Recordpub.com - KSU men's basketball team in exhibition game tonight

By David Carducci

Record-Courier staff writer

Defense will be the top priority tonight when Kent State takes the court at the M.A.C. Center against Division III Ohio Northern in the first tune-up for the 2009-10 men’s basketball season.

“Obviously, any time you play in an exhibition game, you are trying to get better,” said KSU head coach Geno Ford. “We still have a long way to go and a lot of new guys to work in, especially at the point guard position.

“Primarily, though, this game is going to be about team defense. That’s the most important thing to me.”

Offenses are always erratic at this stage of a preseason. If KSU executes with the basketball, that’s a bonus, especially with two of its top playmakers — senior small forward Chris Singletary and junior point guard Rod Sherman — sidelined by injury.

“But if we can create points off of our defense, not get beat on the boards and give up second-chance points, then I’ll be happy,” said Ford.

The absence of Sherman, who dislocated his left elbow in practice last week, means true freshman Randal Holt will get the bulk of the minutes at the point. Holt, a native of Bedford who averaged 24.8 points per game at Glenville High School last season, was one of the prizes of KSU’s most recent recruiting class.

“Randal is going to play a ton of minutes, and he is going to have to play through mistakes,” said Ford. “With Rod out, Randal is going to get a crash course in college basketball. He’s had a good preseason so far. He is to the point where he needs to play in a game.”

Also making their Kent State debut tonight are sophomore junior-college transfer Ian Pickney, along with 6-foot-6 junior Greg Avila, also a junior-college transfer. Justin Manns, a 6-foot-11 junior who played at Owens Community College last season, is a likely candidate to redshirt this season, but he can still play during the exhibition season.

Tonight will be Ohio Northern’s first game with John Rhodes on the Polar Bears’ sideline. Rhodes is only the sixth head men’s basketball coach at ONU since 1949. He replaces Jeff Coleman, who was 73-34 in the last four seasons.

Ohio Northern is coming off its 19th consecutive winning season after going 18-9 last year, including an 11-7 mark in the Ohio Athletic Conference.

Tonight’s tipoff is at 7 p.m. Admission is free to the public.

Kent State will go on the road to the College of Wooster on Saturday night to play its final exhibition of the preseason. Typically, under NCAA rules, Division I teams must play their exhibition games at home.

KSU asked the NCAA to allow the road game as a chance to help honor the life of Corey Cline. The 3-year-old son of Wooster assistant coach Doug Cline was killed in a tragic accident on an icy road in Wooster in February. The NCAA granted permission for the road game on Friday.

“All the profit from the game will benefit the Corey Cline Foundation,” said Ford.