Employees Photographs / Neel Madhavan Youngstown State College sophomore guard Bella Samz (24, left) brings the ball up the ground after a steal as YSU junior ahead Abby Liber (11, proper) blocks a shot throughout the Penguins' season-opening win. Lake Erie Friday on the Beeghly Heart.
YOUNGSTOWN — In right now's period of faculty basketball, it's not unusual for gamers to switch to a different faculty if a program brings in a brand new head coach.
Since arriving at Youngstown State previous to the 2023-24 season, Abby Liber and Bella Samz have already had three totally different head coaches throughout their time with the Penguins.
Whereas others would have transferred elsewhere underneath comparable circumstances, Liber and Samz purchased into what first-year head coach Melissa Jackson needs to construct in Youngstown and opted to stick with the Penguins. After every taking part in in fluctuating roles off the bench final yr, Jackson expects every of them to have larger roles for YSU this season.
“I feel they've completed an unimaginable job as returnees — welcoming our new folks to this system and exhibiting them what Youngstown State College is all about,” Jackson mentioned. “I feel this method suits each very, very effectively.”
Liber, a local of Avon, transferred to YSU in Saint Louis, the place she performed in eight video games as a freshman within the 2022-23 season. Final yr with YSU, Liber performed in all 32 video games, averaging three.four factors in 14.5 minutes per sport.
Like the remainder of the Penguins, she needed to modify to studying an entire new offensive and defensive system this offseason underneath Jackson.
“This yr was positively totally different with the brand new teaching employees,” Liber mentioned. “Coach (Jackson) was actually intentional together with her sort of instructing, ensuring she was placing us in the very best conditions and I feel we realized loads. She offers us confidence and I feel we're going to have an amazing season with the way in which she teaches us.”
After taking part in a number of positions final season for the Penguins, Liber will persist with taking part in solely the No. 1 ahead place. four this yr, which she mentioned she's trying ahead to doing.
“Abby is simply an unimaginable vitality bunny on the market,” Jackson mentioned. “She has a extremely powerful job as our four-man getting the ball out, and we wish to make sure that we get the ball out rapidly, and he or she does a wonderful job of that. He's a extremely good particular person and anybody who is aware of me and my system, that's a extremely essential a part of our program.”
Samz got here to YSU as a highschool recruit from Wisconsin, the place he led Arrowhead Excessive College to back-to-back regional titles because the crew's level guard.
As a freshman, she performed in simply 18 video games final yr for the Penguins, averaging four.9 minutes per sport when she received flooring time.
Final season, Samz tried to determine what it takes to play faculty basketball. However with expertise comes confidence for Samz, and after a yr in this system, she's able to take the subsequent step and is “competing for main minutes” at guard, in line with Jackson.
“I'm going to have an even bigger position this yr simply because I’ve slightly little bit of expertise from final yr,” Samz mentioned. “With the teaching change, I've been put in several spots at level guard and I'm positively taking up an even bigger position and an even bigger management position. I really feel extra in charge of my place this yr and really feel way more assured. So I'm excited to see the place this season takes me.”
Each performed contributing roles in YSU's season opener towards Lake Erie on Friday. Liber began for the Penguins and pulled down 12 rebounds and scored 5 factors in 23 minutes of motion. In the meantime, Samz spelled Xoe Rosalez at level guard and had 4 factors and 4 assists in 16 minutes.
Subsequent up, Liber, Samz and the remainder of the Penguins are set to host St. Bonaventure right now at 6:30 p.m. at Zidian Household Enviornment on the Beeghly Heart.
