Owls Flying High: A Promotion / Relegation Dynasty

[jksander]

April 9, 2020
In light of the cancellation of the 2020 College Basketball tournaments and the resulting loss of money for the colleges in the NCAA, the organization announced today they'll be switching to a promotion / delegation model for conferences in the coming season, adding a level of non-tournament competition that will potentially allow smaller schools to compete and build their reputation in a way that couldn't happen in the past. Our Kennesaw State Owls, here in Kennesaw, Georgia, are already looking for a new head coach, and are excited to be participating in the lowest-rated conference, Conference “V” – Winning the conference regular season title would allow us to move up a level, and being that we're on the bottom of the heap, there's nowhere to go but up for our unknown program.

May 1, 2020
Kennesaw State's Owls have a new head coach in 25-year-old Darrell Valvano, an Owl alum who played for the team for four years as a backup player, graduating with a degree in Sports Management in 2017. He spent the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons as a graduate assistant for the Owls, and last year he was the assistant to the team's scouting coach, traveling southern Georgia on the recruiting trail. As the team's coach chose to retire this spring, and his assistants moved on to other jobs, Valvano takes over the program on an interim basis with a 3-year $80,000 per year contract and three untested assistants. The AD's goal is for the team to win the conference tournament and qualify for the NCAA tournament. Valvano's goal, he tells us, is to build the program year-by-year and move up in the conference hierarchy. “We're not going to be unknowns for long,” he says. “This is a program primed to be known throughout the country, and I'm the guy to take it there.”

[jksander]

June 26, 2020
Our program has only one senior, a walk-on, but will have a scholarship available because one of our incoming freshmen had his scholarship rescinded due to failing to qualify academically during the final semester of his senior season in high school. So we have 14 players on roster this season. Whether anyone gets redshirted will be decided later in the season.

Recruiting for our program this year will be primarily within the state's borders, unless we find a suitable junior college player elsewhere later in the process.

I have the AD looking to build a strong non-conference schedule that focuses on quality teams but here at home where possible.

[jksander]

July 4, 2020
It's quite early in the season, but rumor has it a top JuCo player in Georgia is at least going to let us in the door. I can't name any names but it is an encouraging sign. Obviously we're not trying to aim beyond our means, but with only one spot available on our roster for 2021-22's season, we can afford to cast a wide net and be at least a little choosy.

[jksander]

July 11, 2020
As your trusted basketball columnist from the Kennesaw State Sentinel, I am pleased to confirm that unnamed sources in within coach Valvano's program have told me the school is offering a scholarship to 6'8” forward Jason Watson, who attended Riverwood High School and is now attending a local Junior College. That Watson is even giving our program any of his attention is worthwhile, as he is reportedly a top ten forward in the national class, though my sources tell me their scouts have him among the top 3. Odds are he will go elsewhere, but he has expressed interest in staying close to home and his grades are reportedly not great. So we may have a shot, even if he has to spend some time studying before he gets to hit the hardwood.

[jksander]

September 18, 2020
It's rather funny that there's any buzz at all for this year's men's basketball season among Owls fans. Bear in mind, before our season was truncated by shelter-in-place orders last season we were 1-28 and on a 20-game losing streak. But a new head coach and a ballsy recruiting season – and so far the balls are all we have to show, as Jason Watson has told the school he is most likely going to be attending Georgia next fall – seems to be all it takes to get this fan-base excited again.

That, and the fact that Coach Valvano sweet-talked Georgia into playing us in an ongoing series (this year on the road on December 13th). We've got a tough road season ahead, with big road games against Washington on November 21st as well as Kansas State the day after Christmas. And we should be facing a tough foe for Homecoming on December 19th against regional rival Central Florida.

This won't be a cupcake schedule by any stretch. But fans and players seem energized by the new coaching staff, and we here at the Sentinel don't expect that losing streak to last long.

[jksander]

[jksander]

2020-21 Kennesaw State Roster
PG – Brandon Manley (6'4” 191 lbs Jr) Warner Robins GA (Warner Robins HS) 2.4 GPA
SG – Chris Snyder (6'4” 174 lbs Jr) Columbus GA (Hardaway HS) 2.6 GPA
SF – Damon Christie (6'8” 196 lbs So) Lincolnton GA (Lincoln County HS) 2.2 GPA (++)
PF – Kareem Roach (6'7” 197 lbs So) Fairburn GA (Landmark Christian HS) 2.5 GPA
C – Larue Ragin (6'10” 276 lbs Fr) Cumming GA (North Forsyth HS) 2.6 GPA

6 – Michael Tyler (6'3” 210 lbs Jr) Hamilton GA (Morris County HS) 2.9 GPA
7 – Griffin Casper (6'6” 223 lbs Jr) Cleveland GA (White County HS) 2.6 GPA
8 – Shane Ross (7'1” 250 lbs Jr) Cordele GA (Crisp County HS) 2.7 GPA
9 – Nick Granberry (6'6” 241 lbs Fr) Gainesville GA (Gainesville HS) 2.2 GPA (++)
10 – Michael Cage (6'6” 234 lbs Fr) Blackshear GA (Pierce County HS) 2.2 GPA (++)
11 – Jim Cullen (6'5” 195 lbs So) Suwanee GA (North Gwinnett HS) 2.5 GPA
12 – Josh Cherry (6'7” 213 lbs Sr) Conyers GA (Heritage HS) 2.4 GPA (+)

RS – Darryl Barron (6'0” 199 lbs Fr) East Point GA (Tri-Cities HS) 2.5 GPA
RS – Mike Cook (6'8” 230 lbs So) Woodstock GA (Woodstock HS) 2.7 GPA (+)

(+) Walk-on
(++) On academic watch

[jksander]

November 14, 2020
South Florida (0-0) @ Kennesaw State (0-0)

Offense was anemic at the start of this season opening game for our Owls, with us trailing 1-6 at the 16:00 mark in the first half. But we played tenacious defense the way I've had us practicing over the last month, and we tied it 10-10 with a Jim Cullen three with 12:45 to go in the half. We took a two point lead shortly thereafter and then strangled them defensively while taking advantage of any shots we would find. Up 17-12 with 9:24 to go in the half, we dug in and held our ground until with 6:15 remaining the Bulls nailed a killer trey to retake the lead 19-21. and we struggled from there as they turned that three into a 13-4 run. Trailing 23-30 with 2:26 left in the half, we cranked up the defense and kept them from extending. A three by Chris Snyder made it a four point game with 0:58 left, and that was the only remaining offense in the last 150 seconds. Halftime: South Florida 30, Kennesaw State 26.

The second half started out much like the first, and we were in a hole 30-37 with 15:50 to go in the game. From there we struggled to keep the game away from blowout territory, as the Bulls put up a 9-3 run leading 33-46 with 11:34 remaining. Five minutes later they led by 20 and it was clearly out of our hands. We limped our way to a 55-77 loss.

Griffin Casper strained an abdominal muscle and will likely play only relief minutes if at all over the next ten days.

Player of the Game: Brandon Manley (9 pts 3 reb 3 ast 2 blk)
Honorable Mention: Griffin Casper (7 pts 1 reb 2 ast) in 13 minutes

[jksander]

November 17, 2020
Radford (1-0) @ Kennesaw State (0-1)

Chris Snyder nailed another great three to get us going early, up 5-2 on Radford with 17:53 to go. We went into this game focused on finding our offense, and I told the guys they were free to take the reins more – as we learn these new offensive sets I will run fewer set plays while they find their groove. Early on we looked much more comfortable on the court, and our defense remained potent. We led 18-7 with 11:26 remaining but Radford kept it close, until an 11-3 run put us ahead 36-22 with 2:23 remaining, and we coasted to the half from there. Halftime: Radford 26, Kennesaw State 38.

Radford opened the half on a 5-0 run, but we countered with an 8-2 run of our own, remaining comfortably ahead 46-33 with three minutes eclipsed. With 9:37 to go in the game we led 61-46, with three players already well into double-figures scoring so we were putting up a balanced attack. But Radford never stopped fighting. We had to put the starters back in late as they mounted a furious comeback, coming within five trailing us 69-64 with 2:33 left in the game. But solid shooting and tight defense during the final two minutes sealed the deal on a 78-69 win.

Player of the Game: Kareem Roach (19 pts 3 reb 3 ast 2 stl 1 blk)
Honorable Mentions: Brandon Manley (18 pts 4 reb 4 ast 1 blk); Chris Snyder (17 pts 4 reb 3 ast)

[jksander]

November 21, 2020
Kennesaw State (1-1) @ Washington (2-1)

This was set up to be a real test of our team's skills, as Washington is currently a “Conference D” school, and we're playing them on the road. Larue Ragin opened the game with a pair of free throws to put us up 2-0, and his roll-around-the-rim jumper at the 16:18 mark put us up 7-6 in what had started out as a particularly solid half. Washington retook the lead 11-12 with 10:30 to play, and after a flurry of lead changes Ragin scored another deuce to tie it 17-17 with 8:03 left in the half. Washington went on a 7-3 run and then controlled most of the next five minutes, but Griffin Casper nailed a triple with 2:52 remaining that put us within three, down 30-33. We kept it close the remainder of the way to the half but couldn't bridge the gap. Halftime: Kennesaw State 34, Washington 38.

We fought hard early in the second half, but with 13:47 to go we were dangerously close to letting the game out of our hands, trailing 40-50. We fought hard from there to keep the margin respectable, but we were not able to match the depth of their bench. We'd go on to lose this one 62-80.

Player of the Game: Larue Ragin (12 pts 8 reb 4 ast 1 stl)
Honorable Mentions: Chris Snyder (10 pts 6 reb 1 stl) Brandon Manley (16 pts 1 reb)

Shocking Game of the Week: In a matchup between High Point's Panthers and the Knights of Fairleigh Dickinson, an offensive power performance was put on by both teams as they fought their way to a 107-107 tie at the end of regulation! High Point would outscore the Knights 18-11 in overtime to win 125-118. Fascinating stats, however: Fairleigh Dickinson had led 54-37 at the half, and put up a remarkably consistent 53 points in the second half, but High Point managed to score 70 points in that half. Combining the second half and the overtime period, High Point outscored the Knights 88-64 over a 25-minute stretch. Fairleigh Dickinson finished with seven players in double-figures, while High Point had five, led by Bryan Wright and Mark Richardson who combined for 56 points.