Youngstown State point guard relocates to Mount Plesasant
Head basketball coach Keno Davis signed transfer student Marcus Keene to program Saturday.
The 2015-2016 season has been circled on the calendar of Central Michigan University Basketball Head Coach Keno Davis and Chippewa fans for a couple years.
Guards Chris Fowler and Rayshawn Simmons and forward John Simons will all be seniors.
After signing guard Marcus Keene from Youngstown State, the team has a good reason to look forward to 2016-2017 and beyond.
Keene can practice with the team and participate in team activities next season, but won’t be eligible until 2016-2017 because of NCAA transfer rules. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
“There was definitely a concern as we looked at how our team was built,” Davis said. “When you lose two point guards that are both starting for you, (you have to figure out) how to replace those guys and put in guys you’re not going to worry about the learning process with like you would with freshmen.”
The 5-11 160-pounder is a native of San Antonio, Texas and led his team last season with 15.6 points per game. He played against CMU at McGuirk Arena Nov. 18 in the Chippewas 75-63 victory.
"I liked how the fans—even though it was early in the year and it was around Thanksgiving, so I don't think there were a lot of students there—I like how they had a good crowd," Keene said. "I saw some games (on TV) this year and the place was sold out. I like that.”
Davis said Keene is a player who can create scoring.
“He has the ability to score the basketball without really having to have set plays for him,” Davis said. “He’s much like Braylon Rayson: A guy who can put a ton of points on the board in a hurry. (He is) a guy that can score, yet a guy that wants to win more than score.”
Keene played all 32 games last season after missing the final 10 games of the 2013-2014 season after punching and breaking the nose of then-teammate Ryan Weber during practice. Weber now plays for Ball State, which resides in the Mid-American Conference West Division with CMU.
Youngstown State finished 11-21 this season and last in the in the Horizon League at 2-14.
Recruit makes verbal commitment to CMU
In addition to Keene, the Chippewas will also reportedly have South Elgin, Illinois native Matt Smith to fill in at point guard in 2016-2017.
The 6-0 high school junior made the verbal commitment Sunday
to accept a scholarship from CMU according to the Chicago Daily Herald and Smith’s Twitter account. He scored 14.2 points per game this season.
