| Humphrey Named MVP For Third Time at Annual Awards Banquet |
| Monday, April 16 2007 |
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| Youngstown – Quin Humphrey was named the men’s basketball program’s Dom Rosselli Most Valuable Player for the third consecutive year, Head Coach Jerry Slocum announced at the team’s end-of-the-year banquet on Sunday. Humphrey is the first player to be named team MVP for three consecutive seasons since the award was created in 1990-91. A two-time first-team all-league pick, Humphrey averaged 18.8 points and 7.1 rebounds a contest during the 2006-07 campaign. He started all 31 games, scoring 584 points, grabbing 221 rebounds, dishing out 92 assists, 42 steals and 10 blocks. He led the Horizon League during the 16-game conference season by averaging 19.7 points per contest while scoring a total of 315 points. It marked the second consecutive year in which he led the league during the conference slate. By virtue of his 7.1 rebounding per contest average he earned the Leo Mogus Leading Rebounder Award as well. Senior guard Keston Roberts was also a multi-award recipient at the festivities. Roberts earn the Tony Vivo Hustle Award and took home addition honors as the team's top free-throw percentage shooter. As a senior, Roberts was impressive scoring 504 points in starting all 31 contests, an average of 16.3 a contest. He grabbed 104 rebounds (3.4 per game), had 52 assists, 25 steals and 12 blocked shots. From the free-throw line, he made 73-of-88 attempts for a team-high percentage of 83.0. He finished the season strong making 18 of his last 19 and 26 of his final 28. Junior guard Byron Davis garnered the Assist Leader Award. Davis had 116 assists for the campaign, averaging 3.9 per contest. In his 15-league games, he tallied 61 assists to average 4.1 per game. He ranked fourth in the conference during the league slate. Sophomore forward Jack Liles was named the Penguin Club Most Improved Player. Liles had a tremendous final 19 games of the season. He scored 163 points and had 149 rebounds from the victory over Kent State to the conclusion of the season. He averaged 8.6 points and 7.8 rebounds during that span. During the first 12 games he had 66 points (5.5 per game) and 48 rebounds (4.0 per contest). Redshirt junior forward John Barber earned the Four Square Club Scholar-Athlete Award for having the highest cumulative grade-point average on the squad. For the year, Barber averaged 7.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest. |
| Kennedy Catholic Standout Blair Rozenblad Signs With Guins |
| Friday, April 13 2007 |
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| Youngstown -- Youngstown State Men's Basketball Coach Jerry Slocum announced that Kennedy Catholic's Blair Rozenblad signed a National Letter of Intent on Friday. Rozenblad, a second-team all-state performer as a senior, becomes the first Pennsylvania High School player to sign immediately out of high school in 14 years. Slocum said the program benefits greatly from a signing by Rozenblad. "Blair is a gifted student-athlete who overcame a knee injury to make a key contribution in leading Kennedy Catholic to the state semifinals," Slocum said. "We are very excited to add a local player with his talent to our program." This past season, Rozenblad returned to the lineup midway through the season from a knee injury that cut short his junior year. Kennedy Catholic finished the year with a 22-6 record reaching the PIAA Class A Western Regional Final, the equivalent to the state semifinals. The Golden Eagles won 13 straight at one point during the season. Rozenblad said just getting back on the court for his final campaign was memorable. "For me getting to play my senior year and enjoy everything was the highlight for me," Rozenblad said. "Just to be able to be with my teammates again and help them have success was a thrill. "Everything that happened made us a lot more focused. A lot went on during the year that we had to rely on our senior leadership to keep the team together and in tact." Despite playing just the final two months of the season he was named a second-team Associated Press all-state selection. For the year he average more than 15 points and eight rebounds a contest. "I like the coaching staff and they really are improving the program so I want to be a part of that," Rozenblad said. "They are trying to improve and win games plus the situation is perfect for my style of play. "A lot of family and friends can get to see me play and not have to drive hours to a game. Basically, they can all come to every see all the home games." He also earned third-team all-state honors as a sophomore averaging 16 points per contest for Kennedy Catholic, which reached the state championship game. Rozenblad joins a successful group of Penguin signees from November. Junior college forward Kevin Draughon helped Monroe Community College play for the NJCAA Division II Men's Basketball championship. Incoming freshman guard Vytas Sulskis was named the Florida Class 1A Player of the Year and earned first-team all-state honors leading The Rock of Gainesville to their first state championship game in school history. |
| USBL's Long Island Primetime Draft Guins' Keston Roberts |
| Thursday, April 12 2007 |
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| Youngstown – Former Penguin guard Keston Roberts (Brooklyn, N.Y.) was selected in the 2007 United States Basketball League draft on Tuesday night by the Long Island Primetime. Roberts, who played for YSU the past two seasons, was a fourth-round pick by the Primetime. In his two seasons with the program, Roberts had a memorable career. He tallied 895 points in 59 career games, an average of 15.2 per contest. He made 339 field goals, including 87 from behind the 3-point arc. A stellar free-throw shooter, he made 130-of-159 attempts (81.8 percent). He had 105 assists, 58 steals and 20 blocks. As a senior, Roberts was impressive scoring 504 points in starting all 31 contests, an average of 16.3 a contest. He grabbed 104 rebounds (3.4 per game), had 52 assists, 25 steals and 12 blocked shots. He averaged 14 points and 2.9 rebounds a game as a junior. The USBL is comprised of 10 teams -- Albany Patroons, Brooklyn Kings, Delaware Stars, Dodge City Legend, Gary Steelheads, Jackson Wildcats, Kansas Cagerz. Long Island Primetime, New Jersey Meteors and Oklahoma Storm. The USBL season runs from late April until late June (before the start of NBA rookie and free agent camps). For draft-hopeful collegians, the USBL is the premiere summer league, which offers a sound transition from the college to the professional game. The USBL’s playing rules are identical to the NBA’s rules, with the added stipulation that each team carries at least two rookies on its roster. Long Island finished second in the Eastern Division with a 16-14 regular-season mark last year. The Primetime lost in the opening round of the postseason tournament to eventual champion, Nebraska. The 2007 Primetime will be coached by James Ryans. |