Penn State basketball extends new round of spring offers
Through the course of a 27-year college coaching career, Mike Rhoades saw up close the identity of the Big Ten basketball programs. Upon taking the reins at Penn State last season, though, that perspective evolved.
Guiding the Nittany Lions to a 16-17 season, with a 10-12 mark against conference opponents, Rhoades acknowledged how a year of game-by-game competition reshaped his perspective on roster management.
“Your plan of attack always has to change. The way you go about building a roster, your program, through those experiences,” he said. “Our experiences this year going against Big Ten teams in live action, without a doubt, makes you change how you look at things in recruiting, in the style of play, with how you’re going to prepare for games. So, all that is on the table.”
In an offseason already featuring roster turnover in the transfers of four players, the graduations of three others, and the dismissal of Kanye Clary, Penn State has put those lessons into action. First, the Nittany Lions have welcomed a four-man Class of 2024 that is set to arrive this summer. And, with the addition of four incoming transfers, that point has been driven home further.
Now, with the summer evaluation period in full swing, Penn State has continued its process of targeting new prospects to bring into the program. After last weekend’s evaluation period, four new offers have been extended to Class of 2025 and Class of 2026 recruits.
Here is a look at the players who have received an offer this past week:
Class of 2025
Mason Blackwood
SF / 6-7 / 210
New Hampton School
Rochester, NY
Mason Blackwood has an On3 Industry ranking at No. 135 overall in the Class of 2025. He’s rated as a three-star and considered the No. 30-ranked small forward in the class.
Penn State is one of Blackwood’s first high-major offers. Rutgers followed the Wednesday offer with a Thursday offer of its own. The Nittany Lions join Marquette, Boston College, Northwestern, West Virginia, George Mason, George Washington, Buffalo, Siena, Bryant, and Albany, who have also offered.
Spencer Ahrens
PF / 6-9 / 210
Sunrise Christian
Mississauga, ON
Spencer Ahrens holds the No. 111 ranking overall in the Class of 2025 according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He is rated as a three-star, with On3’s in-house rankings coming in the highest at No. 54 with four-star designation.
Before Penn State’s offer, Ahrens described to On3’s Jamie Shaw what he’s looking for in a school.
“I don’t care about the location of the school, I’m really looking at the best fit. I want to play for a team and a style that will fit me best. And play for a coach that fits my style. I want to have a good relationship with the coach and trust. A coach that knows what it takes to get me to the next level and someone that I mesh well with.
“I am most comfortable in a quick-paced offense. A lot of catch-and-shoots and pick-and-pops where they want their fours to space the floor. Not necessarily a lot of set offenses, but a lot of motion and reads.
Tommy Ahneman
PF / 6-10
Sheyenne
West Fargo, ND
Tommy Ahneman is very under the radar at this point in his recruitment. But, coming off a Gatorade Player of the Year designation for the 2023-24 season in North Dakota, that is changing.
At Sheyenne, he averaged 20.3 points and 13.3 rebounds per game, adding 2.2 blocks to his tally.
“Tommy was a fierce opponent on the court this season—an elite scorer on offense and intimidating on defense,” said Nate Altoff, West Fargo assistant, of the Gatorade POY. “He made an immediate impact every time he entered a game, often drawing double teams on offense and then guarding the other team’s best post player. He was a big part of his team’s state championship run and he’s a great example of where hard work, dedication and a great attitude will get you.”
Ahneman has offers from Montana, Old Dominion, University of Northern Iowa, and North Dakota State, among others.
Class of 2026
Yohance Connor
SG / 6-2
1 of 1 Academy
Charlotte, NC
Yohance Connor is rated as an On3 Industry ranking three-star. He carries the designation as the No. 91-ranked prospect nationally in the Class of 2026. He boasts offers from VCU, Illinois, Wake Forest, Auburn, Virginia Tech, and Arizona State, among others.
From this past season, Phenom Hoops Report with an eyes-on scout:
“Connor had everyone looking his way, as he put on a show with his presence on both ends of the court. Whether it was his high-flying finishes and throwdowns/ elite athleticism, his ability to create and make plays in transition, and his energy/motor on the defensive end, Connor offers a lot of intangibles that college coaches would love to have.”
Talk about it with our premium members in the Lions Den, here!
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