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P enn State picked up its first Class of 2020 commitment in July when guard Dallion Johnson of Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., announced that he plans to sign with the Nittany Lions. Johnson, a three-star prospect as rated by Rivals.com, is listed at 6-foot-2, 170 pounds and can play both the point and the shooting guard spots. "Dallion is a shot- maker first and fore- most," Rivals.com recruiting analyst Corey Evans said. "He brings good size to the backcourt and is some- one who can play either guard position. He might be more of an undersized two-guard, but he is also someone who can change the en- tire complexion of a game thanks to how well he can and does shoot the ball. "He has also filled out well in recent months and gotten stronger, which has made him better on the go in putting the ball on the deck. He is a smart and heady guard, too, who can defend in the backcourt. However, it all revolves around his ability to make shots, which he can do... at a high rate." Johnson picked up his Penn State offer in August 2018 and took an official visit to University Park this past June. As a junior at Phillips Academy, he av- eraged 18.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, winning first-team All-USA Today Massachusetts recognition. CHAMBERS LAUDS REAVES Penn State coach Patrick Chambers said in July that he never had any doubt that Josh Reaves would open some eyes when he had a chance to showcase his abilities for NBA scouts. Earlier this summer, the Dallas Mavericks announced that they had signed the former Nittany Lion to a two- way contract. "His game has been awesome," Chambers said. "I knew it would translate to that level because he's incredibly tal- ented, gifted, athletic – his instincts, his antic- ipation. So everything he's doing, nothing is surprising us. I think everybody in this room, we're not surprised about his success. I mean, his statistics speak for themselves." Terms of Reaves' contract were not dis- closed, but two-way players are permitted to play in both the G League and the NBA. NBA teams can carry up to two two- way players, and those players are re- quired to spend the majority of the season with their G League team. They cannot spend more than 45 days with their NBA team. Reaves will remain with the Mavericks following an impressive performance in the Las Vegas Summer League in which he posted 12.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game over a five-game span. Reaves amassed 250 steals during his Penn State career, the second-highest total in school history and the seventh- highest total ever by a Big Ten player. He won Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors as a senior after leading the con- ference in steals for the third season in a row. SLATE POSES CHALLENGES Penn State is coming off a season in which it fin- ished 14-18 and failed to return to the postseason after winning the NIT cham- pionship in 2018. One of the reasons why the Nittany Lions weren't able to extend their season was because they went 7-5 against one of the country's more difficult nonconference slates. Nearly a year removed from those struggles, the Nittany Lions aren't backing down. Chambers has lined up another challenging nonconference schedule that includes games against Georgetown, Bucknell, Mississippi, Wake Forest and Alabama. In addition, the Lions will face either Oklahoma State or Syracuse on Nov. 29 in the NIT Season Tip-Off at Brooklyn, N.Y. Chambers said last month that he be- lieves his team has absorbed the lessons of last season and is capable of applying them to this year's nonconference schedule. One major reason for his optimism is the return of Lamar Stevens. The senior forward explored an early entry into the NBA Draft but opted instead to return for one final season and was recently named the 10th-best player in the country by NCAA.com basketball ana- lyst Andy Katz. "I think we learned a lot from last year, and I think we have the experience," Chambers said. "You're talking about [two] fifth-year seniors [including] a senior who is preseason first-team All- Big Ten. A senior who is, according to Andy Katz, No. 10 in the country as far as players. Here's a kid who was not in the top 100 [as a recruit]. He's the 10th- best player. So let's not put all our stock into these four-stars. ... We can't get caught up in that stuff. We've got to get the right guys for us. But I feel like we're ready. I think we have the leadership, the maturity, the depth. This is going to be as deep a team as I've ever had." ■ Massachusetts guard chooses Nittany Lions | M E N ' S B A S K E T B A L L N O T E B O O K DALLION JOHNSON Rivals.com

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