Penn State Basketball intrigued by UMKC transfer guard Shemarri Allen

Allen, who once played at Believe Prep (TN) alongside current Los Angeles Clippers guard Jason Preston and Texas A&M guard Dexter Dennis, averaged a career-best 17 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals.

The North Carolina native was named to the Summit League All-Defensive Team and wound up as a Second Team All-Summit selection.

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In submitting ten games of 20+ points, including a 34-point eruption during a 69-66 overtime loss to Denver, Allen rapidly emerged as one of the nation's top mid major scoring threats.

He manufactures points at all three levels and was effective at gaining trips to the free throw line. He had four games in which he shot 10 free throws or more.

Since entering the portal on May 2, a number of high profile programs have reached out to the once unknown recruit, who spent a JUCO year at Cowley Community College in Kansas.

Penn State is among those programs which have immediately contacted Allen, joining a list that includes Florida, Western Kentucky, UTEP, Mississippi State, UCF, NC State, Richmond and a bevy of others.

Allen crafted his image as an on-ball defender and traditional point guard during his time at prep school and his junior season at UMKC.

Then, he exploded.

Matchups against formidable foes appear to have extra juice for the long 6-foot-4 guard.

Allen scored 21 points to go with eight rebounds and three steals during a thorough 86-48 washout loss to then-no.23 Illinois.

Against a Kansas State team that dealt UMKC a 69-53 loss, Allen finished with 21 points (6-for-13 FG, 8-10 FT) to go with eight rebounds and four assists. Allen scored 19 points, doled out four assists, and grabbed six boards during an early season 74-63 loss to LSU in Baton Rouge.

While Allen has had a topsy-turvy journey, lightly recruited out of high school and making stops at the prep and junior college level, he brings a lot that is prioritized in the current transfer market with proven veteran experience.

During Allen's stay at Believe Prep, one of the wildest American underdog stories in NCAA history began to take root.

The aforementioned Preston, who averaged 2PPG during his senior season at Boone HS in Orlando, Fla., went from playing on the third team at Believe to the first team, blossoming as a dazzling playmaker.

He earned a scholarship to Ohio University, a rare opportunity made possible when he reached out to the coaching staff in an e-mail with his game film attached.

Preston lost his mother while in high school and his aunt became his legal guardian. He went to live with a family friend and was originally looking to attend UCF as a regular student.

That is, until prep coach Brad Traina, recruiting for Believe Prep at the time, discovered Preston at an AAU tournament.

Traina, also from Orlando and known for his career at UCF, saw potential in him and sold Preston on the positive draws of post-graduate year to develop his body and gain exposure.

The rest is history.

Preston went on to become one of the most prolific passers in NCAA history during his time at Ohio. He was the 33rd overall pick in the NBA Draft by his hometown Orlando Magic two years ago, before being traded to the Clippers on draft night.

Preston has been featured in a new commercial with AT&T, which reflects on the shambles-to-sugar story which made him the poster boy for the underrated.

While Allen's journey not be a national story like Preston's, he is another classic case of a once-unsung guard who thrived at the mid major level.