Penn State men’s basketball received some good news this past Tuesday.
Logan Imes, a 6-foot-4 combo guard out of Zionsville High School in Zionsville, Indiana, who averaged almost 18 points a game in his junior season, became coach Micah Shrewsberry’s second commit from the class of 2023. In doing so, Imes turned down offers from Virginia Tech, Creighton and Wake Forest.
Following the announcement, Nittany Sports Now talked with Imes’s high school coach, J.R. Howell.
“Logan’s a smart basketball player,” Howell said. “Really good decision-maker, sees the floor really well and he’s able to create a lot of easy buckets for his teammates and able to come off ball screens, be able to read those actions very well. He’s a selfless player, wants the whole team to do well and he brings a lot of energy on the defensive side of the ball and plays with a nice energy on the offensive side as well.”
Howell also spoke highly of Imes as a person.
“He’s a great kid,” Howell said. “Comes from a great family who’s very involved with athletics and has been around athletics. Logan’s a guy that people can gravitate towards because of just his genuine personality. He’s a fun kid, has a great personality and jokes around, but he knows when it’s time to get serious.”
In his first two seasons at Zionsville, Imes was, in Howell’s words, a “driving point guard.”
In year three, Imes became more of a shooter. With his height and experience running the point, Imes can play the one or the two in college.
Howell sees him as a point guard at the next level.
“He’s much more effective with the ball in his hands and being able to put the ball in the right spots and make those reads,” he said.
Howell isn’t used to coaching DI talent. The 34-year-old has been a head coach for just two seasons at Zionsville and six total.
Although he’ll still be coaching Imes for another year and will enjoy doing that while he can, he also looks forward to watching one of his players on national television playing in a major college basketball game.
“I’m a young coach, so I haven’t had that opportunity to coach players of his ability that much,” Howell said. “Being able to turn on the TV and see him, just his demeanor on the court and how he’s going to react and respond to some contact that the Big Ten allows, the athletes that he’ll play night in and night out. I’m just excited to kind of see him grow as a persona and as a player on the court. I think he’s up for the challenge. I know he’s up for the challenge.”
Howell also spoke highly of Penn State coach and Indiana native Micah Shrewsberry and feels the program is on the right path under his leadership.
“He’s a great person,” Howell said. “We’ve talked a lot about Logan, and he’s been great with communicating. I think he’s bringing some energy into that program that at least people around Indiana hadn’t seen a lot of just because we have some big programs in our state as well. So it’s nice to see. I think it’s a great fit, not only for coach Shrews but for Logan with coach Shrews. I’m excited to see what that will look like here in a couple years.”
Overall, Howell is excited about Imes’s future and feels that he’s a person who can make those around him better on the court and happier off it.
“He’s just kind of one of those people that, when you’re around him, you just have a good time,” Howell said. “You feel better about yourself and the situation you’re in.”
