Penn State Sports Magazine
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O C T O B E R 2 0 2 5 4 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Breaking in a team made up almost ex- clusively of players new to the program this season, Rhoades and his staff have keyed in on winnable games to build the nonconference schedule. It's a process that has extended into late August the past few seasons, with the Big Ten subse- quently releasing its schedule. The league had yet to unveil this year's slate when BWI went to press in mid-September. Rhoades explained earlier this summer what has changed about the challenges of creating college basketball schedules. "Scheduling has gone later," he said. "Before they [assemble] a complete schedule, people want to have a complete roster. I don't know if that's possible these days, so we're in the same boat as every- body else. "There are some games we got done that we feel good about. There's a little bit of travel, but we're also trying to have a good balance, like last year — some good games, home games that get our guys go- ing, and then a good enough schedule to get ready for the Big Ten. Because once you get in that, as everybody knows, it's a beast. I want to have great balance." Aside from the power-conference games against Providence and Pitt, the Nittany Lions will face four opponents that finished the 2024-25 season ranked in the 200s in the NET and four more that finished in the 300s. Additionally, when they travel to New Haven for the second game on the schedule on Nov. 8, the Nit- tany Lions will face an opponent that has reclassified from Division II to Division I beginning this year. The remaining games will all be played at the BJC, including the Nov. 3 opener against Fairfield and dates with Navy on Nov. 11, Sacred Heart on Nov. 29, Camp- bell on Dec. 2, and N.C. Central on Dec. 29. The Midshipmen will be led by first- year head coach Jon Perry, who was video coordinator and later operations manager at Penn State under Ed DeChellis from 2004-10. PSU Adds Jamison White To Its 2026 Class A weekend visit proved to be enough for Jamison White, a 6-foot-8, 200-pound forward from St. Charles, Mo. On the weekend of Aug. 30, White joined three-star Pennsylvania forward Dionycius Bakare on an official visit to PSU. Like Bakare, who committed to Penn State in July, White wanted to be a Nittany Lion. White went public with his decision on Sept. 3, announcing via social media that he had committed to the Lions. He is the No. 294 overall prospect in the Rivals Industry Ranking for the 2026 class, as well as the No. 29 power for- ward. The three-star prospect is also listed as the No. 8 player in Missouri but is attending East St. Louis High in Illinois as a senior. White made a quick ascent this past summer thanks to his performances with Brad Beal Elite on the AAU circuit. He was a key player in the team's run to the championship of the Peach Jam tournament and makes for an intriguing addition to Penn State's class. "Jamison White is a strong and physi- cal player, someone who understands leverage and is able to carve out space in his area," said Jamie Shaw, Rivals' senior national basketball recruiting analyst. "He has big, strong hands and is a solid area rebounder. "White is a below-the-rim big man, and it'll be interesting how he's used defensively, somewhat of an undersized big. He can stretch the floor when his feet are set as a smooth shooter with range." In eight games with Brad Beal Elite, White averaged 14.6 points, 7.6 re- bounds and 1.9 blocks. He knocked down 46.5 percent of his shots from the floor, including a 10-of-22 mark from three-point range. His strength offen- sively is catch-and-shoot and attacking the rim with straight-line drives. White appears to be a good fit for Rhoades' demanding style of play. "While he struggles at times to finish in traffic, he is an efficient player who can stretch the floor and does not shy away from physicality," Shaw noted. White picked up his Penn State of- fer on July 17. Other schools that ex- tended offers include Iowa, Saint Louis, Marquette, Providence, Kansas State, George Mason and Vanderbilt. Fol- lowing his commitment to the Nittany Lions, he canceled a planned trip to Vanderbilt. White is the son of former NBA star Jahidi White, a Georgetown alum who spent seven seasons with the Washing- ton Wizards, Phoenix Suns and Char- lotte Bobcats. Two months before White's commit- ment, Bakare put the Nittany Lions on the board for the 2026 recruiting cycle when he pledged to the program amid his own Peach Jam run. Originally from Ontario, Bakare played with U-Play Canada in the Nike EYBL AAU circuit while enrolled at The Phelps School in Malvern, Pa., for his high school ball. He was among the most efficient scor- ers this year in the EYBL, producing 13.7 points per game in just 12.2 possessions. That number put him fifth in the circuit for points per possession at 1.12. Last season at The Phelps School, he averaged 14 points and 4 rebounds per game, hitting 50 percent of his shots from the floor, 40 percent from be- yond the arc, and 88 percent of his free throws. A three-star prospect, Bakare is listed in the On3 Industry Ranking as the No. 224 overall player and No. 56 small for- ward nationally, and the No. 5 player in Pennsylvania. He chose the Nittany Lions over offers from Arizona State, Washington, South Florida and SMU, among others. Penn State offered him on May 20. With White and Bakare committed, Penn State's 2026 class was ranked 25th nationally and seventh in the Big Ten as of mid-September. ■ Penn State's Class of 2026* Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Rating** Home School Jamison White PF 6-8 200 ★★★ St. Charles, Mo. East St. Louis (Ill.) Dionycius Bakare SF 6-5 170 ★★★ Malvern, Pa. The Phelps School * As of Sept. 15 | ** Rivals player rating as of Sept. 15