Ryan Zuckerman gives Pennsbury basketball big boost after committing to Pitt for baseball

Ryan Zuckerman already had a scholarship to play baseball at Division I Pittsburgh when he decided to go out for basketball as a senior at Pennsbury.

Not having played organized hoops since he was a freshman, Zuckerman stepped right into the Falcons' lineup as the starting center and has been a solid performer.

"I was really close with a bunch of the kids on the team and played with them when I was younger," said Zuckerman, noting senior Ty Kocak is one of his best friends. "I'd be at games last year missing the environment."

With Thursday's 46-22 victory over Council Rock North, Zuckerman and Pennsbury improved to 4-3 (3-2 in the Suburban One League National Conference).

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"We feel incredibly fortunate that he had the desire to play and shows a wealth of selflessness to commit to four hours a night for three to four months when you’re a highly regarded recruit and hopefully a future professional baseball player," said Falcons boys basketball coach Wes Emme.

The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Zuckerman is averaging 6 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocked shots and 2 steals per game for Pennsbury. He had 9 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks in the CR North win, prompting Emme to say "he was excellent in every facet of the game."

"It's been really exciting to watch Ryan and other players in that type of atmosphere on the basketball court, football field, etc.," said Falcons baseball coach Joe Pesci. "... I love to see them excel and make an impact outside of our season."

Zuckerman had told Kocak, Pennsbury's only returning senior starter, that he was interested in playing over the summer, which featured plenty of games in Florida, Alabama and other Southern sites with the Georgia-based Klutch Baseball. He participated in numerous June basketball workouts, played some fall hoops and was encouraged by how things went.

"Going into the season, I thought I'd start and play a large chunk of minutes," he said.

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Zuckerman said the biggest adjustment to playing basketball again was the conditioning.

"I play a sport where we don't run too often," said Zuckerman of baseball. "All we do (in basketball) is run, run, run. Once I got that under control, it kind of just flowed. All of the guys were real encouraging, plus Coach Emme and all the coaches and players were so welcoming."

Emme can't say enough good things about Zuckerman.

"He is extraordinarily coachable and has bought into our program and the mentality as much as anyone," Emme said. "He’s an explosive athlete who provides rim protection and cleanup on the backboard and finishes around the rim, (which are things) that you cannot coach. He makes at least one 'wow' moment every game.

"He is as competitive as anyone and leads with his voice and by modeling for our two younger big guys. He makes difficult plays seem simple and the irony, playing as our 5-man, is he’s far and away our best passer."

During his junior baseball season at Pennsbury, Zuckerman batted .421 with 17 of his 32 hits going for extra bases — highlighted by eight home runs — plus 30 RBIs and 28 runs scored to garner first-team All-SOL National honors. All of the time he's spent hitting baseballs in the outdoor batting cage at his family's Yardley home seems to be paying off.

In the latest 2023 rankings, Zuckerman is No. 10 in Pennsylvania (No. 1 among third basemen) by Prep Baseball Report, which said he "finds the barrel with both power and contact for 100 mph exit velocities, (while) also running a 6.68 60-yard dash in that frame."

"Ryan is a phenomenal athlete, excellent student and a great teammate," Pesci said. "I believe he could be one of the best to walk the halls at Pennsbury. His combination of size, speed and strength is hard to find in a high school kid. He is the type of athlete that could pick up and excel in any sport he tried."

Zuckerman plays shortstop for the Falcons, though he projects as a corner infielder or outfielder at the next level. "If you can play shortstop, you can play anywhere," he said.

Zuckerman said he chose Pitt, which competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference, for reasons beyond just baseball.

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"Honestly, I think the biggest thing for me is how much the coaches cared for the players," said Zuckerman, who plans to major in business. "Eventually, baseball will stop. They put an emphasis on the classroom, getting jobs and being able to live your best life."

Prior to his senior baseball season and college, Zuckerman is looking forward to experiencing a good chunk of his first basketball season in three years — just as Emme is looking forward to seeing what more Zuckerman can do on the court.

"He carries himself with a quiet confidence but exudes team and would never look for preferential treatment," Emme said. "Having him around and his approach has made our program stronger."

Tom Moore: tmoore@couriertimes; @TomMoorePhilly

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Ryan Zuckerman boosts Pennsbury basketball after committing to Pitt for baseball