CLEVELAND — Daniyal Robinson is in his third season at the helm of the Cleveland State Men’s Basketball program.
“They're playing for each other. That feels really good to see those guys have success and believe in what we’re doing,” said Robinson, who was hired as the Vikings' head coach in April 2022.
Building a team with a tight bond has always been part of Robinson’s game plan. Now, the camaraderie is starting to carry onto the court.
“We talk about playing for the guy next to you all the time, and you're really seeing that show up for us,” Robinson said.
“Since I've been here three years, this has definitely been the closest team we’ve had. It really feels like a family, and that's how I think we've been able to do so well,” said junior forward Dylan Arnett.
“We're more together than ever. I feel like that has helped. Everything’s just gelling together,” said senior guard Tevin Smith.
The Vikings have won eight straight games, which they attribute to the level of competition they bring in practice.
“We make sure practices are harder than the games. It’s always competitive here. Our scout team is very good. Everyone here always competes every single day,” said Arnett.
“I feel like the practices are definitely harder than the game. [Robinson] is always building disadvantages, so when it happens in a game, we won’t be worried. You just execute,” said Smith.
“If we build the right habits on a day-to-day basis, you're naturally, when the bullets start flying in the games, when it gets really tough, you're gonna revert back to your habits,” said Robinson.
Cleveland State is in first place in the Horizon League with a 6-1 conference record.
“We had a tough non-conference schedule. We were 4-6 at one point. These guys continue to be resilient,” says Robinson.
However, at 12-6 overall and 18 games into a 31-game season, there’s still work to do.
“Have we peaked? No. Not at all. We have a ton of room for improvement. We wanna continue to get better and build the right habits. We need to be playing well late February, early March,” says Robinson.
Cleveland State returns to the Wolstein Center to host Northern Kentucky University on Wednesday. As the Vikings seek their ninth consecutive win, they’re giving fans a deal. Tickets to the game will be $9 off using the promo code “NINE” at checkout. Tickets can be purchased by CLICKING HERE.
Carly Mascitti is a sports anchor at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Twitter @carlymascitti.
