Blue White Illustrated

ix miles from the Bryce Jordan Center, Patrick Chambers scanned two blacktop basketball courts for talent on a picture-perfect spring evening. The courts were packed, surrounded by parents filling every inch of the perimeter extending up a small em- bankment, all seeking out a view of their kids in action. Holding a scouting combine of sorts, Chambers and his coaching staff wouldn't come away from the event with any prospects wor- thy of a scholarship. At least, not yet. Partnering with the Centre Region Parks and Recreation department to de- velop a summer basketball league for local boys and girls, the coaches' mis- sion was simply to do some community outreach. The initiative offered the Penn State men's basketball program, which is already involved in several oth- er charity efforts, yet another opportu- nity to make its mark on the communi- ty. "We're growing the game," Chambers said. "It's grassroots, coming out to the community, getting third- through sixth-graders out here. Our coaches are here, some of our players are here teaching them the game. We want to bring them out, teach them the game, give them the basics, and tell them what Penn State basketball is all about." With kids gathered at each of the four hoops around the court, the notion of "what Penn State basketball is all about" came into sharp focus. Guiding the miniature humans through a set of orange cones, freshman guard Josh Reaves directed a dribbling drill on one end of the court. On the other side, redshirt freshman big man Mike Watkins encouraged kids as they HUDDLE UP Freshman Joe Hampton offers words of advice to young partic- ipants in the Nittany Lions' recent summer basketball league event in State College. Photo by Nate Bauer JUDGMENT CALL S YOUTH MOVEMENT New-look PSU basketball program is pointed in the right direction

• Cover