Good news, bad news week for NC State basketball recruiting.
On the good, it landed four-star center Shawn Phillips Jr. from Dream City Christian in Glendale, Ariz. This ultimately came down to NC State and West Virginia, although Ole Miss was also listed in Phillips’ top three.
Those who we have talked with about Phillips all seem in agreement that Phillips can be a legitimate starting center in the ACC. He’s a true post player with size in a nice frame and has not shown any indications of having weight problems. Furthermore, Phillips is far from a stiff and uses his size to his advantage.
Truthfully, the one question we have heard about universally about Phillips centered around whether he can make the mental adjustments to playing in the ACC and the demands that comes with it.
We know NC State wants at least one more post/forward in this class. As we have noted before in the War Room, this is a crucial year for sophomores Jaylon Gibson and Ebenezer Dowuona, but regardless NC State is going to bring in competition for them and promising freshman Ernest Ross next season, especially since the expectation is that redshirt junior center Manny Bates’ intentions are to pursue professional opportunities if he has a good season.
Sources who are familiar with the team believe that Bates has taken another step forward to the point he could be a double-digit scorer and also improve his rebounding totals.
As we noted on the board earlier in the week, Chauncey Wiggins committed to Clemson Friday as expected. Most sources we talked with continue to believe that NC State is the team to beat with three-star forward De’Ante Green from Asheville (N.C.) Christian. Green is taking an official visit to Florida State this weekend and will decide between the Noles, NC State and Wake Forest on Nov. 1. Some have questions about how hard FSU is pursuing, but we have picked up a sense that the Seminoles’ interest in Green is very sincere.
Three-star center Christ Essandoko from Winston-Salem (N.C.) Christian will announce his choice next Friday, but we’d be surprised if there was room for both Phillips and Essandoko in one class.
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The bad news was that four-star wing Daniel Skillings from Philadelphia (Pa.) Roman Catholic made a verbal commitment to Cincinnati over NC State and Pittsburgh. The fact that Skillings picked Cincinnati is far from surprise. Dating back to Labor Day weekend we have noted that the Bearcats were a team that many thought was a leader.
However, we can say that on the heels of his official visit this past weekend to NC State, with Skillings sending indications shortly after that he was getting ready to make a decision, there was some excitement around Raleigh that the Pack would be the choice. We were also told that both Cincinnati and Pittsburgh viewed NC State as their top competition, which is usually a good sign.
Losing Skillings does sting. NC State has been targeting a taller wing in this class. Sources have confirmed that some of the players that were considered “losses” on the recruiting trail like 6-foot-6 Noah Batchelor (Memphis) at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., and more recently 6-foot-7 Alphonzo Billups (VCU) from Richmond (Va.) Varina and Batchelor’s teammate 6-foot-5 Justyn Fernandez (George Mason) were indeed a byproduct of slipping on NC State’s board through the summer while Skillings elevated or making decisions while the Pack was waiting on Skillings (and others).
The one prospect we have heard conflicting info on where he stood was 6-foot-5 Donald Hand Jr. from Virginia Beach (Va.) Landstown High. Hand picked Boston College, and we have been told by some that NC State would have liked to have had Hand, especially since he grades highly in his intangibles and can handle the ball at point guard in a pinch.
Hence why losing Skillings is a bit of a blow. What’s next? NC State has aimed high with near-five star Jett Howard at IMG and also four-star Rylan Griffin from Richardson (Tex.) High. Howard may have a top three of Michigan, Tennessee and NC State, but word we have received is the Pack may also be third on that list.
Griffin has taken an official visit to Georgia and will be at Kansas Oct. 1. NC State is among the group of programs trying to score one of his last three officials remaining, and we would not be surprised if the Pack puts a lot of effort into the 6-foot-5 bucket-getter.
On the good, it landed four-star center Shawn Phillips Jr. from Dream City Christian in Glendale, Ariz. This ultimately came down to NC State and West Virginia, although Ole Miss was also listed in Phillips’ top three.
Those who we have talked with about Phillips all seem in agreement that Phillips can be a legitimate starting center in the ACC. He’s a true post player with size in a nice frame and has not shown any indications of having weight problems. Furthermore, Phillips is far from a stiff and uses his size to his advantage.
Truthfully, the one question we have heard about universally about Phillips centered around whether he can make the mental adjustments to playing in the ACC and the demands that comes with it.
We know NC State wants at least one more post/forward in this class. As we have noted before in the War Room, this is a crucial year for sophomores Jaylon Gibson and Ebenezer Dowuona, but regardless NC State is going to bring in competition for them and promising freshman Ernest Ross next season, especially since the expectation is that redshirt junior center Manny Bates’ intentions are to pursue professional opportunities if he has a good season.
Sources who are familiar with the team believe that Bates has taken another step forward to the point he could be a double-digit scorer and also improve his rebounding totals.
As we noted on the board earlier in the week, Chauncey Wiggins committed to Clemson Friday as expected. Most sources we talked with continue to believe that NC State is the team to beat with three-star forward De’Ante Green from Asheville (N.C.) Christian. Green is taking an official visit to Florida State this weekend and will decide between the Noles, NC State and Wake Forest on Nov. 1. Some have questions about how hard FSU is pursuing, but we have picked up a sense that the Seminoles’ interest in Green is very sincere.
Three-star center Christ Essandoko from Winston-Salem (N.C.) Christian will announce his choice next Friday, but we’d be surprised if there was room for both Phillips and Essandoko in one class.
•••
The bad news was that four-star wing Daniel Skillings from Philadelphia (Pa.) Roman Catholic made a verbal commitment to Cincinnati over NC State and Pittsburgh. The fact that Skillings picked Cincinnati is far from surprise. Dating back to Labor Day weekend we have noted that the Bearcats were a team that many thought was a leader.
However, we can say that on the heels of his official visit this past weekend to NC State, with Skillings sending indications shortly after that he was getting ready to make a decision, there was some excitement around Raleigh that the Pack would be the choice. We were also told that both Cincinnati and Pittsburgh viewed NC State as their top competition, which is usually a good sign.
Losing Skillings does sting. NC State has been targeting a taller wing in this class. Sources have confirmed that some of the players that were considered “losses” on the recruiting trail like 6-foot-6 Noah Batchelor (Memphis) at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., and more recently 6-foot-7 Alphonzo Billups (VCU) from Richmond (Va.) Varina and Batchelor’s teammate 6-foot-5 Justyn Fernandez (George Mason) were indeed a byproduct of slipping on NC State’s board through the summer while Skillings elevated or making decisions while the Pack was waiting on Skillings (and others).
The one prospect we have heard conflicting info on where he stood was 6-foot-5 Donald Hand Jr. from Virginia Beach (Va.) Landstown High. Hand picked Boston College, and we have been told by some that NC State would have liked to have had Hand, especially since he grades highly in his intangibles and can handle the ball at point guard in a pinch.
Hence why losing Skillings is a bit of a blow. What’s next? NC State has aimed high with near-five star Jett Howard at IMG and also four-star Rylan Griffin from Richardson (Tex.) High. Howard may have a top three of Michigan, Tennessee and NC State, but word we have received is the Pack may also be third on that list.
Griffin has taken an official visit to Georgia and will be at Kansas Oct. 1. NC State is among the group of programs trying to score one of his last three officials remaining, and we would not be surprised if the Pack puts a lot of effort into the 6-foot-5 bucket-getter.
