Penn State PF Sasa Ciani enters NCAA transfer portal

Penn State power forward Sasa Ciani entered the NCAA transfer portal, On3 has learned. He played one season with the Nittany Lions.

Ciani was a three-star recruit in the On3 Transfer Portal Industry Ranking. He was ranked as the No. 77 power forward in the transfer class, as well as the No. 328 overall transfer this cycle.

In 28 games last season, Ciani averaged 2.1 points per game, 1.9 rebounds, 0.2 assists and shot 38.9% from the floor. He previously played for Xavier and Illinois-Chicago.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves. Check it out!

The NCAA Transfer Portal officially opened on April 7 and will close on April 21. The new 15-day window was enacted following a recommendation by the men’s basketball oversight committee. Athletes don’t have to commit to a new school by the April 21 deadline.

With Ciani out, Penn State at least landed a big man in the transfer portal. Miami (Ohio) transfer Brant Byers committed to the Nittany Lions earlier this month.

Byers started in all but one of his 34 appearances this past season. The 6-foot-8 standout averaged 14.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, while shooting 47.8% from the field and 39.2% from beyond the arc. For his efforts, he was named an All-MAC Second-Team selection.

As a redshirt freshman in the 2024-25 campaign, Byers averaged 8.4 points per outing while knocking down 41.4% of his 3-point attempts. In turn, he was named the MAC Freshman of the Year. Byers didn’t make any appearances as a true freshman in the 2023-24 season and ultimately redshirted.

Byers played high school basketball at Scotland Campus (PA), where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 290 overall player and No. 63 small forward in the 2023 recruiting cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.