Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1464375
4 8 M A Y 2 0 2 2 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M return. But even with Dread back as a su- per senior, Penn State appears destined to get a whole lot younger — and fast. The one factor that could slow PSU's youth movement is, of course, the transfer portal. With an obvious need at center and a replacement necessary for Sessoms at guard, it seems likely that the Lions will seek veteran help. "For next year's team, we do want to add a couple of older guys so we don't have to lean on those freshmen just to be prime-time players right off the bat, which is really hard to do as a college freshman," Shrewsberry said. "No mat- ter how good you are, freshmen struggle a little bit." When the 2022-23 season tips off, the Nittany Lion roster will look a bit more conventional. Penn State did not have any freshmen this past season; the Li- ons were very much a collection of old heads. Next fall, however, there will be five rookies. Shrewsberry and his staff will be hop- ing that this group can help them score some more points after the Nittany Li- ons concluded 2021-22 with the lowest scoring average in the Big Ten. The most likely candidate to address that need is Brown, a guard who can score from all over the floor. "When he enters the gym he's ready to shoot," said assistant coach Adam Fisher, who led the way in his recruit- ment. "He is a basketball player who is going to come in right away and make an impact on this team." Mahaffey, another guard, earned first-team all-state honors in Ohio this past season. He's a lanky athlete with a knack for defending. Clary completes the guard trio. An- other excellent defender, though per- haps a bit undersized at 5-foot-11, he brings intangibles that the Nittany Lion staff values. "Undersized, tough, plays with a chip on his shoulder," said his lead recruiter, Aki Collins. "And what you'll see about this kid is that he's very competitive. He doesn't like to be overlooked. He doesn't like to feel like he's not the best player on the floor." Two bigs with unique skill sets round out the class for the Nittany Lions. Lilley, at 6-9, earned an offer from Penn State after transforming his body over the summer. He helped Lower Mer- ion (Pa.) High to the state semifinals this season with his physical presence in the paint. "He's not the most athletic guy that's going to be hanging and swinging on the rim all the time, but he really pursues the basketball on the offensive glass and defensive glass," assistant Mike Farrelly said. He'll be joined by Njie, a high-ceiling prospect who has the Penn State coach- ing staff excited. "In my opinion, we're going to be re- ally, really good as he continues to de- velop," said Collins, Njie's lead recruiter. "You just see the potential in him. As he matures, he's going to be a phenom- enal player." ■ Myles Dread Returning To Bolster Nittany Lions' Backcourt Myles Dread is returning for one last season at Penn State. Announcing his decision via social media on March 30, the senior guard affirmed that he will take advantage of his bonus year of eligibility. He has played extensively during his four seasons at Penn State and is set to do so one more time. In announcing his decision to return, Dread revealed that he had played through an injury to the labrum in his right shoulder this past year. He wore a brace all season, but the ex- tent of his injury was not previously known. Dread averaged 6.2 points while playing 27 minutes per game, and even though he wasn't fully healthy, he still ranked second on the team with a 40.7 percent shooting average from three-point range. "Under the guidance and supervision of the medical staff, I was able to play with a severely torn labrum in my shooting shoulder," he ex- plained. "It was important to me to persevere for my teammates, for my coaching staff, and for Penn State." The highlight of Dread's senior season came in a marathon 90-86 victory over Iowa in January in which his late three-pointer sent the game to a second overtime period. Over the course of the season, he served in different capacities. Beginning the year as a starter, he found his role shifting from game to game. He ended up starting 20 of Penn State's 31 games, and he finished second on the team in three-point makes with 55. Dread said that he had surgery on his shoulder shortly after the season ended. His goal now is to "get as healthy as possible, and … start my journey to get in the best shape of my life." In the statement announcing his decision to return, Dread expressed his gratitude to the many Penn State basketball supporters who have been awaiting the team's return to NCAA Tournament contention. "You guys have given me more love and motivation than I could ever ask for," he wrote. "I made a choice to attend Penn State with the idea of taking a team that hadn't been to the NCAA Tourna- ment in years to the Big Dance." That effort will now continue for one more year. "I look forward to leading this team," Dread wrote, "and giving everything I have as we set out to accomplish our goals." — Nate Bauer Despite playing with a shoulder injury that required postseason surgery, Dread ranked second on the team in three-point field goals made last season with 55. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL