Local Product Porrini Signs NLI With Kent State
7/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
6'2" guard from Massillon will join the Golden Flashes as a junior in the fall
KENT, Ohio – Kent State men's basketball Head Coach Geno Ford has announced the signing of Michael Porrini to a National Letter of Intent. A 6'2", 200-pound guard, Porrini hails from Massillon, Ohio and joins the 2010 Mid-American Conference champions after spending this past season playing for Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, Fla. Â
"We are extremely fortunate to have Michael join our program," said Ford the 2010 NABC District 14 Coach of the Year. "He is a tough and physical player that does a lot of things well on the basketball court. We expect him to come in and help fill the void left by the graduation of three of our perimeter players."
A First Team All-Panhandle Conference selection for Gulf Coast, Porrini filled up the box score averaging 11.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 steals in 2009-10 while leading the Commodores to an 18-11 overall record.Â
"Michael is a hard-nose, aggressive young man who really understands the game of basketball," said Gulf Coast Head Coach Jay Powell. "The Kent State coaching staff and fans are going to enjoy watching him play the next couple of years."
After attending high school at Massillon-Washington, the highly touted point guard played 16 games for Western Carolina as a collegiate freshman. With the Catamounts, Porrini produced 11.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game. Coming out of high school he was rated the fourth-best point guard in Ohio and the 15th-best prospect in the state. Porrini capped off a well decorated prep career earning Third-Team All-Ohio honors in the state's largest division as a senior.
The Golden Flashes now have six commitments signed for the 2010-11 season. Porrini joins November signees DeAndre Nealy (Jr., F, 6'6", 230, Detroit, Mich. / Mott J.C. [Mich.]), Carlton Guyton (Jr., G, 6'4", 175, Chicago, Ill. / Mineral Area C.C. [Mo.]), Eric Gaines (Fr., G, 6'4", 180, Chicago, Ill. / Hillcrest H.S), Mark Henninger (Fr., F, 6'8", 190, Massillon, Ohio / Massillon-Jackson H.S.) and Kenny Knight (Fr., F, 6'7", 205, Cincinnati, Ohio / Aiken H.S.).
This past season Kent State produced a 24-10 overall record and a Mid-American Conference Regular Season Championship with a 13-3 mark. The Golden Flashes storied program is one of just 11 schools in the country to win at least 20 games in 11 of the last 12 years and ranks 16th nationally over that time span with 281 victories. Â
