Hoops: Penn State adds Dread, Bolton to Class of 2018
On the first day of college hoops' early signing period, Penn State men's basketball head coach Patrick Chambers and the Nittany Lions welcomed two new pieces to the program.
Shooting guard Myles Dread and point guard Rasir Bolton, both Rivals.com three-star prospects, signed and faxed in their national letters of intent Wednesday morning.
"We are elated to welcome Myles and Rasir to the Penn State family," said Chambers via press release. "Our staff's primary focus was on recruiting individuals who align with our vision for the Penn State basketball program. In both Myles and Rasir we believe we have found two young men who have distinguished themselves with their academic and athletic accomplishments and we are thrilled about the future."
The first to verbally commit to Penn State's Class of 2018, Dread maintained his pledge dating back to June of 2016.
He is listed at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds, and explained his initial decision to attend Penn State as one in which the program itself not only wanted his abilities, but needed them to take it to the next level. Fitting into Chambers' system, he said, was an important piece and one he expects to help bring success to the program.
“I have confidence in my own game. I think that's probably one of the reasons why I was so happy about coming here. I didn't want to go to a school where, say we won a national championship or a league championship and I was just another one of those guys on that team 10 years ago,” said Dread at Penn State's Elite Camp in June. “At Penn State, they haven't really had that yet, so I wanted to be and wanted to go somewhere I could make a name for myself.
"My goal is to just come in and make as much noise as possible. With the guys that they've brought in and the guys that I'm trying to recruit coming into the future with me, I feel like we can develop enough power to make that move.”
While leading his Gonzaga College High School team to a Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title in 2016-17, Dread helped lead the way for the Eagles with his average of 10.4 points and 4.9 assists per game. For his efforts, he earned fourth-team Washington Post All-Met honors.
Bolton, meanwhile, was one of the pieces Dread hoped to see join the fold this past summer.
Playing for the same AAU Team Loaded squad that was home to Penn State junior guard Josh Reaves, Bolton contributed 11.6 points as the group earned a 2017 adidas Uprising championship in July.
Ranked No. 141 overall by Rivals.com in the Class of 2018, the 6-foot-2, 170 pounds Bolton is also an all-state and all-conference selection as he enters his senior year at Massanutten Military Academy in Richmond, Va.
"Rasir is an explosive point guard and an elite student who will bring energy and passion to the court and classroom," Chambers said. "His AAU program and hgh school have given Rasir the opportunity to compete on some of the biggest national stages. He plays with toughness, can shoot the ball, and has great floor vision that allows him to make plays off ball screens. We are excited that he and his family are officially Nittany Lions."
The feeling is mutual.
Making his decision on July 23, Bolton chose the Nittany Lions over offers from Pitt, Virginia Tech, VCU, and Ole Miss, among others.
"I felt Penn State was the best fit for me," said Bolton. "Academically they have tons of options for me to choose from, the coaching staff made me their No. 1 priority, and me and Coach Chambers have built a great relationship and have become really close. The opportunity to come in and play in a Power Five conference was always a dream of mine."
Penn State is expected to add another signature to its Class of 2018 in the form of Tolu Jacobs, a 7-footer originally from Nigeria, who verbally committed to the Nittany Lions Nov. 3.