University Park, Pa. -- Jamelle Cornley (Columbus, Ohio) smiles broadly when asked about his first month at Penn State. Like his fellow new Nittany Lions, the Ohio-native is impressed with both the friendliness of the University community and the amazing speed with which the Nittany Lion basketball team is bonding.
"It's been great," Cornley says. "Within days of getting here, we all started clicking. We're still in the process of getting everyone on the same page, but is happening fast and it's been so much fun."
He is echoing the sentiments of every Nittany Lion you talk to. Things, he is being told by the returning players, are different this year. From the wristbands bearing a single word - family - on them, to the ability of the guys to push each other to work harder without fear of confrontation, these Lions seem to have gelled already.
"This all takes time," Cornley suggests. "I mean, where a team already, but the little things that strengthen that bond take time. We're getting there and its happening fast."
For Cornley, this team concept isn't all about what happens on the floor. He points to challenges laid down on the pool table, to going to the movies and to just 'being around each other' as signs that this year's team is a group of friends as well as teammates.
"It didn't take long for us to figure out that we were going to get along," he laughs. "And it's surprising how much we're finding out about what we have in common. It's fun and it's really making it easy to adjust to this place."
Cornley seems to be the type that needs that bond, the bond of friendship. When asked about high school days, he notes that much of his spare time, away from the basketball court and the classroom, was spent on the AAU circuit, where he always - always - played up a level against older and more experienced players. But he points to a group of friends from his middle school and high school days that he would always gravitate to when he was home on the north side of Columbus.
"We would do whatever we could to stay active and to keep ourselves together," he recalls. "It wasn't always just basketball either. We did a little of everything, from bowling to movies, you name it. Those guys are my friends. What has been great for me is that this team is a team of friends, and that's important." With so many new players joining the team in the last two years, friendships and team bonding take time. The encouraging thing for Cornley is how quickly it seems to be happening.
For Jamelle, there is also the issue of expectation and comparison to deal with. Cornley is an imposing figure, even in practice gear. Listed at 6-6 and 235 pounds, Cornley is every bit an athlete. With a frame built to put on even more muscle but also agile and quick, he does, at first glance, remind the long-time Penn State fan of former Nittany Lion great Jarrett Stephens, whom Cornley has already been compared to. But a quick bit of research will show that while they carry themselves in a similar fashion, their playing styles are vastly different.
Stephens, who is Penn State's only consensus first team All-Big Ten pick, was one of the best 'natural' rebounders to ever play at Penn State. His game was two fold and often unstoppable. He was devastating on the fast break but it was when he operated within ten feet of the basket in a set offense that he was most dangerous. He was dominating there and on the boards.
Cornley, on the other hand, is just as comfortable on the wing as on the baseline and has an outside game that will surprise you. Time will tell where his talents will fit in to Penn State's scheme. One thing is sure. While you will see glimpses of Stephens in his game, in his ability to jump through the roof and in his dunking ability, you will also see an outside game that may earn him time on the wing and certainly make defenders worry about the three-point line.
When asked about the Stephens comparison and informed of Jarrett's stature in Penn State history, Cornley is honored. "It's definitely an honor, since he was such a loved player here," he says. He knows that the playing styles between the two are different, but doesn't shy from the comparison.
Given enough time, there may come a day when a future Nittany Lion freshman is honored when he is compared to Jamelle Cornley. Time will tell. But the foundation for any legacy starts somewhere. For Cornley, that place is Penn State and the time is now.