arlier this month, Patrick Cham-
bers stepped to a podium at the
Bryce Jordan Center to discuss
Penn State's outlook heading into
the 2015-16 men's basketball season. It
was Chambers' fifth media day since be-
coming the Nittany Lions' head coach,
and it was a little bit different than in
past years.
Previously, Chambers would talk about
instilling the kind of attitude he wanted
to see from his players or about the an-
ticipation that was building for the senior
seasons of Tim Frazier (twice) and D.J.
Newbill. But those players are now gone.
Frazier is 9ghting for a spot on the Portland
Trailblazers' roster, Newbill is beginning
his professional career in France, and the
program's third-leading rebounder, Ross
Travis, has taken up football as a member
of the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad.
The program, meanwhile, is adjusting to
their absences while welcoming an in:ux
of new talent.
True freshmen Josh Reaves, Mike
Watkins and Deividas Zemgulis stand to
provide Penn State with the biggest jolt
of energy it has experienced during
Chambers' tenure as coach, and maybe
in the history of the program. The in-
|
E
NEW
LION
Reaves has put on
about 20 pounds since arriv-
ing at Penn State over the
summer and is in contention
for a starting spot in the
backcourt.
Photo by Bill Zim-
merman
A NEW BEGINNING
PSU rebuilds around a recruiting class that may be its best ever
M E N ' S
B A S K E T B A L L
