COLLEGE HOOPS: Rhoades, Pioneer Pole Buildings enter NIL agreement

Oct. 18—REEDSVILLE — Mike Rhoades has never forgotten where he's from.

From his playing days at Lebanon Valley to coaching stops at Randolph-Macon, VCU, Rice and back to VCU, the Mahanoy City native has talked highly of Schuylkill County at every step on his college basketball journey.

That's even more prevalent now that he's the men's basketball coach at Penn State.

Rhoades returned to his roots Wednesday afternoon for a meet-and-greet event at Pioneer Pole Buildings, Route 183, Wayne Township. After spending a portion of his day in Mahanoy City with his mother, Mary Edith, Rhoades spoke for an hour with the sales representatives and managers of PPB before meeting fans and signing autographs from 4-7 p.m. in the company's main warehouse.

The appearance was part of a Name, Image and Likeness agreement that Pioneer Pole Buildings has entered into to support the Penn State men's basketball team.

"Everybody knows what my family and I think of Schuylkill County," Rhoades said. "This is where I was made, this is home. I've been fortunate to have been a bunch of different places because of being a college basketball coach. There's no better place than Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, and Schuylkill County to me.

"The people here are special. They have my back. I love telling people where I'm from, love telling the stories of Schuylkill County. I love hearing how people are doing in Schuylkill County, because it's a special place to me. It's been a special place to my family and I take great pride in it.

"People that know me, they learn very quickly where I'm from. I love and I'm very proud of where I'm from."

From the outset of Wednesday's event, Rhoades shook hands, signed autographs and shared stories with basketball fans young and old. Representatives of Pioneer's eight divisions — Alpine Building Supply, Ark Rentals, F&L Doors, Penn Star Stone and Concrete, Ondeck Concrete and Pioneer's buildings, commercial buildings and metal roofing sections — had displays and gave out plastic basketballs, plastic cups, brochures, popcorn and other promotional items.

Kevin DiCello, vice president at Pioneer Pole Buildings, said the NIL deal came together after Pioneer president Bob Greene was approached by the Penn State football program about participating in some NIL deals. DiCello said PPB felt instead of generating money for the football program, why not help Schuylkill County native Mike Rhoades and the men's basketball program.

DiCello, a Pottsville grad who played college basketball at Franklin & Marshall and had numerous battles on the court with Rhoades and his Lebanon Valley squad in the early 1990s, said Wednesday's event was a "trial run" of sorts to gauge interest. Another event in the spring that may include a band, food trucks and other items is in the planning stages.

Wednesday's event was capped by a raffle drawing for two four-packs of tickets to Penn State's game Dec. 2 against Bucknell at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Greene said PPB is still learning how it can help Penn State through the NIL program.

"What we're looking to do is just define what we can do to help Penn State basketball," Greene said. "In doing that, figuring out the rules and how to go about it, we're just committed to helping Mike and the Penn State basketball program in the future through the NIL."

Rhoades was hired as Penn State's coach in April and spent the next couple months assembling a roster through the transfer portal. He said his Nittany Lions went through their 14th practice Tuesday, had a scrimmage last week against Villanova and will travel to Robert Morris University for a scrimmage Oct. 27. The Nittany Lions' season opener is Monday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. against Delaware State at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Penn State's game Dec. 2 against Bucknell has been designated as "Schuylkill County Day" by the Penn State promotions team. Rhoades said events like Wednesday's are only the beginning of getting Schuylkill County basketball fans to become regular parts of his program.

"The Schuylkill County Day is not to celebrate me, it's to celebrate Schuylkill County and to get everybody there. I wanted that from Day 1," Rhoades said. "I want people in Schuylkill County to be a part of this ride that we're on at Penn State with Penn State basketball. We all cheer on Penn State. There's so many Penn State fans and alums all over the Commonwealth, especially Schuylkill County.

"(Pioneer) wanted to support our program and it worked out. To me, it's about giving back. My dad taught me this a long time ago ... you pay it forward. People are going to support you, cheer you on and help you, you make sure you pay it back. We'll always do that in Schuylkill County. It's always going to start here first."

Contact the writer: Lboyer@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6026; @pubsportsboss on Twitter