Penn's Nick Spinoso led the Quakers in assists in each of the last two seasons, something unusual for a 6-foot-9 player. (Photo: Penn Athletics/Michael Nance)
By AARON BRACY
October 31, 2024
PENN 2024-25 Big5Hoops.com Preview Package
Player Spotlight: Nick Spinoso
Class: Senior
Position: Forward/Center
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 245 pounds
Hometown: Port Washington, New York
2023-24 stats: 29 games/29 starts, 10.8 ppg, 7.9 rpg, .510 FG (133-261), .118 3PT (2-17), .473 FT (44-93)
Outside of basketball: Communication major…Eyes professional basketball career after graduation. … In addition to basketball, played baseball growing up as a left-handed pitcher. … Currently watching Game of Thrones and reading The Obstacle is the Way. … Brother John currently at Canterbury School and would like to follow in Nick’s footsteps to play Division I. … Models parts of his game after Nikola Jokic and Domantas Sabonis. … Enjoys pregame naps.
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Player Spotlight Story
At 6-foot-9, 245 pounds, Nick Spinoso is an unlikely player to lead a team in assists. But that’s exactly what Spinoso has done the last two seasons at Penn.
As a junior in 2023-24, Spinoso dished 107 assists from his position down low. That came a season after setting teammates up 93 times as a sophomore.
“I would say just a mindset,” Spinoso told Big5Hoops.com of his passing ability. “Growing up, I was on a lot of teams where there were a lot of better players and I was like, ‘Oh, I need to get them the ball.’ Just a mindset of involving everybody. Even before the catch it’s like, ‘Who’s open?’”
Now, though, the Port Washington, New York native is being asked to be less of a passer and more of a scorer by coach Steve Donahue as the Quakers look to rebound from a disappointing 3-11 record in the Ivy League last season. It’s a role he certainly is capable of doing after averaging 10.8 points, as well as 7.9 rebounds, in 2023-24.
“First and foremost, my role is to be a leader,” Spinoso said. “I never try and get hung up with those numbers. It’s great I led the team (in assists) those two years, but, frankly, we haven’t won anything. So it doesn’t matter too much to me.
“Coach wants me to do less and score more. If that’s what he thinks will help us win, I’m all for it.”
A New Beginning
Much like his coach, Spinoso is optimistic about the Quakers’ chances this season in spite of uncharacteristically being picked seventh of eight teams in the Ivy League preseason poll.
Last season, everything unraveled before and during the season.
First, Jordan Dingle announced his transfer to St. John’s after a standout junior season in 2022-23 in which he averaged 23.4 points and was named Ivy Player of the Year. Then, Max Martz announced his retirement from the team due to medical redshirt after being Penn’s third-leading scorer (10.8 points per game) in 2022-23. Dingle and Martz combined for 34.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per contest, which is a lot of production to replace. Still, Penn had solid pieces to be a good Ivy team, only to see leading scorer and senior Clark Slajchert go down in late December with an ankle injury that sidelined him for seven games, including the first six in the Ivy. The tough luck continued after the season when Tyler Perkins announced his transfer to Villanova after a terrific rookie season in which he averaged 13.7 points and 5.3 rebounds.
However, an influx of three talented transfers, including point guard Dylan Williams, who is the primary reason Spinoso is being asked to be less of a passer and more of a scorer, has Spinoso and the Quakers excited for what they can accomplish in 2024-25—in spite of what outsiders might think.
“We had a great meeting at the beginning of the year, just the guys, and we talked about what it means to be a Penn basketball player and the history and tradition,” Spinoso said. “And we value that every day. This year, undoubtedly, we have the talent. I think what separates everyone in the Ivy is who has the most cohesive unit and who plays the hardest. And I think this is the group that plays the hardest. Obviously, there’s a luck aspect, everyone staying healthy and all that, but I think this is a team that can do that.”
A Snapshot Look at the Transfers
In response to all of the losses, Donahue and the Quakers staff attacked the transfer portal and added three players who are expected to be starters in 5-foot-11 point guard Dylan Williams, 6-5 guard/forward Michael Zanoni, and 6-5 guard/forward Ethan Roberts. They will be joined in the starting five by returnees Sam Brown, a 6-3 sophomore guard, and forward/center Nick Spinoso.
Williams gives Penn a traditional point guard the Quakers have lacked in recent years. He led Triton junior college in Illinois to the NJCAA national title game. Roberts is a versatile player who was named the Patriot League’s Rookie of the Year while at Army in 2022-23 after averaging 12.7 points and 4.4 rebounds and shot 40.7 percent (59 of 145) from the arc. He transferred from West Point to Drake but redshirted last season due to injury. Zanoni also missed most of last season due to injury at Mercer, where he averaged 6.2 points in 19.8 minutes as a rookie in 2022-23.
Here’s Spinoso’s snapshot look at each of his new teammates:
–Roberts: “Someone who does it all. Been a great leader. Trying to get our program back to a winning way. Elite scorer. Elite defender. Leadership qualities is what really separates him.”
–Williams: “True point guard. Something we haven’t really, really had. We’ve had some great guards. Controlling the pace, controlling the game. And having no agenda and just getting guys in the right spot. I’ve seen value in it in our past two scrimmages.”
–Zanoni: “He can shoot the ball. Great shooter. Great on defense. Plays hard.”
A New Role
With Brown, Roberts, and Zanoni firing from the outside, Spinoso should have more openings inside to get buckets.
“It spaces out everything,” he said. “They all can handle the ball, too. So, I get can them in ball screens. It’s great because they can do both.”
Spinoso spent this offseason getting stronger, strengthening his ball-handling, and continuing to add to his shooting range from the basket.
Donahue is glad to have Spinoso in the fold, saying he’s someone “we can rely on.”
“I think he’s the best low-post player in the league right now,” Donahue said. “One thing our league is not big on this year is size. I think he can score at the rim, he’s really good at pick-and-roll situations. Not having him constantly be our playmaker, I’d rather him be the finisher. It’s worked out that way in the preseason. Nick’s shooting a high percentage at the rim. If he can extend it to three sometimes, maybe one a game, that would be helpful as well.”
Spinoso is looking forward to his new role and another year in Donahue’s system.
“I love what Coach Donahue does offensively and defensively, and I think it’s something that I fit perfectly in a play style,” he said. “It’s a good fit.”
And look out for the Quakers.
“This season Penn will surprise people,” Spinoso said.
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Aaron Bracy has been covering Philadelphia sports since 1996. His byline regularly appears on Associated Press stories. Follow Bracy on X: @Aaron_Bracy and like his Facebook and Instagram pages. His book on the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s men’s basketball team is expected to be published on March 1, 2025. Read a summary and preorder it by clicking HERE. Contact him at aaron@big5hoops.com.