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Penn State Basketball: A B1G (Legacy) Hit and a B1G Miss in Recruiting

By Evan Smith

Mar 3, 2022; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Micah Shrewsberry directs his players during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 3, 2022; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Micah Shrewsberry directs his players during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /
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In just the span of 60 minutes, Penn State Basketball both missed and confirmed two huge recruiting targets for the 2023 recruiting class.

First, just after 6:00 pm, DeShawn Harris Smith (Fairfax, VA) confirmed what most prognosticators expected, choosing BIG rival Maryland.  He only visited Maryland and Happy Valley, where he was mainly recruited by assistant coach Mike Farrelly.  The composite 120th best player in the nation (according to 247 Sports) had shot up ranking boards as the 6’4″ small forward was consistently noted for his motor and ‘will to win’.  Harris was also considering Villanova, Xavier, and Indiana.

Then, just one hour later, Penn State fans got the news they were hoping for by way of a very familiar name.  Carey Booth, son of former Nittany Lion great Calvin Booth, choose Penn State over Texas, Vanderbilt, Ohio State, and Stanford.   Booth only took three visits, and since the other two (California and Marquette) didn’t make the final five, odds were very good Penn State would land the 76th best player in the nation (again according to 247 Sports).

The 6’9″ power forward from Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, will have to put on weight in college (listed at just 180 pounds).  He surpasses 2022 recruit Kebba Njie as the second highest ranked recruit in school history (both behind Tony Carr).  Without much success in the transfer portal getting bigs, Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry brings in his second straight top 115 big in back-to-back classes.  Penn State fans will salivate at the thought of a Njie-Booth frontcourt.  The next step, get these guys in the weight room and ready for battle under the basket in the Big Ten Conference.

Looking ahead — the final two Penn State Basketball targets announce their decisions in the next few days.  Reid Ducharme, the 6’4″ shooting guard from New Hampshire, announces tomorrow night, and Amani Hansberry, the 6’7″ power forward from Washington DC announces this weekend.  Ducharme currently has no crystal ball selections but only visited Penn State, Syracuse and Xavier.  Unfortunately, it seems all but a given Hansberry will select B1G rival Illinois.

Must Read. Take a look at the new Penn State Basketball home uniforms. light

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