UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Junior forward Lamar Stevens earned Most Valuable Player honors to highlight the 40th Annual Nittany Lion Basketball Banquet, sponsored by the Penn State Hoops Club, Friday evening at the Nittany Lion Inn. Nine Nittany Lions were honored with individual awards during the event while the program's two seniors, guard Josh Reaves and forward Deivis Zemgulis were presented with framed jerseys.
Reaves, the 2019 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, will have his name on the Scrappiest Award for the second-straight year while Zemgulis, a two-time Academic Award honoree, received the 2018-19 Coaches Award.
"Voice of the Nittany Lions" Steve Jones was the emcee for the event which also saw the presentation of several awards to those who have made significant contributions to the Penn State men's basketball program.
A full rundown of student-athlete awards follows:
Academic Achievement Award – Rasir Bolton
This award is presented annually to the Penn State basketball player whose hard work and dedication in the classroom demonstrates a commitment to reach his full potential. Freshman Rasir Bolton possesses a 3.31 cumulative grade point average as a Nittany Lion. He was named Penn State's Student-Athlete of the Week Dec. 12, 2018 after averaging 22 points over two games, including a career-best 27 points vs. Colgate. Bolton, who intends to pursue a bachelor of science degree in hospitality management, is a member of the Student-Athlete Academic Honor Roll.
Lou Lamie Most Inspirational Award – Mike Watkins
The Lou Lamie Most Inspirational Award is presented to redshirt junior Mike Watkins as he persevered in his return to the court after an injury ended his 2017-18 season and he courageously brought attention to mental health issues.
Watkins was a willing contributor in multiple roles during the course of the season. As both a starter and offensive and defensive spark off the bench, Watkins led Penn State in at least two statistical categories 10 times and was the team's top rebounder in 14 games this season.
Watkins' career rebounding total of 725 put him in Penn State's top 10 as one of only 13 with more than 700 boards, while moving to second all-time with 26 career double-doubles. He also ranks second at Penn State with 199 career blocked shots and 13th nationally among all active NCAA Division I players in that category.
Most Improved Player Award – Jamari Wheeler
This award is presented annually to the Penn State basketball player who through his commitment, dedication and hard work has improved the most during the past season. Sophomore guard Jamari Wheeler worked tirelessly during the offseason and preseason to further develop his skillset and prepare for the 2018-19 campaign. As the team's floor general, Wheeler accounted for 134 field goals and possessed a season assist-to-turnover ratio of 2-to-1. He was an integral force on defense as well, as Nittany Lion opponents averaged 13.5 turnovers per game, including 105 in February alone as Penn State posted its most wins in that month since 1997-98.
Scrappiest Award Winner – Josh Reaves
This award is presented annually to the Penn State basketball player or players who committed every day to working hard and sacrificing for the betterment of the team. Senior guard Josh Reaves, who earned Co-Scrappiest Award following the 2017-18 season, was named the 2019 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and earned All-Defensive Team honors from the conference for the second-straight year. Reaves, from Fairfax, Virginia, became the first-ever Big Ten Conference basketball player to lead the league in steals in three consecutive seasons and finished his Penn State career with 250 steals, second all-time, and seventh on the conference career chart. In addition to his 250 steals, Reaves amassed 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists, one of only two Nittany Lions in program history to showcase such versatility.
John Lawther Most Valuable Player Award – Lamar Stevens
This award is named after one of the NCAA's all-time most winning coaches, John Lawther, who guided the Nittany Lions to the 1942 NCAA tournament, and is presented annually to Penn State's most outstanding player.
From North Wales, Pennsylvania, Stevens led the Nittany Lions in scoring and rebounding in 2018-19 and became the fastest Nittany Lion to score 1,500 career points. One of only three players in the Big Ten ranked in the top 10 in both scoring and rebounding, he led the conference and was 25th in the nation in minutes played average at 36.9. Stevens, who has started all 104 games in his career, is one of only six players in program history with 1,500 career points and 600 rebounds. He now ranks fifth on Penn State's all-time scoring list with 1,660 points.
Stevens tallied 18 games with 20 or more points in 2018-19 and finished the season with 637 points, good for seventh on Penn State's single-season list. With that total, he is one of only three Nittany Lions to record back-to-back seasons with at least 600 points.
Dave Phillips Unsung Hero Award – The "Juice Squad – John Harrar, Kyle McCloskey and Jamari Wheeler
Named for Dave Phillips, a longtime fan and avid supporter, this award is presented for 2018-19 to three Nittany Lions, sophomores John Harrar and Jamari Wheeler and freshman Kyle McCloskey. They served as role models, leading and motivating their teammates in all activities and displaying an exceptional attitude, the foundation of Penn State men's basketball's pillars of excellence.
Coaches Award – Deivis Zemgulis
This award is presented annually to the student-athlete who best exemplifies the characteristics of a Penn State basketball player. An unselfish individual who sacrificed his own personal accolades for the betterment of the team, Zemgulis approached coach Patrick Chambers and relinquished his spot in the senior day starting lineup as the Nittany Lions needed the conference victory. Zemgulis exemplifies the role of the servant leader as a prepared and versatile teammate and mentor for underclassmen. He was honored twice in his career as the winner of the team's academic achievement award.
Coach Patrick Chambers made opening remarks and the event concluded with video highlights of the 2018-19 season.
To receive information or to make a 2019-20 Penn State men's basketball season ticket deposit, fans should visit http://gopsusports.com/climbwithus or call 1-800-NITTANY, weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Keep up to date with the latest information from Coach Patrick Chambers and the Nittany Lions on Twitter by following @Coach_Chambers and @PennStateMBB, liking the team's page on Facebook and following the team Instagram account at @PennStateMBB.
