Two Penn State Hoops targets standing out so far this season
After putting forth a commendable performance during the Prep National Showcase last month, Kayvaun Mulready has prolonged his offensive tear at Worcester Academy (MA).
Penn State was one of the earliest on the 6-foot-4, 210-pound guard at Worcester Academy. Mulready, who has a build similar to Chauncey Billups and former UConn point guard Khalid El Amin, has cemented his status as a three level scorer with a vertically explosive, ferocious above the rim game and defensive tenacity.
Playing alongside 6-foot-8 Duke-commit TJ Power at Worcester Academy, Mulready has commandeered the offense as a multi-positional threat. He's also set a loud tone defensively, ball hawking and instigating turnovers and converting them into extravagant transition finishes.
Showing augmented 3-point range in the first half and and ability to shred defenders on the drive in the second, Mulready scored 21 points, grabbed eight boards, dished out four assists and pick pocketed four steals during WA's 75-72 victory over Northfield Mount Hermon during the St. Andrews holiday classic on Dec. 18.
He was offered by UConn that night.
Connecticut is surging at 12-0. The Huskies went into a hostile environment at Butler on Friday and throttled the hosts, 68-46, behind a 27-point and 14-rebound performance from Adama Sanogo.
Playing like a first team All American and Player of the Year Candidate, Sanogo bulldozed Butler's frontline. He finished ambidextrously. He finished through contact. He even popped out and stuck a 3-pointer that sparked a game altering 12-0 run during pthe second half.
With the way they've been playing and given UConn's close proximity and ties to the area (assistant coach and lead recruiter Tom Moore is from Worcester originally), it will be hard to tame the Huskies.
Still, the opportunity for an instant impact at Penn State, especially with senior Jalen Pickett (16.2 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 7.6 APG), fifth year senior Andrew Funk (11.4 PPG), and fifth year senior Cam Winter (10.0 PPG) soon to be moving on, can't be understated.
Mulready has offers from Penn State, UConn, Marquette, Maryland, Xavier, Providence, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Nebraska, Washington, and a barrage of others.
Mulready is also an enticing option because he would be able to play alongside Dwayne Pierce, a 6-foot-6 Class of 2024 wing at Christ The King HS (NY) who PSU has been prioritizing.
A confrontational one-on-one defender with multi-positional attributes on both ends of the floor, Pierce recently visited PSU and spent time with head coach Micah Shrewsbury's family. He cited Penn State as the program angling for leader in his recruitment, and the intrigue appears to be mutual. Pierce is slated for upcoming visits with Memphis and Iowa State.
Memphis has their own advantages and upper hand on competitors with their NIL package and partnership with FedEx. And while Penny Hardaway and staff recently garnered a commitment from a recruit similar to Pierce in 6-foot-5 Calvary Christian guard/wing Carl Cherenfant, he's a 2023 while Pierce is 2024.
Pierce also plays for the NY Rens on the AAU circuit, the program at which first year Memphis assistant coach Andy Borman was previously the director. Memphis previously received a commitment from Rens product and Our Savior Lutheran (NY) point guard Ty-Laur Johnson.
The Rens connection could be meaningless and have minimal impact on Pierce's decision. With today's landscape, one that seems controlled by NIL, sneaker companies and AAU, however, you really never know.
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