A Big Day for Penn State Men's Basketball

Penn State coach Micah Shrewsberry signed the program's highest-ranked recruiting class before getting his first win.

Penn State men's basketball coach Micah Shrewsberry signed the program's highest-ranked recruiting class and got his first win Wednesday, a promising start to the 2021-22 season.

Penn State defeated Youngstown State 75-59 before an announced crowd of 7,884 at the Bryce Jordan Center, which entertained fans for the first time since early 2020. Though Shrewsberry brought in several transfer players during the offseason, his returning veterans filled the box score.

Seth Lundy, the team's top returning scorer, paced Penn State with 23 points, his fifth career game with 20+. John Harrar recorded his seventh career double-double (16 points, 14 rebounds), and Sam Sessoms scored 14 of his 17 points in the second half.

Before the game, Shrewsberry signed the nation's 16th-ranked 2022 recruiting class, according to ESPN, one that includes Penn State's first ESPN Top 100 recruit since Tony Carr.

"Yeah, it was a long day.," Shrewsberry said after the game.  "I knew the 8:30 p.m. start was going to be a challenge. I probably should be better, I couldn’t sleep so I was up for a while. I did sneak down in my basement and play some Galaga to try and break some high scores down there until I could fall asleep, but then I was up early and I couldn’t nap after shoot-around.

"I was just anxious to start. A lot of that was nervousness, but a lot of it was like, I knew this would be a challenge. I’ve watchedYoungstown State play, I’ve lost games to Youngstown State. When we went to the Final Four at Butler, they beat us during that run, so I know how good they were."

Penn State's Myles Dread (2) and Seth Lundy celebrate during the team's 75-59 victory over Youngstown State at the Bryce Jordan Center. (Rich Barnes/USA Today Sports)

Here's a look at the five players who signed their National Letters of Intent on Wednesday as part of Penn State's 2022 recruiting class. Biographies courtesy Penn State Athletics:

Jameel Brown

• 6-4 Guard
• Philadelphia, Pa. | Haverford School/Westtown
• 247Sports Top 100 recruit (No. 90), No. 5 overall commitment in the history of Penn State basketball according to the 247Sports Composite Ranking.
• Rivals Top 150 Commitment (No. 148).
• ESPN 4-star prospect who ranks as the No. 23 shooting guard in the country.
• Helped lead Team Final to 2021 Nike EYBL Peach Jam Championship.
• Named first-team All-State after his junior season at Haverford School.
• Guided Haverford School to 28-0 record, Inter-AC and Paisa Championship during freshman season.
• Averaged 21.7 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists per game in high school. 

Kanye Clary

• 6-0 Guard
• Virginia Beach, Va. | Massanutten Military Academy
•  ESPN 4-star recruit who ranks as the No. 38 point guard in the country.
•  Three-star prospect according to Rivals and 247Sports.
•  Ranked as the No. 18 commitment in the history of Penn State basketball per 247Sports Composite.
• Four-year captain and three-time team MVP in high school career at Princess Ann High School and Massanutten Military Academy.
• Two-time first-team All-District and first-team All-Region 5A.
• Averaged 21.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.3 steals per game during his junior season.

Demetrius Lilley

• 6-10 Forward
• Philadelphia, Pa. | Lower Merion
• Consensus three-star recruit who is the No. 7 ranked prospect in the state of Pennsylvania per the 247Sports Composite.
•  Ranked as the No. 31 center in the class per Rivals, and the No. 40 center prospect in the country per the 247Sports Composite.
• Averaged 22.2 points and 12.2 rebounds per game during junior season to become the first player at Lower Merion High School to average more than 20 points and 10 rebounds per game since Kobe Bryant did so in 1996.
•  Scored 31 points to lead Lower Merion to PIAA District 1 6A championship.
•  Named first-team All-Central League, first-team All-Main Line and 6A PIAA second team after stellar junior campaign.

Evan Mahaffey

• 6-7 Wing
•  Cincinnati, Ohio | Archbishop Moeller
•  A consensus three-star prospect according to 247Sports Composite Ranking. Is considered the No. 3 prospect in the state of Ohio per 247Sports.
• No. 35 ranked small forward in the country per Rivals and No. 40 ranked small forward in the country per 247Sports.
• Ranked as the No. 13 overall commitment in the history of Penn State basketball per 247Sports Composite Ranking.
• Helped lead Archbishop Moeller team to 46-6 combined record over last two seasons as well as a GCL Championship. Crusaders were 26-1 and ranked as the No. 1 team in the state of Ohio when 2020 season was cut short due to COVID-19 pandemic.
•  Named league’s Defensive Player of the Year, first-team All-GCL, first-team All-District and first-team All-City.

Kebba Njie

• 6-9 Forward Centerville, Ohio | La Lumiere (Ind.)
• ESPN Top 100 recruit (No. 79). First ESPN Top 100 commitment for Penn State since Tony Carr in 2016.
• No. 2 highest-ranked commitment in the history of Penn State basketball (247Sports Composite Ranking).
• A Consensus 4-star recruit, Top 150 recruit according to Rivals (No. 147), No. 15 power forward in the country according to Rivals.
• Led Centerville High School to district championship and regional runner-up status during sophomore season.

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