How Penn State Basketball’s latest additions Andrew Funk, Cam Wynter fit
By Evan Smith
What will Penn State Basketball’s front court look like?
While the backcourt is likely in a decent position, the front court still has a MAJOR hole. The current roster is: Caleb Dorsey, Myles Dread, Demetrius Lilley, Seth Lundy, Evan Maheffey, Kebba Njie, Jevonnie Scott
Dread, despite being recruited as a guard, has played a lot of small and power forward due to roster make-up.
Next year isn’t looking any different.
Lundy is a no doubt starter at small forward, likely forcing Dread to play a small ball power forward. While Njie is the highest recruit of the 2022-2023 recruiting class, it’s very difficult for bigs to make an impact right away as first year players. Given his lack of size (6’8″ but just 205 pouds), both he, Lilley and Mafeffey will likely be eased into playing time.
That leaves returning players Caleb Dorsey and Jevonnie Scott. Dorsey never cracked into the rotation a year ago under Shrewsberry, despite the extreme frontcourt issues this team had when John Harrar sat. That doesn’t bode well for him starting next year. And even if he did, that would mean, *checks notes*, Myles Dread is the starting center? Woof
The last starting spot then falls to the junior college transfer Jevonnie Scott. At 6’7″ and 252 pounds, he is the Nittany Lions biggest option to start. The concern? He averaged just 1.4 points in 6.3 minutes per game a year ago, even with the known frontcout issues.
He only played in 11 games due to transfer eligiblity and then potentially injury issues, it was never really established.
It’s safe to say the Nittany Lions will not be content with Scott starting next year. It’s been known they are all-in on Northwestern center Ryan Young, who would be an immediate starter for us. However, the roster is currently full. So, will someone else enter the portal? Only time will tell.