Recordpub.com - Armon Gates joins Ford's staff

Armon Gates has returned back to Kent State as an assistant on Geno Ford's first coaching staff with the Golden Flashes.

The popular former KSU shooting guard signed his first contract to become an assistant coach Monday afternoon.

"This is exciting for me to have a former player in the program, someone who understands what the tradition is all about," said Ford. "To Armon, those are not just words."

In Gates, Ford brings back the model he hopes Kent State players will emulate.

"Armon was a very good player who earned a master's degree here in five years," said Ford. "He is a guy who did everything right when he was here, on and off the floor, and we want kids just like Armon. Our players will relate to him very well."

Gates spent last season working as an intern on Darrin Horn's Western Kentucky staff. His work on the Hilltoppers Sweet 16 squad earned him both an opportunity to stay at Western Kentucky or to follow Horn to his new job at the University of South Carolina.

"He did such a good job at Western Kentucky that we were lucky to secure Armon's services," said Ford.

When Kent State came calling, Gates said the decision to return to his alma mater was an easy one.

"Kent State is where my heart is," said Gates, who was a senior on Kent State's 2006-07 squad and earned his master's degree in sports administration that same school year. "I was happy to go away for one year to learn in another program, but now I'm really excited to be back."

At Western Kentucky, Gates had an opportunity to see how another successful mid-major program operates. Like Kent State, Western Kentucky won "by believing in the system and staying loyal to the program," said Gates.

"My loyalty is to Kent State," he said. "I'm going to be a players' coach here. I'll be here for them. I'm going to (live) in Kent, so if they need to come hang out with me, they can come hang out with me. If they need to talk to me, they can come talk to me any time. I'll be here for them."

Gates' other priority will be to recruit talent to Kent State from his hometown in Chicago.

"This is a great situation for me," said Gates. "I will always appreciate coach Ford for giving me this opportunity, and I want to thank Kent State's administration. They have welcomed me back with open arms."

SENDEROFF HIRE NEAR? -- Ford couldn't comment, but word of former Kent State and Indiana assistant coach Rob Senderoff's return to Kent has quietly spread through the M.A.C. Center.

According to several sources, Senderoff is expected to sign a new contract within the next week to become Ford's No. 1 assistant.

It's an excellent move.

Senderoff was considered one of college basketball's best recruiters before being forced to resign at Indiana as the intended fall guy in the Hoosiers "telephone scandal." He returns to Kent fully loaded with recruiting ties to talent-rich areas like New York, Indiana and Pennsylvania. He also returns to a place where he has close friends and colleagues who have no questions about his character.

A third new hire will depend on the status of Eric Haut, who has yet to decide if he will stay in Kent or follow former KSU coach Jim Christian to Texas Christian University.

Mike Brown will be back as Kent State's director of basketball operations, but assistant coach Arnette Jordan has not been retained on Ford's staff.

"Q" IN PORTSMOUTH -- Haminn Quaintance is currently in Virginia, where he has been invited to showcase his talent for NBA and European scouts at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament.

With NBA teams no longer permitted to hold individual workouts of college players, the PIT should be more important to pro scouts than in previous seasons.

Quaintance is one of 64 players assigned to eight different eight-man teams. He is expected to replace Kansas' Darnell Jackson on the Portsmouth Sports Club team, which includes Houston guard Rob McKiver and Texas A&M Corpus Christi center Chris Daniels.