Coming off a Sweet 16 appearance and one of the best seasons in Penn State men's basketball history, it would be a nice time for coach Jerry Dunn to sit back and relish a great season.

But with the spring recruiting period kicking off this weekend and AAU tournaments up and down the eastern seaboard, Dunn will have no time to relax. This might be the most crucial summer for the Penn State coaching staff, since Top 25 junior Gerry McNamara and other top players have started to show interest in the Nittany Lions program.

Although McNamara probably won't be on the spring tour this weekend, he will definitely be visible throughout the summer. And so will Dunn and his staff.

"We'll be covering all the major events," Dunn said, who still hasn't worked out all the intricacies of a new contract. "Having a national stage and doing well, getting to the Sweet 16, opens a lot of kids' eyes who might not have looked at Penn State before."

With five major high school tournaments this weekend, including those in Hampton, Va., Philadelphia and Providence, R.I., the Penn State staff will start the recruiting process for another spring and summer on the road.

Dunn said the Lions are targeting the point guard position this summer. 6-foot-0 Brandon Watkins will be a junior, Sharif Chambliss will enter his second season as a Lion and Ken Krimmel will become a senior. Dunn said at his final news conference of the season that Penn State will aim at landing a point guard this season.

"Some of the kids we've been recruiting in Pennsylvania might even give us a stronger look," he said. "We're looking for a key position. I think we have a leg up on things."

Dunn said that the rumors surrounding him being a candidate for other jobs, including the South Carolinas position, shouldn't be taken to heart. Dunn added he has no control over who throws his name around, and added that he is content with working with Penn State Athletic Director Tim Curley on working out his contract.

The coach, who is more than expected to be retained as coach of the Lions, said not having a deal yet probably won't affect how recruits will act toward Penn State. He said most of the student-athletes being recruited by Penn State like him and know he will be back next season.

"I have a great job here," Dunn said. "You have no control on who throws your name around. We'll continue to recruit very persistently as we had in the past."

Now that the season is finished, Dunn and his staff are looking forward to advertising the program throughout the spring and summer, hoping to get players to fill his spot. And although this is the major recruiting season for college coaches, Dunn said the recruiting game is a year-round process.

"Recruiting is all year," he said. "I went out during the course of the season to see kids. I treat it as something of great significance."