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Tracking the College Basketball Stars of the Future

Read Thad Mumau's feature article on Conference USA basketball recruiting in Bonesville Magazine.

Hoops Recruiting Report Saturday, October 23, 2004 By Thad Mumau

Imported blue-chippers dominate N.C. preps

©2004 Bonesville.net

The crop of North Carolina high school basketball talent in the class of 2005 is quite misleading because the best players in this state are not from this state.

It is interesting to note that of the seven prospects from in-state schools that are ranked in the top 100 in the country, according to Prepstars.com, only one is actually from North Carolina.

David Weaver, ranked No. 53, is a 6-9 center from Black Mountain Owen. He has committed to Wake Forest.

Shawne Williams, ranked the No. 2 prospect in the nation behind Georgia guard Louis Williams, is at Laurinburg Prep School. A fifth-year senior who has committed to Memphis, the 6-8 small forward attended high school in Memphis, TN, last year. He signed with Memphis, but did not qualify academically.

Brandon Rush (No. 4) is a 6-7 small forward at Durham Mount Zion, having come from Kansas City. He has committed to Kansas.

Magnum Rolle (No. 58) came from the farthest away. The 6-10 power forward, who has given a promise to Louisiana State University, is a native of Freeport in the Bahamas.

Antonio Anderson (No. 77) and Robert Dozier (No. 94) are both at Laurinburg Prep and are both headed for Memphis. Anderson, a 6-5 wing guard, is from Massachusetts. Dozier, a 6-8 power forward, is from Georgia.

Shawn Taggart (No. 80), a 6-10 center at Durham Mount Zion, is a fifth-year senior from Georgia. He is looking at Memphis, St. John’s Virginia Tech, Iowa State and possibly Florida State.

There are five more North Carolina kids in the Prepstars.com next 100, and a couple of them are actually from this state.

Julius Powell (No. 104), a 6-8 power forward from Newton-Conover High in Newton, committed to Clemson early in his junior season.

Kevin Swinton (No. 132), made a pledge to Wake Forest even earlier. He is a 6-7 power forward from Greensboro Dudley.

The other three top-200 prospects from North Carolina schools hail from somewhere else.

Kiwan Smith (No. 115), a 6-7 small forward at Laurinburg Institute, is from South Carolina. He is considering Manhattan, Iowa State and St. John’s.

Chris Johnson (No. 192), a 6-10 power forward at Laurinburg Prep, is from Virginia. He has committed to LSU.

Kareem Cooper (No. 199), a 6-11 center at Laurinburg Prep, is from Maryland. He signed with Memphis last year, but did not make the grade academically.

Other North Carolina prospects not ranked in the top 200:

 — Jason Battle, 6-4 wing guard/point guard, Wilmington New Hanover;

 — Jamarcus Ellis, 6-4 wing guard, Laurinburg Prep;

 — T.J. Gwynn, 6-4 small forward, Burlington Cummings;

 — Asim High, 5-11 point guard, Hillsborough Orange;

 — Jarvis Jackson, 6-5 small forward, Winston-Salem North Forsyth;

 — Doneal Mack, 6-3 wing guard, Charlotte Independence;

 — Evan Neisler, 6-8 power forward, Raleigh Word of God Christian;

 — Monquel Pegues, 6-9 center, Wilson Fike;

 — Robert Sallie, 6-5 wing guard, Laurinburg Prep;

 — Everson Simmons, 6-5 small forward, Four Oaks South Johnston;

 — Montez Smith, 6-0 point guard, Durham Mount Zion.

Neisler has committed to new ACC member Boston College and Sallie has committed to Washington. Gwynn likes UNC-Wilmington, Virginia Commonwealth and Old Dominion. Simmons is also interested in VCU as well as Marshall.

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02/23/2007 02:41:58 PM