Penn State’s future guards got some big company during the weekend.
Two days after scoring 22 points in his first game of the season, Peter Alexis, a 6-foot-11, 262-pound center from Holy Redeemer High School in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., committed to the Nittany Lions. He is Penn State’s second commitment in the Class of 2011, joining Columbus, Ohio point guard Trey Burke.
Alexis liked what nearby Penn State had to offer on and off the court.
“It just really impressed me how they cared about academics,” Alexis said. “Their basketball program is growing and Ed DeChellis is a great coach.”
Alexis averaged 19 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots per game and shot 68 percent from the floor as a sophomore for the Royals, who went 19-8 and were the District 2 Class AAA runners-up last season. He is a natural center who is working on expanding his range but gets the majority of the touches in his team’s Carolina-motion style offense.
“Right now, his strength is around the basket,” Redeemer coach Mark Belenski said. “He does a great job with offensive rebounding and putting back shots. He’s a very coachable kid, a very hard-working kid.”
Alexis received a grade of 91 from ESPN Scouts Inc. and is their No. 21 center in his class and the top-ranked junior center in the state. He said his only other offer was from James Madison but that he had been receiving recent interest from Yale, West Virginia and Texas A&M.
Alexis made an unofficial visit to campus during Penn State’s football game against Ohio State in early November. Recruited by Penn State lead assistant Kurt Kanaskie, who took in Friday’s win over Scranton along with DeChellis, Alexis liked the Nittany Lions style of play and thinks he can fit in nicely.
“I’m just impressed with how they run the floor very well,” Alexis said. “That’s always been a compliment I’ve gotten in my game.”
Penn State has three remaining scholarships in the Class of 2011. Blue-chip State College High guard Taran Buie accounts for the team’s lone scholarship in the Class of 2010.
Pa. center picks Penn State
