Happy Valley Insider - Penn State Hoops lands North Carolina transfer G/F Puff Johnson
North Carolina forward and Pennsylvania native Puff Johnson is headed back home to play for Penn State.
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BB Recruiting Penn State Hoops lands North Carolina transfer G/F Puff Johnson
- Thread starter Richie O
- Start date
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Saw in black shoes diaries that Njie visited ND but then opened his recruitment to other schools. He's visiting somewhere else, I forget where.
I haven't heard anything new about Evan Mahaffery - hoping no news is good news as he is one of my favorites from last year and I really hope he stays at PSU.
I like it...hoping that Puff can make a bigger impact than the last transfer we brought in that played in the National Title Game (though in Samuel's defense, I feel like Pat really under-utilized him).
Baldwin
Kern
Hicks
Johnson
Wahab
thats a solid starting 5. Clary is an excellent backup PG who can push Ace off the ball some if needed. Need another couple shooters/wings and another big to spell Puff and Q.
Kern
Hicks
Johnson
Wahab
thats a solid starting 5. Clary is an excellent backup PG who can push Ace off the ball some if needed. Need another couple shooters/wings and another big to spell Puff and Q.
Our style should really be a 180 from this year...we won't have great perimeter shooting (Ace and Hicks will put them up, but aren't overly prolific) and will certainly turn it over more...but will really be looking to get to the rim, attack the glass (and get to the FT line more), and defend more aggressively.
agree, thats why I think Clary will see plenty of time, even with Ace on the floor. They will get up in people defensively and attack the basket. Fits Browns game more as well.
And a perfect fit for Mahaffey...hope he sees it too.
If that's true, then I'll take that because that kind of basketball shouldn't be subject to slumps like perimeter shooting is. Also, that kind of basketball should play on the road better. The quickest way to become a good basketball team is to play tough defense, and then the offense can flow from that. That's how Pitt rebuilt their program under Holland and Dixon in the 2000s.
Need Mahaffey & Nje to recommit.
Those two (though I dont think either comes back) and then a couple freshmen would make for a nice squad
I agree. Admitting my limited knowledge of other schools, I think he has a great opportunity right here.
Rhoades doing an excellent job building a roster. I am excited to see a tough, defensive minded team who can get crucial stops and rebound effectively. While being able to attack the rim on offense.
It would be great if either Mahaffey or Njie returned, I would take one of them.
Let's go dancing again next season!
It would be great if either Mahaffey or Njie returned, I would take one of them.
Let's go dancing again next season!
If I heard right (Locked on Pod), Mahaffey's visits since portal-ing were Ohio State and Dayton. I don't know what else might or might not be going on, of if he is just mulling over his choice.
Oh, Dayton is only 55 miles north of Cincy (where Mahaffey attended HS). Literally a quick drive north on I-75. UD Arena & campus are located right off an I-75 exit. Easy for his family to watch him. Anthony Grant (UD head coach) is a strong recuiter. That visit is concerning.
I’d be disappointed if we lost him to Dayton…if he leaves, I’d think it would be for a better opportunity at a higher profile school.
Well, if you've ever attended a bball game @ UD Arena you would understand the draw. Bbal is king @ UD. Almost every home game is a sell out with raucous crowds. One of the great true bball arenas in the U.S. Maybe Mahaffey should talk to the guard that transferred from PSU to OSU for last season. Don't think that was a successful move.
Yep, UD arena has hosted more NCAA tournament games than any other venue. BB is king at UD, and the fan support is much greater than at PSU. My youngest son went to UD. Hope Mahaffey stays at PSU but if he has to go I'll root for him at UD. Yes UD is in the A10, but UD has made more NCAA appearances than PSU and I have a UD Elite 8 t-shirt as well. And UD was going to be a #1 seed in the NCAA the year that it got cancelled for Covid.
The A10 has taken a huge step back over the past several years…what was once a 4-5 bid league has become a one bid league with very underwhelming exposure. It’s not the same level of basketball that it was even 5-10 years ago.
Wheeler went to OSU and played on TV every night while going to the NCAA tourney as a starter. What about his move wasn’t successful?
Are you sure he started every game? If so, I stand corrected. So it's a wash as far as going to the NCAA tourney because PSUU did the same. I doubt Cam Wynter would have portaled to PSU if Wheeler stayed.
I don't recall the A-10 getting 4-5 bids but I can remember a consistent 3 bids when Xavier was in the league. The attraction for Mahaffey to UD would be closeness to home, definitely break into a key role (either starts or is sixth man), fantastic fan support, and very solid academic school.
He started 31 of their 32 games...he didn't play at all in the other game, so assuming injury or illness in that one.
And Wheeler's season at OSU was in 2022 (though who knows, maybe Pickett doesn't come if we returned both Sessoms and Wheeler).
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Here is the A10 over the past 15 years...
2008 - 3
2009 - 3
2010 - 3
2011 - 3
2012 - 4
2013 - 5 (added Butler and VCU)
2014 - 6 (added George Mason, dropped Xavier, Butler, Temple, Charlotte)
2015 - 3 (added Davidson)
2016 - 3
2017 - 3
2018 - 3
2019 - 2 (one was "bid stealer" Saint Louis)
2021 - 2
2022 - 2 (one was "bid stealer" Richmond)
2023 - 1
UD Students get seating for the basketball games based upon how active a student is in supporting other UD sports. When a student goes to a UD football game, for example, they use their student ID to get in and that registers points that they use to get better seating for the BB games. Students, my son included, would go to other sports games just to check in and get the points so that they could attend BB games. Go to a football game for 10 minutes to build up points to sit near the court at their BB games.
Wouldn't it be great if BB got the same level of student interest as PSU?
UD has around 23K versus double that at PSU. Granted that Dayton has a larger population than State College and UD basketball gets great local support in addition to student suport, but a winning program could eventually make PSU BB tickets dear to PSU students as well.
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A high school I used to work for had a similar policy. Kids wanted to all sit in the front row of student section at the football and basketball games so they implemented that system. We didnt have scanners but had to stamp/initial a kids card when they came to the other event.
I think I remember reading that UD brought on a new assistant coach who played ball with Mahaffey' dad.
Update on Njie. Not a big surprise.
www.yahoo.com
Crystal ball prediction sees key Penn State basketball transfer leaving
New crystal ball prediction for Penn State basketball transfer Kebba Njie trending for this ACC school
Another UNC player enters the portal. Having landed Johnson, would we push to get another UNC transfer? https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ot...p&cvid=6331922f9a66429eb76a63aed06d531a&ei=26
I'd guess he would not come here but stranger things have happened. think they are trying to get one more big, but he would be another athletic wing to add to the mix.
