Penn State Hoops Picks Up Verbal Commitment

FOS sources have confirmed that the Nittany Lion basketball team has picked up its first verbal commitment for the 2008 recruiting class.

Billy Oliver from Chatham High School in Chatham, NJ, verballed to Penn State this week after visiting during the Notre Dame football game. At 6'8" and 205 pounds, Oliver can play both the small forward and power forward positions.

He averaged 13 points, eight rebounds and four blocks per game as a junior, also shooting 39% from the three-point line. He was named the player of the year in Morris County after leading his team to a 31-2 record and state title. Oliver's boxscore in the final showed 25 points, seven rebounds and a whopping 10 blocks.

He chose Penn State over Michigan, Providence, Georgetown, Richmond and Ivy schools. Oliver is fully qualified and plans to major in business or music.

Penn State has two more scholarships available for the 2008-09 season.