Penn State Basketball: Season of Uncertainty

Fresh Off a Fairytale Season with a Forever Unwritten Final Chapter, Penn State Basketball Returns Today (we think) with a Radically Different Storyline and a New Cast of Characters

The clock struck midnight at 10:49 p.m. 

On March 7, 2020, Penn State dropped its third-straight game – this one an inexcusable 80-69 faceplant at Northwestern – but spirits remained high. Sporting a 21-10 record, including road wins at Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue, the Nittany Lions and head coach Pat Chambers entered the Big Ten Tournament with an NCAA at-large bid in the bag.

Then, well…you know. 

Fast forward 266 days, and a whole heckuva lot has changed at Penn State…so let us catch you up to speed on what you might have missed as we embark (maybe) on a “season” where the clock will probably strike midnight at 1:13 a.m., this time. 

THE CLIMB GOT CANCELED 

On October 21st 2020, perpetual climber and Penn State head coach Pat Chambers abruptly resigned after nine seasons, leaving Happy Valley two games under .500 (148-150) and without an NCAA Tournament appearance – which is kind of cruel to point out, but technically true.  

Chambers abrupt resignation occurred after an internal investigation unearthed a new allegation of “inappropriate conduct” by the longtime coach. The particulars of that conduct remain a mystery – although it’s apparently MORE than the inappropriate remarks allegedly said to former guard Rasir Bolton.

That lack of transparency fueled plenty of awkward-for-some, juicy-for-us moments during Penn State’s virtual media day, as several players spoke up and voiced their frustration/confusion over Chambers’ “resignation.” Off the cuff, Jamari Wheeler told reporters: “I know there’s a bunch of things about him being racist. I’ve been here four years – a black athlete that plays for him and is all the way from Florida…not one time was Coach (Chambers) racist or anything like that – so it’s just confusing and a misunderstanding.”

WHO IS JIM FERRY?

Enter interim head coach Jim Ferry. The basketball lifer does take over this unexpected position with plenty of head coaching experience to lean on. So he’s got that going for him. After guiding LIU-Brooklyn to back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths in 2012 and 2013, Ferry took the Duquesne job where he coached for five mostly forgettable seasons. 

While on Penn State’s staff as an assistant, Ferry was put in charge of the Nittany Lions’ offense – so don’t expect any radical philosophical shifts this season. Penn State still wants to push tempo and put up easy points in transition. The Lions averaged 75.1 points per game last season – 3rd best in the Big Ten.  

Those inside the program believe that average PPG number needs to get closer to 80 for Penn State to sniff last year’s success. Because of that, expect more full-court and 3/4-court pressure off made baskets in hopes Penn State’s uber-athletic wings and guards can force turnovers and limit half-court sets where opponents can feast on the Lions’ thin and mostly-green frontcourt. 

When the pace does slow on offense, look for Penn State to feature more “5 OUT” sets, meaning no player posts near the basket. This wrinkle creates more floor space and less-congested lanes to attack for points at the rim, or drive and kicks to 3-point shooters – namely Myles Dread and Myron Jones.

LIFE AFTER LAMAR

Sounds counterintuitive, but those on the inside think (or perhaps hope) the loss of Lamar Stevens, the second-highest scorer in Penn State history, might not be that much of a loss, at all. That’s no disrespect to Stevens as a player. In fact, it might be the ultimate compliment. 

Blessed with an ability to score in a variety of ways, especially late in the shot clock, Stevens was the ultimate “bail out” when things crumbled offensively.

With that security blanket now playing for a paycheck in Cleveland, Penn State coaches hope the ball won’t get “stuck” in half court sets and that a better flow and rhythm will manifest. Plus, since Penn State won’t have to rely on Stevens playing close to 40 minutes every night, the Nittany Lions can up the pace, up transition opportunities and create more chaos and havoc without gassing their best player(s) before the end of December.

SESSOMS ELIGIBLE

Finally, some good news!

Three weeks ago, the NCAA granted Penn State guard and Philadelphia native, Sam Sessoms, an immediate eligibility waiver after the 6-foot scorer transferred to Happy Valley from Binghamton over the summer. 

Unbelievably, despite playing just two seasons, Sessoms leaves Binghamton as the program’s second-leading Division I scorer after averaging a smidge under 20 points per game last season. He also topped the team in assists and steals and leaves with a handful of single-game school records.

Sessoms addition adds depth to an already loaded backcourt. He enters this season as the ultimate Wild Card. 

IS THIS REALLY GONNA HAPPEN?

Honestly, who knows?

One week in, and we’ve already seen a slew of positive tests and canceled/postponed games – like Penn State’s Wednesday opener vs. Drexel. 

I’ve heard that most schools have a list of last-minute Plan B opponents they can schedule in short notice should teams opt out or have an outbreak. Life is going to be hell for Directors of Basketball Operations and Video Coordinators. Prayers up to all of you. If you haven’t already, go make a Costco run and stock up on Visine and Red Bull.

I’m not sure what event/incident would make the NCAA pull the plug on the season – and frankly, it’s a tad cryptic to even guess. Remember, unlike college football, there is a centralized decision-maker in college basketball.

Penn State is in an interesting spot as a program because if the university does decide to remove Perry’s interim tag, and the players love him like they loved Chambers, the Nittany Lions could mitigate a disastrous recruiting class by retaining seniors Wheeler and John Harrar – since this year won’t be their last year of eligibility.