1. NC State offering Concord (N.C.) Cannon School junior combo guard Austin Swartz was a good example of offering a prospect at the ideal team.
NC State wasn’t early in offering him or late, but right on time. It also worked out perfectly with Swartz seeing NC State, particularly its guards, play their best in the 84-60 win over Duke in a rowdy PNC Arena.
Swartz didn’t get much buzz his freshman year at Cannon School, but started to get some buzz in the fall of his sophomore year. He played in the Phenom Hoop Report North Carolina top 80 camp and he was solid, and it was clear he was a pretty jump shooter.
I was excited to see him play his first game of the season against Charlotte (N.C.) Northside Christian on Nov. 13, 2021 at Matthews (N.C.) Carmel Christian. There was some good build-up for that game because then NC State class of 2023 target Wesley Tubbs was with Northside Christian.
Swartz started the game and drained a 3-pointer, and then it just dissolved into being a bust of an evaluation situation. Tubbs had gotten hurt the night before and Swartz played three quarters and was moving in slow motion and then left in the second half.
It turned out that Swartz had a pre-existing knee injury and sometimes he would be fine and sometimes it would be a lot of pain. He needed a knee scope and he missed at least a month or so. I was sitting next to an assistant coach of a top 25 team and neither of us knew what to make of Swartz.
I circled back on Swartz and watched two of his three NCISAA playoff games, seeing him against High Point Wesleyan and then a spirited overtime win at Charlotte Providence Day.
Swartz was pretty good against High Point Wesleyan and played well off Cornell-bound forward D.J. Nix. He didn’t do much in the first four quarters against Providence Day, but then dominated overtime to produce the win. That showed he had some clutch gene to him.
The spring came and he was one of the very few class of 2024 players in the state who played in the 17s division. Swartz did with Team Charlotte 17s and Jaeden Mustaf did it with New World 17s. Swartz could have used more help on Team Charlotte, but he sure learned how to dig deep on defense with Jeff McInnis as the coach.
June came along, and he played with Cannon School and probably did it in front of NC State’s staff for the first time. Assistant coach Kareem Richardson was in attendance when he played Arden (N.C.) Christ School, and the night before that game, he had people buzzing after pouring in 39 points. He was pretty good against Christ School and NC State started reaching out to him.
July came along and again he was OK with Team Charlotte, so some schools offered him, but he hadn’t totally blown up.
The start of this season came and he played against Mustaf and Carmel Christian twice, and he played against UNC commit Drake Powell and Pittsboro (N.C.) Norwood. The buzz started to get loud and NC State went to see him play at the John Wall Holiday Invitational last week at Raleigh Broughton. NCSU coach Kevin Keatts, Levi Watkins and Richardson, watched Swartz against Napa (Calif.) Prolific Prep, which has dynamic senior guards Aden Holloway (Auburn) and Trey Green (Xavier).
Swartz was electric in the first half and had 19 points by halftime. He couldn’t piece together two complete halves, but he finished with 24 points, and I predicted he’d end up getting offered by NC State. That helped set up the unofficial visit for Wednesday.
What could be worth following, is that Boo Williams traveling team, which already has gotten Mustaf, will be trying to get Swartz and Jayden “Juke” Harris of Salisbury (N.C.) High. The connection is former Arkansas guard Stefan Welsh has joined Boo Williams, and he once played for Keatts at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va.
2. In The Run Down on Feb. 25, 2022, I put together a list of four players from the state, who could end up being “Portal Magic” down the road.
Just a review of the four:
1. Micah Handlogten, center, Huntersville (N.C.) SouthLake Christian — Marshall signee
2. D.J. Nix, small forward, Concord (N.C.) Cannon School — Cornell signee
3. Jordan Crawford, shooting guard, Huntersville (N.C.) North Mecklenburg — College of Charleston signee
4. Cade Tyson, small forward, Matthews (N.C.) Carmel Christian — Belmont signee
This is the time of year where colleges let the former coaches of players “Hey, there’s a spot for so and so if they want to make a move.” Technically, that is not tampering, but it’s a time honored tradition in hoops. College football coaches are getting their first taste of how this particular style of recruiting goes down, and they just had no idea this has been common for 20 years in hoops. Add in the fact that some college players have agents now, and it has taken on a life of its own.
Handlogten played for NC State legend Rodney Monroe at SouthLake Christian and was considered a talented project at 7-1 and 227 pounds. He’s exceeded expectations and is averaging 7.5 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in 22.3 minutes per game. Handlogten is eighth in college basketball in rebounding and 14th in shot-blocking.
Tyson is the younger of Clemson forward Hunter Tyson, yes, that Tyson. Cade Tyson and Belmont are now in the Missouri Valley Conference, and he’s been cooking as a freshman this season. The 6-7, 200-pound Tyson is averaging 13.0 points and 4.7 rebounds and shooting an impressive 41.7 percent from three-point land. He’s scored in double figures in all but three games this season. He helped Carmel Christian win the NCISAA Division 4 state title last year.
Nix and Crawford haven’t made an impact yet for different reasons. The 6-6, 220-pound Nix, who played with Swartz at Cannon School, has 10 points and six rebounds in six games played this season. Crawford is healthy, but redshirting for No. 24-ranked College of Charleston, whose top four starters are all guards.
Here are four players in the class of 2023 that could fall into this category in the future.
1. Collin Tanner, wing, Lincolnton (N.C.) Combine — Richmond signee
2. Torey Alston, forward, Winston-Salem (N.C.) Christian — Sam Houston State signee
3. Nick Dorn, wing, Charlotte Chambers — Unsigned
4. Avion Pinner, forward, Concord (N.C.) Academy — Unsigned
I could have included the College of Charleston trio of Raleigh Word of God’s Isaiah Coleman and Mayar Wol, and Fayetteville (N.C.) E.E. Smith center James Scott. However, if coach Pat Kelsey puts together that dream-like season, he might just get hired somewhere and bring those three players with him.
Tanner is from Creedmoor, N.C., and attended South Granville High, and then made the move to Goldsboro (N.C.) Wayne Country Day and is now at Combine Academy. He didn’t look out of place in the big Combine Academy vs. Prolific Prep game at the John Wall Holiday Invitational. He played with Team Curry.
Alston is from Durham, N.C., and actually grew up a big NC State fan I have since learned. For Sam Houston State to come into North Carolina and sign him is highway robbery. I had an assistant coach of a top 25 team tell me he’d be looking at him now if he was available. He played with Team Trezz.
Dorn is the latest in the Dorn family. I got to see him play Saturday against Salisbury (N.C.) High and he completely dominated the first 12 minutes with 18 points. Torin Dorn Sr. played at North Carolina and made the NFL. Torin Dorn Jr. played at Charlotte and NC State and played professionally overseas until he hurt his knee and returned to the Wolfpack support staff this season. Myles Dorn played safety at UNC and made the NFL.
Pinner is from the eastern part of the state and played at The Burlington (N.C.) School last year. He’s now at Concord Academy and he could end up being a steal for someone this spring. Like Alston, he could be that guy in two years who ACC schools will want to bring in.
