Local star ready for Penn hoops

(See below for correction.)

In a year that saw the Penn men's basketball team lose six seniors, including three starters, to graduation, the Quakers are beginning to bring in talent to replace the Class of 2003. Local talent.

Saint Joseph's Preparatory School's Mark Zoeller has committed to attend Penn in the fall.

"I just fell in love with Penn," Zoeller said. "The coach was really nice. All the players were really nice. I just loved the campus. I felt like I really belonged."

"It's hard to say no to Penn," he added.

The Philadelphia Daily News Co-Player of the Year averaged 21.4 and 12 rebounds for the Catholic League champion-St. Joe's squad. Zoeller tied for the Daily News honor with Maurice Rice, who broke Wilt Chamberlain's Philadelphia scoring record this past year.

Under the direction of former La Salle coach Speedy Morris, the Hawklets finished 30-2 and ranked 23rd in the nation, according to USA Today. Zoeller was named MVP of each of six tournaments in which the school participated over the last two seasons.

"He's a competitor," Morris said. "That's the kind of guy [Penn coach] Fran [Dunphy] likes to recruit and play."

Zoeller stands at 6'5" and played center in high school. However, the incoming freshman realizes that he will need to adjust his game at the next level.

"I'll play more outside, shoot some threes," Zoeller said. "[I'll play] more of an inside-outside game."

His coach agrees that he can and will move his game to the perimeter.

"His handle is getting better," Morris said. "He can really play away from the basket. He can shoot threes -- he shot 20 this year and made 35 percent. He's solid out to the 18- to 20-foot range."

Despite these improvements and Penn's losses to graduation, it is still unlikely that Zoeller will be able to contribute as a freshman.

"As a freshman, I don't know if he's going to make an impact," Morris said. "But he will by the time he leaves."

Morris compared the current Catholic League star to a former Catholic League product who starred at Penn -- Paul Romanczuk. Penn's 1999 graduate of -- and '95 graduate of Archbishop Carroll -- scored 1,179 career points in an Ivy League career that saw him win two titles.

Zoeller was also recruited by Colgate, Boston University, Lafayette and Princeton. However, the Quakers' Feb. 11, 65-55, victory over Princeton might have given them more than just an early lead in the Ivy League.

"I took him to the Penn-Princeton game," Morris said. "That game might have been what put him over the top."

Correction

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