Sports Info:
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men’s basketball coaching staff has inked the best recruiting class in the program’s history with the signing of three elite high school student-athletes to NCAA National Letters of Intent. The trio is rated as the No. 28 class in the nation by 247 Sports, marking the first Top 30 group to head to Penn State.
Josh Reaves (Fairfax, Va./Oak Hill Academy), Mike Watkins (Philadelphia, Pa./The Phelps School) and Deividas Zemgulas (Kaunas, Lithuania/ St. Mary Ryken (Md.)) will join the Nittany Lions for the 2015-16 season.
“We are ecstatic about the direction of our program,” Patrick Chambers, Nittany Lion head coach, said. “The diversity of this class is something that really excites me. Our staff has worked so hard over the past three years, especially in the Philly and DC areas, to get our program to this level. Welcome Josh, Mike & Davis – We look forward to your arrival!”
Reaves and Watkins are both ranked among the Top 100 players in the country by ESPN with Reaves holding the No. 81 spot and Watkins coming in at No. 89.
Josh REAVES | 6-4 | 185 | G | Fairfax, Va.
- Ranked No. 81 in 2015 ESPN Top 100 recruits
- ESPN four-star recruit
- Earned First Team All-Met honors at Paul VI Catholic High
- Played three seasons at Paul VI, leading team to Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title as a junior
- Transferred to Oak Hill Academy (Va.) for senior season
- Played with AAU team “Team Takeover”
Chambers on Reaves: “Josh is a high-level player whose versatility on the floor makes him a guy who I expect to be a stat sheet stuffer for us. His athleticism and speed make him an excellent defender, which allows him to get out in transition and attack the rim – where he is at his best!
Mike WATKINS | 6-8 | 225 | F | Philadelphia, Pa.
- Ranked No. 89 in 2015 ESPN Top 100 recruits
- ESPN four-star recruit
- Played three seasons Math, Civics & Science Charter, leading team to PIAA Class A championship game with 17 points, 17 rebounds in final
- Transferred to Phelps School for senior season
- Played with AAU team “Team Philly,” making appearance in 2014 Pitt Jam Fest final … Same AAU program as PSU junior Brandon Taylor
- Sixth player from the Philadelphia-area brought in by Patrick Chambers in the last 3.5 years
Chambers on Watkins: “Mike is an elite athlete who will provide us another rim protector. He excels at running the floor in transition and is a phenomenal finisher. It’s great to have another Philly product in our program.”
Deividas “Davis” ZEMGULIS | 6-6 | 220 | F | Kaunas, Lithuania
- Played with Lithuanian U16 team at the European Championships in August 2013 before coming to the U.S. as exchange student
- ESPN three-star recruit
- Helped St. Mary Ryken (Leonardtown, Md.) to appearance in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference quarterfinals in 2014
- Scored more than 13 points per game in 29 contests at St. Mary Ryken
- Played with AAU club team “Threat 220”
Chambers on Zemgulis: “Davis brings us a bigger wing who is a premier three-point shooter with unlimited range. His competiveness and toughness are things our staff loves about him. His high basketball IQ will help us from day one.”
via Nittany Lions Add Three to Men’s Basketball Program – Penn State Official Athletic Site.