Updated at 12:15 p.m.
Donovon Jack officially joined the Nittany Lions on Thursday, Penn State announced.
‘We are fired up to have Donovon join the Penn State family,’ coach Pat Chambers said in a news release. ‘He’s a 6-9, extremely athletic player with a high basketball IQ.
‘Donovon is very skilled; he can shoot, handle the ball and really gets off the floor. He can do a lot of things for us in the front court.’
Earlier at 6:27 p.m. May 2
Donovon Jack, a 6-foot-9, 210-pound center/power forward from Berks Catholic High School, has verbally committed to Penn State, the Reading Eagle reported Wednesday night.
He is the third member of the Nittany Lions’ 2012 recruiting class.
Jack originally signed a letter of intent with Duquesne in the fall, but was granted his release last month after the school fired coach Ron Everhart.
Jack, a three-time all-state pick, finished his high school career with 1,725 points, 10th most in school history. He averaged 17 points per game, 10.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocks as a senior.
He transferred to Berks from Reading Central Catholic.
Jack is expected to sign with Penn State Thursday.
Earlier at 2:17 p.m.
Xavier Rathan Mayes, a talented 6-foot-3, 180-pound shooting guard from Huntington Prep in Scarborough, Ont., recently picked up a scholarship offer from Penn State coach Pat Chambers and his staff.
Even though Mayes currently touts a list of over 25 scholarship offers, the Canadian star still is open to any school. He is rated a four-star recruit in the 2013 class by Rivals.com.
‘As of right now, I am still wide open in the process,’ Mayes said. ‘I don’t have any favorites or anyone that is standing out right now. I don’t have visit to Penn State planned, but hope in the summer I will be able to get up there and visit.
‘I’m looking to be able to go in right away and make an impact on the program, and have a great coaching staff that is going to push me to be better and ultimately help get me to the next level.’
Brandon Austin, a shooting forward from Imhotep Charter in Philadelphia, and guard Geno Thorpe from Shaler High School in Pittsburgh, already have committed to the Nittany Lions for 2013.
Meanwhile, a possible 2012 Penn State recruit, small forward Sheldon Jeter from Beaver Falls, is set to announce his college choice Thursday at 8 p.m.
Jeter is expected to choose between Wisconsin, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and Penn State.
