Lions land huge hoops commit

Recruiting success for the Penn State men's basketball program continues to roll.

Friday afternoon, Patrick Chambers and the Nittany Lion coaching staff welcomed the addition of their fourth verbal commitment for the Class of 2016 in Lamar Stevens. The Philadelphia (Pa.) Roman Catholic forward is rated by Rivals.com as a four-star prospect, and the No. 81-ranked recruit nationally in the Class of 2016.

"Next year I'll be at Penn State University," said Stevens, fighting tears, at his announcement ceremony at Roman Catholic.

In his final decision, Stevens selected the Nittany Lions over serious consideration for Indiana, as well as offers that included Marquette, Maryland, Pitt, SMU, Temple and Villanova, among others.

According to Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Eric Bossi, the Nittany Lions' ability to land Stevens is big for a multitude of reasons.

"Lamar Stevens is another big time get for Penn State out of Philadelphia," said Bossi. "He's a physical, aggressive and tough basketball player who doesn't take plays off. He rebounds well, he is very good around the rim, excels in transition and has worked hard to become a threat from the perimeter.

"I think he's a combo forward type who can play as a big three man or as a slightly undersized but tough four man. I think in many ways he has a lot of similar strengths and weaknesses as a player Big Ten fans know well in Indiana's Troy Williams."

Telling Rivals.com earlier this summer that his jump shot from midrange and three-point land has been his focal point this offseason, Stevens hopes to be able to showcase it during the upcoming high school season. What isn't in development, though, is Stevens' motor. Proving himself as an incredibly tough player who won't back down against some of the nation's biggest and best competition, Stevens has developed a solid reputation for himself.

"I'm just focused on being the best defender, the best rebounder, the best finisher at the rim that I can be, and just being an active player and for my teammates being a leader," Stevens told Rivals, describing the best assets of his game. "So that's definitely part of my game and one of the main points in my game, just being relentless, taking on anybody and any task."

Stevens' commitment to the Nittany Lions comes just one week after taking an official visit to Happy Valley.

Having also been on Penn State's campus many times prior to last weekend's visit, the decision was one that came just a couple of months following another big commitment for the Nittany Lions in the form of Roman Catholic teammate and point guard, Rivals.com No. 48-ranked Tony Carr. According to Bossi, the combination of the Lions' class that now includes Stevens, Carr, and fellow Roman Catholic teammate Nazeer Bostick, plus three-star forward Joe Hampton, puts Penn State in a great position moving forward.

"Adding Stevens to what was already a very good class is a big deal," said Bossi. "Tony Carr has the tools to be a Big Ten star someday, Bostick is tough and wiling to do the dirty work and Stevens is versatile. Joe Hampton has tools on the offensive end and just needs to get his mojo going again."

Penn State has one more scholarship to fill for the Class of 2016.