YOUNGSTOWN — Donel Cathcart III, native of Buffalo, N.Y. spent the last two seasons as a member of an NCAA Division I team — the Youngstown State University men’s basketball team.

Cathcart is happy he was part of the culture change of the YSU program, which is still ongoing, since third-year coach Jerrod Calhoun made his mark in Youngstown in late March of 2017.

The 6-foot-5 YSU senior guard wants to be a hero to all those young people watching back in Buffalo.

His uncle, Dwayne, was a firefighter. Cathcart is going to try to play overseas next season, but after his playing days he’d like to follow in his uncle’s footsteps.

“Firefighter is the same thing as being part of a team,” Cathcart said. “You’re helping people. Literally, you’re a hero. Even with this basketball, coming from a neighborhood where I came from, I’m a hero to these younger individuals and kids. They look up to me.”

He’s led the team in scoring three times this season — including four 3-pointers and 14 points in Saturday’s two-point loss to Northern Kentucky. Cathcart has started most of this season.

“He’s a guy in year two that just figured it out,” Calhoun said.

YSU senior student-assistant Matt Manley looked up to his three bosses as his time with the men’s basketball team.

Manley, a West Branch High School graduate, is an integral part of getting YSU’s meals, snacks and helping organizing plenty of things when the Penguins are on the road. Manley manages three other student-assistants. They all play an important part in YSU’s day-to-day operations.

He’s learned how to be efficient in time management, communicate and be positive when others are down. Manley also learned how to enjoy the moment.

“The Kobe Bryant thing hit me personally,” he said. “You don’t know what day you’ve got left. I really cherish my family. I talk to them every, single day. They keep me going. This basketball program keeps me going as well.”

Calhoun is pleased with the work Manley has done for the Penguins.

“Great kid,” Calhoun said. “I think he’ll be a great coach one day. Just a joy to be around. Puts in the extra time. That’s the most important thing is he’s not scared of hard work.

“He was trained by (former West Branch boys basketball coach) Randy Montgomery, a good friend of mine — one of the best high school coaches in the state of Ohio. He came in highly recommended and hasn’t disappointed.”

Devin Morgan, a 5-10, 200-pound senior guard from Chester, Va., outside of Richmond, has been with the program for three years and played the last two.

Morgan transferred to YSU after two seasons at Delaware State. Calhoun has known Morgan longer than his three years in Youngstown.

“I’ve known Devin Morgan longer than anybody in our program,” Calhoun said. “I’ve known him since the time he committed to me at Fairmont State and decommitted. I was joking with him the other day. I remember walking out of that principal’s office me and (former Fairmont State assistant coach and current Boston Celtics assistant) Joe Mazzulla driving back, a five-hour drive from Virginia, excited. Two days later he told me he committed to Delaware State. When I got the job here, he was in the transfer portal.”

Morgan has been part of the Penguins’ success, holding his teammates accountable every day — in practices and games.

“Just make sure my teammates are locked in,” he said. “Every game counts at this point. Once we get into the postseason, it’s win or go home. That’s one thing, I’m not trying to end my career so soon.”

He also has a routine of shooting half-court shots before games. He hurt his hand a couple of weeks ago and doesn’t want to aggravate it.

“It’s been a ritual since middle school,” said Morgan, who is looking to play overseas next season. “I’ll probably get back to it the next couple of games.”

YSU has seen growth these last three years. It started with eight wins in the 2017-18 season, going to 12 in the 2018-19 campaign and at 16 wins before Thursday’s game at Green Bay.

“We’re peaking at the right time,” said Morgan, who had a season-high 26 points in a January overtime win against Green Bay in Youngstown. “We have more room to grow. We’re trying to break as many records as we can this year. Hopefully we’ll get a ring this year and then our juniors will take it out next year.

“We have a great team as far as juniors, sophomores and freshmen coming in. I think coach will definitely be able to keep it going after this year.”

This experience at YSU has been enlightening for Cathcart.

“It’s changed me as a person,” he said. “Coming from Buffalo, N.Y., it’s very different. It’s a different atmosphere. You get to learn more things and experience a lot you really don’t get to experience. Playing at this level, that’s every kids dream. I’m thankful to just do what I love to do best.”