UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State guard Josh Reaves was selected to the 2019 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament roster today and will compete as many as three games this week, highlighting his skills for professional scouts from every NBA team as well as several international leagues.
A two-time member of the Big Ten All-Defensive Team and 2019 Defensive Player of the Year, Reaves became the only Big Ten player to lead the league in steals in three consecutive seasons. He ended his career second on Penn State's all-time steals chart with 250 and ranks seventh on the Big Ten career list.
Reaves is the fourth Nittany Lion in the last decade and third in the coach Patrick Chambers era to earn an invitation to Portsmouth. D.J. Newbill competed in the tournament in 2015, and Tim Frazier, now with the Milwaukee Bucks, was on the 2014 roster. Talor Battle was a part of the NBA's pre-draft process in 2011.
One of Penn State's most versatile players, Reaves, from Fairfax, Virginia, scored 1,079 points, collected 540 rebounds and had 310 assists to go along with his 250 total steals as a Nittany Lion. He scored a career-best 26 points and collected 11 rebounds vs. Illinois in his final home game in March 2019.
The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament was established in 1953 and annually features 64 of the top senior college basketball players in a 12-game tournament over a four-day span. Reaves will compete for the Norfolk Sports Club team with his first game set for Wednesday, April 17. Reaves and his squad will face Roger Brown's Restaurant & Sports Bar at 9:00 p.m. ET in the second game of a doubleheader.
Teams continue to play in a bracket format for a chance to play in the championship game at 7:00 p.m. ET Saturday, April 20. All games will be played at the Churchland High School Sports Complex. The Norfolk Sports Club roster includes Nebraska's James Palmer Jr.
Over the years the P.I.T. has been a showcase for five of the 50 greatest players in NBA History (Rick Barry, Earl `The Pearl" Monroe, Dave Cowens, John Stockton, Scottie Pippen) and for many others who have gone on to NBA stardom, including 2015 NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler.
For more information, visit the Portsmouth Invitational website.
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.