PSU Basketball signee Valdir Manuel released from his LOI

[Lion8286]

Center Valdir Manuel, a junior college transfer from Harcum College, has not and will not enroll with the three other members of Penn State's Class of 2020, a program source confirmed Wednesday.

A specific reason for the decision was not given, only describing the situation as a mutual decision to part ways.

https://bwi.rivals.com/news/juco-transfer-valdir-manuel-no-longer-set-for-penn-state-enrollment

 

[psuguy43]

Center Valdir Manuel, a junior college transfer from Harcum College, has not and will not enroll with the three other members of Penn State's Class of 2020, a program source confirmed Wednesday.

A specific reason for the decision was not given, only describing the situation as a mutual decision to part ways.

https://bwi.rivals.com/news/juco-transfer-valdir-manuel-no-longer-set-for-penn-state-enrollment

He has had quite the rocky recruitment. This one stings, there's no way around that, but let's just hope that Abdou miraculously shows up on campus next summer session or in the fall semester.

 

[Chris92]

Once an applicant gets accepted at PSU they show in the student directory; Manuel has never shown in the directory.

 

[PSU Mike]

Bad news for PSU hoops? I guess we were due ....

 

[Wakemeupb4ugogo]

This is a gut punch so late in the calendar, he really profiled as someone who could step in and play significant minutes immediately. PSU is really crying out for a big that can shoot as well... hopefully Pat can work his recruiting magic to salvage the situation but there arent that many shooting bigs out there who are still uncommitted from what I can see.

 

[manatree]

Once an applicant gets accepted at PSU they show in the student directory; Manuel has never shown in the directory.

I doubt that any university would add a student to their directory just because they were accepted. Once enrolled is more likely.

 

[Cletus11]

only hope now is some really late immediately eligible transfer. Going into the season with Harrar and Buttrick as you only true 4/5 players (Lundy is really a 3) is a recipe for disaster. Could get ugly.

 

[bison13]

Is the 7 footer seye still in play?

 

[brymichig]

Is the 7 footer seye still in play?

No, he Seye reclassified to 2021

 

[bdgan]

only hope now is some really late immediately eligible transfer. Going into the season with Harrar and Buttrick as you only true 4/5 players (Lundy is really a 3) is a recipe for disaster. Could get ugly.

PSU lost Watkins (10 pts, 8 reb) & Stevens (18 pts, 7 reb) with not much to replace them. Harrar can only play so many minutes and he's not much of an offensive threat. I agree this could be ugly.

 

[bison13]

Any chance at the 7 footer transfer from ok st? Yor anei, averaged around 8 and 5.

 

[Cletus11]

PSU lost Watkins (10 pts, 8 reb) & Stevens (18 pts, 7 reb) with not much to replace them. Harrar can only play so many minutes and he's not much of an offensive threat. I agree this could be ugly.

I actually think Harrar is going to surprise some people this year as he really improved last year and at the end of the year was looking for his offensive game a little. He is a legit Big Ten center. problem is he can only play 28-30 minutes per game so who comes in to replace him? And Buttrick is guy that should be that 4th or 5th guy in the rotation off the bench in the 4/5 position if the starter and back-up get into early foul trouble is the only time he plays. Now he is going to have to play 25-30 minutes a game as a the main back-up at the 4 and the 5. And Lundy is going to have to play 100% at the 4 position which he is just undersized for and that stifles his game.

Pat has to pull some rabbit out of hat and find a legit back-up that can play at least 20 minutes of Big Ten basketball and back up the 4/5 position if PSU wants any chance to even be able to compete this year.

 

[LongJakk]

Harrar is obviously the starting center and Buttrick can back him up last year when Mike was suspended. At the 4 I'd look for freshman caleb Dorsey and Lundy with buttrick and kelly (who added 25 lbs of muscle) to back them up. There is clearly no issue with the 3 guard positions with Wheeler, Myreon, Brock, Lundy and freshmen Gordon and Johnson.

 

[Wakemeupb4ugogo]

I actually think Harrar is going to surprise some people this year as he really improved last year and at the end of the year was looking for his offensive game a little. He is a legit Big Ten center. problem is he can only play 28-30 minutes per game so who comes in to replace him? And Buttrick is guy that should be that 4th or 5th guy in the rotation off the bench in the 4/5 position if the starter and back-up get into early foul trouble is the only time he plays. Now he is going to have to play 25-30 minutes a game as a the main back-up at the 4 and the 5. And Lundy is going to have to play 100% at the 4 position which he is just undersized for and that stifles his game.

Pat has to pull some rabbit out of hat and find a legit back-up that can play at least 20 minutes of Big Ten basketball and back up the 4/5 position if PSU wants any chance to even be able to compete this year.

I wanna be optimistic about Harrar too because like you said, he showed big strides last year and obviously brings a lot of energy and toughness, but I also feel like unless his shooting and his hands show a stratospheric improvement, him being on the floor for 25-30 minutes would really magnify one of PSUs biggest problems on offense last year, which was properly spacing the floor. Whoever Pat ends up finding, hopefully it is someone who can match that energy on defense while bringing a different offensive dimension than Harrar does.

 

[UncleLar]

Once an applicant gets accepted at PSU they show in the student directory; Manuel has never shown in the directory.

No they don't. They show up when they enroll.

 

[bison13]

Harrar is obviously the starting center and Buttrick can back him up last year when Mike was suspended. At the 4 I'd look for freshman caleb Dorsey and Lundy with buttrick and kelly (who added 25 lbs of muscle) to back them up. There is clearly no issue with the 3 guard positions with Wheeler, Myreon, Brock, Lundy and freshmen Gordon and Johnson.

The team will have to go 4 out or some version of that this year. Maybe more zone on d. Can Kelly actually give minutes?

 

[Chris92]

No they don't. They show up when they enroll.

Remember Lavert Hill showing in the directory? Daughter was accepted at PSU and immediately checked, there she was with even a PSU email. She ultimately decided to accept, but she was in there Senior year of HS, long before enrolling in the fall.

 

[Cletus11]

I wanna be optimistic about Harrar too because like you said, he showed big strides last year and obviously brings a lot of energy and toughness, but I also feel like unless his shooting and his hands show a stratospheric improvement, him being on the floor for 25-30 minutes would really magnify one of PSUs biggest problems on offense last year, which was properly spacing the floor. Whoever Pat ends up finding, hopefully it is someone who can match that energy on defense while bringing a different offensive dimension than Harrar does.

i don't see that at all, not like Watkins had any offensive game. Harrar is a smart basketball player and the exact opposite of what you said in that he knows where to be on the floor because of it. At the end of the year you started to see him actually put up some shots with his back to the basket and they didn't look bad. he didn't shoot last year because he was smart enough to know that Stevens and Myron Jones and Dread, etc..were the scorers and his job was defense and rebound and set screens. I think you see him be more aggressive on the offensive end this year as a senior. Problem is that Harrar is at his best when he gives maximum effort in short burst, that rotation with him and MIke each coming in for 3-5 minutes spurts going all out really ended up working well. No center is going be at their best when they know they have no back-up and cannot afford to leave the game due to foul issues or being tired.

 

[LongJakk]

The team will have to go 4 out or some version of that this year. Maybe more zone on d. Can Kelly actually give minutes?

we've been running 4 out pretty much since Chambers arrived. Playing zone would exacerbate our rebounding weakness due to having a small lineup. As for Kelly, we have no idea if he'll be a contributor this season, but it would certainly be helpful.

 

[bison13]

we've been running 4 out pretty much since Chambers arrived. Playing zone would exacerbate our rebounding weakness due to having a small lineup. As for Kelly, we have no idea if he'll be a contributor this season, but it would certainly be helpful.

4 out with lamar on the left midpost and either center in? That's not 4 out. Zone will also keep our 5 closer to the basket vs pick and roll at top or wing