UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State men's basketball coach Patrick Chambers announced Wednesday the addition of four student-athletes to the Nittany Lions' class of 2020. Caleb Dorsey, D.J. Gordon, Dallion Johnson and Valdir Manuel have signed their national letters of intent to enroll at Penn State and play for the Nittany Lions. Penn State's dynamic recruiting class earned a top-40 national ranking from Rivals.
"We're excited about this class for so many reasons – we've got a group of young men joining our Penn State family with their individual talents and skills who will be part of a something bigger than themselves," said Nittany Lion basketball coach Patrick Chambers. "The outstanding efforts of our staff brought this class together and our program will benefit from the versatility and balance coming in."
A 6-7, 200-lb. forward, Caleb Dorsey of The Hill School helped lead the Rams to the 2018 Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISAA) state championship and 19-7 record as a sophomore. From Westminster, Md., the three-star prospect was the only returning starter as a junior and guided the program to 16 wins. Dorsey put together a string of double-doubles including a 10-point, 13-rebound effort in the 2019 (PAISAA) quarterfinal win over Shipley.
During the spring of 2019, Dorsey's Team Durant squad won nine games at NIKE EYBL and he had his top point total, 23 points, and nine rebounds in 26 minutes. For the 13-game tournament, he averaged 8.5 points and 4.5 rebounds. At the 2019 Peach Jam, Dorsey had three double-digit scoring games, including a single-game best 21 points.
"Caleb is a skilled forward who has a high basketball I.Q. and plays hard at all times," said Chambers. "He can shoot 3-pointers, get inside and he has the talent to score and stretch the floor."
The No. 2 player in Pennsylvania, D.J. Gordon, a 6-5, 175-lb. guard from Pittsburgh, Pa., comes to Penn State with a No. 148 ranking in the class of 2020. A three-star prospect as ranked by 247sports.com, Gordon averaged 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals per game as a junior.
In his first national tournament with First Love Christian Academy, the ARS Rescue Rooter National Hoopfest, Gordon had 22 points and eight rebounds. He received Newcomer of the Year honors following his first season with the Knights. As a sophomore, Gordon was an All-City League selection with a 22.0 points per game scoring average.
Gordon recorded seven double-figure scoring games, averaged 10.7 points per game and shot over 50 percent from the field as a member of AAU Team Final last spring in the NIKE EYBL games. At the 2019 Peach Jam showcase, he averaged 10.2 points per game and went 5-5 from the field with three 3-pointers for his best game of the event with 15 points.
"DJ is a high-level player whose versatility makes him someone I expect to do a little of everything for us," Chambers said. "His athleticism and speed make him an excellent defender, which allows him to get out in transition and attack the rim – and that is where he is at his best."
Dallion Johnson, rated as a three-star prospect and the number-one prospect in Massachusetts by 247sports.com, is a 6-3, 175-lb. guard who averaged 20.2 points per game as a junior. The area scoring average leader with an area-best 85 3-point field goals, Johnson played at Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., for Terrell Ivory, brother of Penn State standout Titus Ivory.
Captain of the Big Blue team for three years, Johnson reached the 1,000-point mark as a junior in only 55 career games and was named the boys basketball Player of the Year by the Eagle-Tribune. A three-time Eagle-Tribune All-Star, he was only the 10th freshman to earn All-Star accolades in the nearly 50 years the honors have been presented.
Johnson also earned All-New England Preparatory Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class A honors as a junior and sophomore after receiving honorable mention honors following his first year. He averaged 17.3 points per game and was second in the area with 73 3-pointers as a sophomore after a freshman year that saw him score 12.1 points per game average with 49 3-pointers.
Part of the AAU MASS Rivals team that advanced to the Elite 8 at the summer championships in 2018, Johnson was ranked as the seventh-best prospect in New England.
"Dallion is an elite shooter and has exceptional court vision and leadership qualities," Chambers remarked. "He is used to competing at a highest level and has the ability to make everyone around him better."
A junior college second-team All-American, the 6-8, 210-lb. forward Valdir Manuel comes to Penn State from Harcum College where he was just one of four freshmen to earn All-America honors. Recognized by Street & Smith's as a JUCO "super soph" for 2019-20, Manuel was just the second player in history to average a double-double with 14.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game as a freshman.
Named the best big man in New Jersey in high school, Manuel paired a 1,000-point career total as a junior with 600 career rebounds as The Patrick School won the New Jersey Tournament of Champions in 2017. Manuel, a three-star prospect, averaged a double-double as a senior with 20 points and 13 rebounds per game. He averaged 12 points and 12 rebounds as a sophomore in his first year playing for the Celtics.
Manuel's parents both played professional basketball overseas and three of his uncles played basketball for the Angolan national team. In addition to basketball, Manuel also played varsity soccer. Prior to attending Harcum, he played one year with AAU New Jersey Playaz Club averaging 9.9 points and 7.4 rebounds with four double-doubles.
"Valdir is going to thrive in the Big Ten with his talent and physical abilities," Chambers commented. "He creates a mismatch no matter who is guarding him and has the skillset to play both inside and on the perimeter."
Penn State's third appearance in the Gavitt Tipoff Games is set for Thursday, Nov. 14, at Georgetown. First tip is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game will broadcast live on FS1.
Keep up to date with the latest information from Coach Chambers and the Nittany Lions on Twitter by following @Coach_Chambers and @PennStateMBB, on Facebook and Instagram at @PennStateMBB.
