Penn State men’s basketball coach Mike Rhoades secured the second commitment of his 2025 recruiting class, as composite 3-star prospect Mason Blackwood announced his decision to play for the Nittany Lions. Blackwood, a 6-7 small forward from Rochester, N.Y., chose Penn State over Rutgers on his final list.
“I chose Penn State because of the genuine love the coaches showed at Penn State to me and my family,” Blackwood told On3’s Joe Tipton in an interview. “I loved the opportunity they presented to me, and the goals they had laid out for me and I felt like I resented with them extremely well and it was a great fit.”
Blackwood, who plays for the New Hampton School in New Hampshire, is a composite 3-star prospect, according to 247Sports, and a 4-star player according to ESPN. The recruiting site 247Sports ranks Blackwood as the No. 102 player in the 2025 recruiting class and the No. 24 small forward nationally. He is the 120th-ranked player in the country by On3.
Blackwood has received offers from Wake Forest, Washington, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Northwestern, among others. Blackwood also plays for the Albany City Rocks of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League.
“Throw Mason Blackwood on the floor in any role, he’s going to find a way to impact winning. Versatile, high energy wing with a low maintenance, highly valuable style of play. Been a strong spring” –@MaxFeldman6 pic.twitter.com/svg9uRD0K9
— CityRocksBasketball (@TheCityRocks) June 1, 2024
Blackwood is the second player to commit to Rhoades’ 2025 recruiting class, joining 3-star center Justin Houser of the Phelps School in Malvern, Pa. Houser committed to Penn State in June.
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