4 EIU men’s basketball players enter the transfer portal

Eastern Illinois University

Kinyon Hodges, a junior guard, scrambles after a loose ball during the men’s basketball game against the University of Southern Indiana Eagles on Saturday afternoon, Dec. 31, 2022, at Lantz Arena. Hodges scored 10 points and had three assists. The Panthers won 91-80 against the Eagles.

Autumn Schulz, Sports Editor
March 24, 2023

Four Eastern Illinois men’s basketball players have entered the transfer portal this week, bringing the total number of transfers to nine within the last two seasons.

Last season, guards Henry Abraham, Kejuan Clements, Isaac Miller, and Micah Schnyders all entered the transfer portal along with forward Barlow Alleruzzo IV.

This season, freshman guard Cameron Haffner, junior guard Kinyon Hodges, freshman guard Kyle Carlesimo and freshman forward Sincere Malone have all entered the transfer portal.

All four players contributed to the Panthers’ offense during the 2022-2023 season. Cameron Haffner and Kinyon Hodges both ended the season with OVC honors.

Haffner was named OVC Freshman of the Year. He averaged 9.2 points per game during OVC games and his performance throughout the season earned him OVC Freshman of the Week five times.

Eastern guard, Cam Haffner (3), gets ready to make a shot under the basket, after breaking a double team from Tennessee Tech players in Lantz Arena on Saturday. The Panthers lost 75-66. (Han Byer)

He led the Panthers in three pointers made with 44, which ranked third in the OVC in 3-point field goal percentage with a 42.7. He had ten double figure games during the season, scoring 17 points in three different games.

Hodges was named to the All-OVC Newcomer Team. In 22 out of 26 games, Hodges scored in double figures and his season high of 25 points came against UT Martin. Hodges had a six-game double figure scoring streak. In the OVC, he was 11th in scoring and seventh in field goal percentage.

Carlesimo earned OVC Freshman of the Week honors once throughout the season. He averaged 4.0 points per game and he had three double figure scoring games throughout the season. He scored a season high of 19 points against St. Mary of the Woods.

Kyle Carlesimo, a freshman guard, struggles to gain possession of a loose ball but a St. Mary of the Woods College player holds his firm grip on the ball during the men’s basketball game against the St. Mary of the Woods College Black Horses in Lantz Arena Monday afternoon. Carlesimo led the Panthers with 19 points and seven rebounds. The team had an average of 4 rebounds per player, with a total of 50. The Panthers won 102-40 against the Black Horses. (Rob Le Cates)

Sincere Malone led the OVC in steals with 62, ranking 22nd in the NCAA and setting the EIU freshman record for steals in a season.

Malone was named OVC Freshman of the Week once in the season. He became the only Panthers to record a double-double during the season. He scored in double figures in six games and he led the Panthers in rebounding with 4.9 per game.

Sincere Malone (5), a freshman forward, prepares to put a shot up in the paint during the men’s basketball game against the Morehead State Eagles at Lantz Arena Wednesday afternoon. Sincere scored 14 points and had eight rebounds and one assist. The Panthers lost 69-63. (Han Byer)

He ended the season with 44 assists and 12 blocks.

 

Autumn Schulz can be reached at 581-2812 or acschulz@eiu.edu