New Penn State Hoops staff reoffers 2024 in-state big man Matt Gilhool
As a blossoming homegrown product from Elizabethtown, PA, uniquely skilled and versatile 6-foot-11 Class of 2024 forward Matt Gilhool has been on Penn State's radar for some time now.
Gilhool was offered by previous PSU coach Micah Shrewsbury, with analysts considering the local prospect a Penn State lean.
While there is still a long way to go in Gilhool's recruiting process, Penn State is the early front runner.
New Nittany Lions head coach Mike Rhoades has wasted no time registering his presence on the recruiting trail on both a local and national level.
While Rhoades has already scored several reputable transfers from his previous gig at Virginia Commonwealth, he's vowed to zone in on the rich Pennsylvania recruiting resources.
Rhoades has re-offered Gilhool, a four star recruit who recently transferred to talent-rich Long Island Lutheran (NY) of the prestigious NIBC conference.
As a left-handed scoring threat who piled up multiple double doubles at Westtown (PA) last season, Gilhool has an adeptness for manufacturing points in a variety of ways.
He's become a floor spreader with a knack for corner 3-pointers. He utilizes a nifty spin move through traffic, creating space for a short range jumper.
Gilhool is able to put the ball on the deck like a guard and spark the running game.
He also possesses rare high major athleticism at his size, soaring in for dunks and getting off the floor with relative ease.
Gilhool holds additional offers from Rutgers, Miami, Maryland, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Fairfield, Mississippi State, Marshall, Bryant, and others.
Rhoades, who played at Mahanoy Area as a 5-foot-10 point guard and in college at Lebanon Valley, will tap into his old stomping grounds in recruiting Gilhool.
Gilhool plays for the Philly Pride on the AAU circuit. He is a major pickup for LUHI, which will graduate two critical pieces in 6-foot-8 UConn-bound wing Jayden Ross and dazzling 5-foot-11 Class of 2023 point guard Jayden Reid.
Reid, who catapulted LUHI to the New York Federation title with a wowing 20 point and 14 assist performance is also being recruited by Penn State.
A gritty point guard who led the NIBC with six assists per game, Reid appears wide open in his recruitment. He is currently playing for the PSA Cardinals on the Nike EYBL circuit.
He picked up an offer from University of South Florida, now under newly minted head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, this weekend.
Gilhool has the potential to ascend the rankings at Long Island Lutheran.
While bigs tend to be late developers at the high school level and often have difficulty scoring between a defender and the rim, GIlhool has rare combination of dexterity and agility at his jumbo size.
His offensive uniqueness and ability to play in a fast-paced attack with his fluid mobility are bedrock tenets of his game.
And, they are appealing to the new staff as they get settled into Happy Valley.
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