide the Vikings with tremendous depth in their backcourt.
Projected Lineup
Craig Beaudion– Cleveland State’s leader in assists and steals from a season ago return to run the show for the Vikings for one final year. Beaudion also significantly improved his three point shooting last year, upping his percentage by thirteen points from his junior to senior season. Cleveland State’s offensive balance starts with Beaudion’s ability to push the tempo and facilitate. While his minutes might take a small dip due to the Vikings’ absurd amount of depth, his role as one of the team leaders will remain.
D’Moi Hodge– Hodge showed flashes of brilliance last season, as his 46 point effort versus Purdue Fort Wayne was good enough for the second highest scoring output in a single game in program history. Hodge also showed the potential to be a terrific defensive player, as his 1.7 steals per contest was good enough for third in the entire league. He also showcased his athleticism and timing all of last year as a chase down block artist, something that should ignite the home crowd this season with fans being back in the stands. Hodge will be a fan favorite this season due to his prolific scoring and highlight making defensive abilities.
Tre Gomillion– The reigning defensive player of the year in the Horizon League prides himself on being the ultimate Swiss army knife type weapon for Dennis Gates. While the Agusta, Georgia native has the ability to slow down the oppositions best offensive player, he can also score for his team when they need him the most. The “big guard” had arguably his biggest game when Cleveland State needed it the most as he poured in 22 points in addition to grabbing 13 rebounds in the team’s thrilling victory over Purdue Fort Wayne in the conference tournament. Gomillion could very well be the heart the soul of Cleveland State’s team, as he provides the energy when it is needed the most.
Torrey Patton– Cleveland State also returns their leading scorer from last season in Torrey Patton. Patton was just the seventh Viking to ever earn first team all conference honors, which he did in 2020/2021. Patton averaged a career best 14.7 points and 8 rebounds per contest last season, good enough for first on the team in both statistics. The senior elevated his game during the later portion of the schedule, as he tallied over 22 points per game, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists per game during conference tournament play. Patton took on the role of the primary scorer last season, and with nearly everyone back from last year’s team, look for Patton to continue his aggressive nature early and often.
Deante Johnson– The man known as “Spider” was one of Cleveland State’s unsung heroes from a season ago, as he did a terrific job of manning the painted area both offensively and defensively. Johnson earned his nickname with his shot blocking prowess as he ranked third in the conference in blocked shots per game with 1.3. Johnson’s defensive performances led him to joining Tre Gomillion on the all conference defensive team in 2020/2021. Johnson should receive some much appreciated reinforcements down low if Algevon Eichelberger is able to stay healthy in addition to the incoming Anderson Mirambeaux.
Outlook
The most intriguing aspect of Cleveland State’s season will be how Dennis Gates handles the rotation. With all key contributors back from last year with the exception of Alec Oglesby in addition to some new capable faces, Gates will be tasked with finding minutes for all of his impact players. Cleveland State could very well implement some different looking lineups, especially early in the season, as Gates and his staff figure out what combinations work best.
Overall, the Vikings are positioned incredibly well to defend their Horizon League tournament crown. They are incredibly deep heading into this season, and once Dennis Gates finds the lineups that work best together, the sky is the limit for the 2021/2022 Cleveland State Vikings.
Miss anything from Preview Week? Check it all out below:
Breaking: 5-star recruit an absolute gamechanger in the Horizon League
Milwaukee made the biggest headline of the offseason when Patrick Baldwin Jr. committed to play for the Panthers and became the league’s highest rated high school recruit ever. Baldwin Jr. single-handedly changes the Panthers’ prospects for the season in a big way. Last year’s Horizon League Tournament 8-seed enters the year expected to contend thanks largely to the 6-foot-9 forward who was the seventh ranked recruit in the nation this season.
Beyond Baldwin, Milwaukee’s roster has an intriguing amount of size. The Panthers could very well trot out a starting five made of players 6-foot-4 and taller with a 7-footer in the paint. That could be a significant advantage for Milwaukee frequently in a league that is largely lacking in that department.
Newcomers
Patrick Baldwin Jr.– At this point, I’ve probably written 2,000 words on the 6-foot-9 freshman, and he’s received plenty of coverage from media in Wisconsin and nationally about his decision to spurn Duke in favor of his dad and Milwaukee. It goes without saying that he’s a gamechanger for the Panthers, and it’s why he became the first freshman to earn Preseason All-Horizon League honors.
Jordan Lathon – Lathon was included in last year’s preview when it looked like a waiver for immediate eligibility might be in his future, but wound up suffering an injury that required surgery before one was granted. As a result, he’s back in the newcomer section. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged double figure scoring as a freshman at UTEP, and led the team in assists in both seasons. He’s likely to be the Panthers’ starting point guard out of the gate.
Samba Kane – Kane is a 7-foot tall transfer who played last year at the University of San Francisco after spending his first season at Illinois. The Dakar, Senegal native averaged 2.7 points and 2.3 rebounds for the Dons in 2021. Look for Kane to have a chance to play significant minutes for the Panthers right away.
Markeith Browning – Browning comes to Milwaukee after starting as a redshirt freshman at Coffeyville Community College, where he won a NJCAA Division I National Championship. Browning averaged 8.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. The most intriguing elements of his game are his athleticism and his defense. While the starting spots on the wing seem solidly claimed, Browning should provide an excellent spark off the bench.
Moses Bol – Milwaukee has a few players that are more highly regarded than Bol who are set to take the court this season, but they’re primarily wing players and the Panthers have a strong group there. Bol is a graduate transfer from Central Florida, but injuries have kept him from seeing the floor to this point. If he’s healthy, he could provide another 7-foot rim protector for a Panther team that looks to be very perimeter-oriented.
Lineup
Jordan Lathon – While Milwaukee’s projections for this season took a hit when two-time All-Horizon League guard Te’Jon Lucas transferred to BYU, Lathon offers a lot as a replacement. He may not be a pure point guard the way that Lucas was, but his size and athleticism should allow him to be a difficult matchup for several schools in the league. Lathon struggled with shooting as a sophomore at UTEP despite having a dominant post player in Bryson WIlliams to open things up from the outside. The Panthers will undoubtedly be hoping that having a standout perimeter scorer in Patrick Baldwin Jr. will open up space for Lathon to score points closer to the basket this season.
Josh Thomas – For the first time in his Milwaukee career, Josh Thomas will enter the season as a projected starter, and it’s for very good reason. After working his way into a starting spot last year, Thomas was an absolute standout for the last month of the season. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 18.3 points while hitting 61.7 percent of his shots from the field. While he hasn’t been a great 3-point shooter through his two seasons with the Panthers, he knocked down 40 percent of his shots from long range in that stretch. If Thomas can carry that momentum into this season, it’ll go a long way toward the Panthers living up to the hype.
DeAndre Gholston – Gholston starred in his first season at Milwaukee, leading the team in scoring with 16.8 points per game and finishing second in rebounding with 5.2 per game. If the Panthers had done a little better in the Horizon League standings, he would’ve been a shoo-in for an All-League spot. With Milwaukee projected to finish near the top of the league this year, Gholston is projected as a Second Team All-League pick by both the Horizon League and our staff at HoriZone Roundtable. The addition of Baldwin to the lineup could easily lead to better looks for Gholston, who already shot an impressive clip as a junior.
Patrick Baldwin Jr. – Baldwin Jr. is projected to be a borderline lottery pick in the 2022 NBA Draft more for the skill he has at 6-foot-9 than for being a raw athlete. If he’s going to follow through on that, he’ll have to live up to that First Team Preseason All-League hype. The 6-foot-9 forward has shooting touch beyond the 3-point arc, and the size to be a nightmare to defend.
Samba Kane – Kane likely won’t be a huge contributor on the offensive end for the Panthers, but with a lineup full of talented offensive players and a pair of shooters with great size he won’t need to be one. Kane’s main role will be to protect the rim. He averaged 0.6 blocks per game at both of his previous stops so far, but did so in fairly limited minutes. He played just 9.6 minutes per game for San Francisco last season.
Outlook
Unlike every other projected for the top half of the league, Milwaukee isn’t here because it’s returning the core of a team that showed it knew how to win in 2021. The Panthers return several players from last year’s roster, but it’s the league’s only projected NBA Draft pick that allows the team to skyrocket into contention in 2022. On paper, Patrick Baldwin Jr. looks like he has the potential to be the Horizon League’s best freshman since Gordon Hayward.
Combining Baldwin Jr. with two wings that have proven to be high-level players at the Horizon League level and a number of transfers that seem to give the team size and athleticism makes it easy to see why the team is widely expected to make such a significant leap this season. While there are question marks, NBA talent goes a long way toward smoothing those over.
Miss anything from Preview Week? Check it all out below:
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
