Preston, Scutero out of men’s basketball program
By Chris Raimondi (Staff Writer), Daniel Miller (Staff Writer), Mike Foster (Sports Editor)
After going 12-80 on the floor over the last three seasons, KSU’s men’s basketball program will have a new face in charge, though the face is still familiar.
Director of athletics Vaughn Williams chose to look no further than the confines of the Convocation Center offices to pick the leader of the struggling program. Jimmy Lallathin, who served as KSU’s interim head coach after former head coach Lewis Preston took a leave of absence on Jan 2., was promoted to the same position Thursday.
“I am humbled and grateful that Vaughn Williams and president Dan Papp have afforded me this great opportunity to become the head coach at Kennesaw State University,” Lallathin said. “KSU is a great institution with a tremendous faculty and student body, and deserves a men’s basketball program that matches that level of excellence.”
“I am very enthusiastic about entrusting the men’s basketball program to Jimmy Lallathin,” Williams said. “He has been a part of Owls basketball for the last three years and understands the culture that we are establishing here at Kennesaw State. He is the right fit at this time.”
The news came less than a day after the department sent a release saying that Preston and Williams, who hired the first-time head coach in 2011, made a “mutual agreement” to part ways. Preston was 9-67 with the program. The changes come just over a week after The Sentinel was told by Williams that Preston would be back as the head coach “unless something crazy happens.”
“I think I’m going to have to be more involved and on top of [Preston] more than I might want to,” Williams said in an interview with The Sentinel on March 13. “I’ve got to make sure he is fit to lead. I’m going to have to pay close attention.”
According to a report by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Doug Roberson, Preston’s attorney, Jim Zeszutek, referenced undisclosed personality issues attributed to the seperation of the two parties. Roberson’s report also stated that the agreement involved a buyout of Preston’s contract. Preston’s salary for the 2013-14 season was $175,000. He had three more years on his contract, which included pay increases.
Preston was brought to KSU as Williams’ first-ever coaching hire. The duo replaced former director of athletics Dave Waples and men’s basketball coach Tony Ingle, who was fired in 2011 in the wake of academic sanctions. According to Williams, Preston helped the team raise its academic performances. Preston’s first recruit to the team, junior guard Delbert Love, has led the Owls in scoring in those three years. Love was named an Atlantic Sun Conference all-freshman team member in 2012, as well as an A-Sun academic all-conference performer this past year.
“I want to personally thank Lewis for his hard work and dedication as head men’s basketball coach during the last three years,” Williams said in a statement released Wednesday evening.
“During my three years at Kennesaw State, I received tremendous support from administration, faculty and staff, and I feel privileged to have coached a great group of young men,” Preston said in the statement.
After Preston left the team mid-season, Lallathin helped the Owls to three conference victories as interim head coach—one more than Preston had in just over two seasons (2-36 A-Sun). KSU beat USC Upstate, Stetson and Northern Kentucky with Lallathin leading the huddles, while also coming close against Mercer and Florida Gulf Coast in its second meetings with the respective A-Sun powerhouses.
Lallathin spent four seasons at Miami (OH) as an assistant coach, director of basketball operations and administrative assistant.
It was also made apparent Saturday that assistant coach Mike Scutero was let go by the team. Scutero, who was hired as an assistant on Nov. 25, was hired while Preston was still serving as the team’s head coach.
Columbia State Community College (Tenn.) coach Brian Collins Tweeted Saturday, “I can’t believe Kennesaw got rid of @thecoachscoot One of the hardest working D-1 assistants I know. I’m sure he will bounce back. #respect.”
The account @thecoachscoot, titled as ‘Mike Scutero’, responded shortly after with, “thanks [Collins]…Appreciate your kind words. We will be in touch…”
Scutero spent nine seasons coaching at the collegiate level before arriving under Preston seven games into the 2013 season.
As of print time, Lallathin has still declined interviews with The Sentinel since a commentary regarding the program that printed Feb. 3 Lallathin did respond to a message sent by the sports editor Sunday evening. We will provide updates online as they happen.
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