team was establishing itself as bullies of the Big East Conference . Thorpe ’ s favorite player was Carl Krauser , a point guard known for his fearless , physical playing style .
Thorpe — whose father , Geno Sr ., played at the collegiate level in the late 1970s — was a quick study on the court . He scored 17.5 points per game as a sophomore , propelling the Titans to a 22 and 2 record . His scoring prowess only improved from there : Thorpe averaged 21.5 ppg as a junior , and then led the WPIAL with 26.3 ppg as a senior . He was a two-time All-State selection .
“ My Shaler coaches did a lot for me — they helped me become the player I am now ,” Thorpe says . “ They put the ball in my hands and they trusted me to make decisions . So did my teammates . We were good that way and we were successful .”
According to Paul Holzshu , Shaler ’ s athletic director from 2003 through 2015 who also coached the boys ’ varsity basketball team from 2008 through 2013 , Thorpe ’ s playing style was very athletic , fast-paced , and opportunistic . “ During Geno ’ s senior year , he scored 45 points versus McKeesport . In my 40-plus years of coaching , it was one of the most dominant performances I ’ ve ever witnessed ,” says Holzshu . “ Geno ’ s time at Shaler gave him a chance to grow as a student , basketball player , and , most importantly , as a person .”
In addition to his exploits at Shaler , Thorpe impressed scouts and coaches while playing for the King James All-Stars , a prestigious travel team that plays against national competition in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League . Colleges quickly came calling . Thorpe had scholarship offers from Seton Hall , Kansas State , Rutgers and the University of Pittsburgh , among other schools , including his eventual choice : Penn State .
“ I really liked the campus and the education ,” he says . “ I had an uncle who went to Penn State , so that played a little part in it . It was close to home . After I visited , it was an easy decision to go there .”
Thorpe played sparingly as a freshman , but showed lots of promise as a sophomore . He played in all 34 games , and started 17 of them , while averaging 8.7 points per contest . He was the team ’ s best free-throw shooter and ranked second on the Nittany Lions in steals . Thorpe dropped a career-high 19 points on the Duquesne Dukes in December of 2014 .
Scoring outburst aside , Thorpe developed into a more well-rounded player at PSU . “ In high school , I wasn ’ t really a defender — I was a scorer ,” he explains . “ When I got to college , my head coach [ Pat Chambers ] told me I couldn ’ t get on the floor unless I played defense . He told me that I could be a good defender and if I went as hard as I can , I could be great .”
After his sophomore year , Thorpe looked for a different school team that might provide an opportunity for more playing time . He decided to transfer to the University of South Florida . Due to National Collegiate Athletic Association rules , Thorpe had to sit out a year before being eligible to play . He could practice with his new teammates on the Bulls , but game action would have to wait .
“ It was hard ,” he recalls . “ It was the first time I went without playing basketball — no referees , no nothing . My games were practice . It was weird because I never went a year without putting on a jersey and playing . I just had to get used to that at first .”
While Thorpe couldn ’ t play right away , he acclimated quickly to life in South Florida . He bonded with teammates during marathon “ Call of Duty ” video game sessions , and looked forward to “ movie grill nights ” featuring plenty of comedies and chicken wings . Thorpe stormed the court at the USF Sun Dome when the Bulls defeated the Memphis Tigers in February of 2016 — a high note during an otherwise challenging season ( USF finished with an 8 and 25 record ).
The 2016-2017 season has also been a trying one for South Florida : a 7-23 record and the head coach , Orlando Antigua ( a former Pitt player and assistant who helped recruit Thorpe to South Florida ), was fired . Thorpe has persevered , however . He ranks second on the Bulls with 15.1 points per game , while leading the club in assists ( 4.4 per game ) and steals ( 1.6 ).
With a strong senior campaign , Thorpe could get on the radar of National Basketball Association teams or position himself to play professionally overseas . He ’ s not getting ahead of himself , though .
“ I want to be a professional in this game , but I also want to get my degree ,” he says . “ Wherever this journey takes me , I ’ m OK with it .”
No matter where Thorpe ends up , his heart ’ s in Shaler .“ Go Titans ,” he says . “ Shaler basketball for life !” ■
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