By Chris Raimondi, Sports Editor
The men’s basketball team at Kennesaw State will look a lot different this year.
The team hasn’t won more than 10 games in five seasons and has had three head coaches during that span. New head coach Al Skinner is hoping to wipe the slate clean, and introduce a winning culture for KSU men’s basketball for the first time in the division I era.
“I’m excited about the guys that are returning,” Skinner said. “I think I can help them have a little bit more success than they have had in the past. That’s really what my goal is as we move forward. I don’t think they have experienced a lot of success, I know there has been a lot of turnover. I want to bring some stability to their basketball careers. And at least when they look back and reflect on what happened for them here at Kennesaw, they can have some positive experience on the basketball floor.”
KSU lost seven players from last season’s roster due to graduation or transferring, and in turn, there is a balance of returners and newcomers this season. Seniors Yonel Brown, Nigel Pruitt and Bernard Morena are returning along with Jordan Jones, Nick Masterson and Cameron Neysmith.
The Owls have six new faces in transfers Kendrick Ray, who had to sit out last season, and Aubrey Williams, along with freshman Tracy Hector, Kyle Clarke, Josh Burnett and Kosta Jankovic.
“There is no one really standing out,” Skinner said. “But I have been pleased by the progress they have made, and hopefully they continue to make progress because in order for us to remain competitive and have some success this year, some individuals from the freshman class are going to have to contribute.”
Though the three seniors have seen significant playing time, Skinner isn’t expecting anyone to emerge as a leader early in the season as he implements his style, something he states none of them have experience with.
In the Owls’ exhibition against Middle Georgia State University Sunday night, 10 players saw 15 minutes or more on the court. Brown led the team with 24 points while Ray and Pruitt added 21 and 18, respectively. KSU topped the Knights 98-75.
“Under normal conditions that would be the case,” Skinner said of the seniors leading the team. “But because they are learning just like the freshman and newcomers are learning, you don’t really have that leadership quality that you would like to have. The advantage that they do have is that the guys who are returning had the summer to work with us.”
The season starts with a four-game road trip that begins Friday at Alabama and continues to another Southeast Conference opponent Monday, Nov. 16 in Baton Rouge against LSU. The Owls conclude their trip at Arizona State and Samford before returning home Nov. 23 to play IUPUI at 6:30 p.m.
“It’s a difficult schedule, not only because we play some quality opponents on the road, but they occur so early in the season that we don’t really get a chance to get our feet wet at home,” Skinner said. “So it’s a little disappointing that we have to start out this way. But it is what it is. I think everyone looks at our schedule, and they players look at our schedule, and we have to see that there is an opportunity maybe to bring some recognition to our program.”
KSU was picked to finish seventh in the Atlantic Sun Conference in the coaches and media polls. Skinner stated he hasn’t set any specific team goals for the season other than to play hard and establish the foundation for a winning program.
“I’m not sure what this team’s potential is,” Skinner said matter-of-factly. “I haven’t coached them enough. We haven’t been in enough situations to dictate that. But I like what I see and we’re going to build on that.”
