With NC State playing two games during Feb. 7-19, the NC State men’s basketball staff has been evaluating many players, and offering a few.
The Wolfpack offered in-state sophomores Kris Monroe of Raleigh St. David’s and Devon Dotson of Charlotte Providence Day. Monroe was on The Wolfpacker’s radar last March. It’s obvious he has worked hard on his game, and NC State hopes to be ahead of the curve in his recruitment.
Monroe currently has offers from NC State, Charlotte and UNC Greensboro, so this isn’t the typical recruitment for the Wolfpack. Usually, NC State holds off in offering younger players unless they are five-star no-brainers type. In a way, it’s similar to another local standout that got offered early — Raleigh native Isaac Copeland, who is now a sophomore at Georgetown. NC State took the risk of offering Copeland well before he “blew up.”
Monroe has that same vibe. He will get the chance to play against the top players in the state of North Carolina in individual camps in March, and then with Team Loaded traveling team in April.
Monroe has been listed anywhere up to 6-foot-8, but he’s likely 6-5 with his shoes off. He shoots a smooth jumper and is still alive in the NCISAA 2A playoffs tonight in the semifinals. NC State coach Mark Gottfried watched him Tuesday and offered him Wednesday morning, and assistant coach Orlando Early will likely check him out at 5:30 p.m. today at North Raleigh Christian. Monroe has scored 27 points in both playoff games.
Dotson first served notice that he was a point guard to watch at the 2014 CP3 Rising Stars Camp just before the start of his freshman year in Lewisville, N.C. Without question, he’s made good strides in his game, and he has grown a few inches and gained good weight at about 6-1 or 6-2 and 170 pounds. What sets Dotson apart from his peers is that he is smooth in running Providence Day, who also is playing at 5:30 p.m. today at Raleigh Ravenscroft in the 3A semifinals. Dotson gained recognition last July when he played up on Team Charlotte 17s, and they won the Under Armour title. Creighton junior shooting guard commit Ty-Shon Alexander of Concord, N.C., shared the backcourt with Dotson.
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Dotson will face off against Raleigh Ravenscroft junior point guard Michael Okauru, who NCSU has evaluated this season. Okauru is a physical point guard, who is good at getting to the rim and has some potential to be a defensive stopper. If he can prove he can be a good outside shooter, his recruitment could soar coming up.
Okauru and Garner (N.C.) High junior point guard Thomas Allen will share the backcourt for Garner Road traveling team on the adidas circuit. The Wolfpack have done a good job of keeping close tabs on Allen, who poured in another 35 points in a win against Clayton on Thursday at Campbell University in his conference tournament.
Garner Road has a good relationship with Wolfeboro (N.H.) Brewster Academy, and rumors are already floating around on whether either guard will be playing in the Triangle next year. Former NC State star T.J. Warren, Kansas sophomore point guard Devonte Graham and aforementioned Copeland, all made their way to Brewster in the past.
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NC State assistant coach Bobby Lutz went to see sophomore shooting guard Keldon Johnson, who is a potential five-star talent in 2018. He has missed a good chunk of the season due to injury and isn’t 100 percent, but he is back on the court.
The 6-5 Johnson attends South Hill (Va.) Park View High and played with Team Loaded VA last year, but he has switched to Boo Williams 17s in the Nike EYBL. Johnson is a gifted offensive performer who can play multiple positions on the perimeter. His older brother is Georgetown freshman Kaleb Johnson, so naturally they have a bit of a home-court advantage in getting him consistently on campus.
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NCSU assistant coach Rob Moxley will have a busy weekend. Moxley will be making another trip to see junior post player Malik Williams of Fort Wayne (Ind.) Snider, who is ranked No. 35 by Rivals.com in the class of 2017. The Wolfpack have been relentless in trying to be in the mix with Williams. His older brother is currently in junior college and expected to sign this spring, so that could make things interesting.
Williams’ opponent, Fort Wayne South Side, features sophomore combo guard Austin Boucher, who is on the cusp of getting some regional high major offers. Boucher has a good jumper and at 6-2, he’ll need to get a little bit bigger if he ends up as a shooting guard full-time.
Moxley will be joined by Gottfried in seeing Scotland (Pa.) Performance Institute senior center Cheickna Dembele on Sundat. Many believe he’s the best big man available that attends a U.S. high school and that there simply aren’t many options yet on the market. Gottfried hasn’t seen Dembele yet, and that will take the Wolfpack’s recruitment of the Mali, Africa native to another level.
Just in a few short weeks, the 6-10, 235-pounder has been offered by NC State, Missouri, Iowa State, St. Joseph’s, La Salle, and Charlotte. Syracuse, Providence, Pittsburgh, Maryland, Iowa, Georgetown, Connecticut, Temple, Alabama, LSU, Penn State, Florida and Arizona State, have also jumped in.
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NC State offered Montverde (Fla.) Academy senior big man Bruno Fernando, but the Wolfpack will need to make up ground fast if recent reports are accurate that he wants to decide in the very near future. Alabama, LSU and SMU appear to be the clubhouse leaders the athletic 6-10, 225-pounder from Angola.
One interesting position to watch in recruiting this spring will be the quarterback spot. Our guess is given the expected small size of the class that NCSU will hold true to signing just one, typically the case.
The Wolfpack offered in-state sophomores Kris Monroe of Raleigh St. David’s and Devon Dotson of Charlotte Providence Day. Monroe was on The Wolfpacker’s radar last March. It’s obvious he has worked hard on his game, and NC State hopes to be ahead of the curve in his recruitment.
Monroe currently has offers from NC State, Charlotte and UNC Greensboro, so this isn’t the typical recruitment for the Wolfpack. Usually, NC State holds off in offering younger players unless they are five-star no-brainers type. In a way, it’s similar to another local standout that got offered early — Raleigh native Isaac Copeland, who is now a sophomore at Georgetown. NC State took the risk of offering Copeland well before he “blew up.”
Monroe has that same vibe. He will get the chance to play against the top players in the state of North Carolina in individual camps in March, and then with Team Loaded traveling team in April.
Monroe has been listed anywhere up to 6-foot-8, but he’s likely 6-5 with his shoes off. He shoots a smooth jumper and is still alive in the NCISAA 2A playoffs tonight in the semifinals. NC State coach Mark Gottfried watched him Tuesday and offered him Wednesday morning, and assistant coach Orlando Early will likely check him out at 5:30 p.m. today at North Raleigh Christian. Monroe has scored 27 points in both playoff games.
Dotson first served notice that he was a point guard to watch at the 2014 CP3 Rising Stars Camp just before the start of his freshman year in Lewisville, N.C. Without question, he’s made good strides in his game, and he has grown a few inches and gained good weight at about 6-1 or 6-2 and 170 pounds. What sets Dotson apart from his peers is that he is smooth in running Providence Day, who also is playing at 5:30 p.m. today at Raleigh Ravenscroft in the 3A semifinals. Dotson gained recognition last July when he played up on Team Charlotte 17s, and they won the Under Armour title. Creighton junior shooting guard commit Ty-Shon Alexander of Concord, N.C., shared the backcourt with Dotson.
•••
Dotson will face off against Raleigh Ravenscroft junior point guard Michael Okauru, who NCSU has evaluated this season. Okauru is a physical point guard, who is good at getting to the rim and has some potential to be a defensive stopper. If he can prove he can be a good outside shooter, his recruitment could soar coming up.
Okauru and Garner (N.C.) High junior point guard Thomas Allen will share the backcourt for Garner Road traveling team on the adidas circuit. The Wolfpack have done a good job of keeping close tabs on Allen, who poured in another 35 points in a win against Clayton on Thursday at Campbell University in his conference tournament.
Garner Road has a good relationship with Wolfeboro (N.H.) Brewster Academy, and rumors are already floating around on whether either guard will be playing in the Triangle next year. Former NC State star T.J. Warren, Kansas sophomore point guard Devonte Graham and aforementioned Copeland, all made their way to Brewster in the past.
•••
NC State assistant coach Bobby Lutz went to see sophomore shooting guard Keldon Johnson, who is a potential five-star talent in 2018. He has missed a good chunk of the season due to injury and isn’t 100 percent, but he is back on the court.
The 6-5 Johnson attends South Hill (Va.) Park View High and played with Team Loaded VA last year, but he has switched to Boo Williams 17s in the Nike EYBL. Johnson is a gifted offensive performer who can play multiple positions on the perimeter. His older brother is Georgetown freshman Kaleb Johnson, so naturally they have a bit of a home-court advantage in getting him consistently on campus.
•••
NCSU assistant coach Rob Moxley will have a busy weekend. Moxley will be making another trip to see junior post player Malik Williams of Fort Wayne (Ind.) Snider, who is ranked No. 35 by Rivals.com in the class of 2017. The Wolfpack have been relentless in trying to be in the mix with Williams. His older brother is currently in junior college and expected to sign this spring, so that could make things interesting.
Williams’ opponent, Fort Wayne South Side, features sophomore combo guard Austin Boucher, who is on the cusp of getting some regional high major offers. Boucher has a good jumper and at 6-2, he’ll need to get a little bit bigger if he ends up as a shooting guard full-time.
Moxley will be joined by Gottfried in seeing Scotland (Pa.) Performance Institute senior center Cheickna Dembele on Sundat. Many believe he’s the best big man available that attends a U.S. high school and that there simply aren’t many options yet on the market. Gottfried hasn’t seen Dembele yet, and that will take the Wolfpack’s recruitment of the Mali, Africa native to another level.
Just in a few short weeks, the 6-10, 235-pounder has been offered by NC State, Missouri, Iowa State, St. Joseph’s, La Salle, and Charlotte. Syracuse, Providence, Pittsburgh, Maryland, Iowa, Georgetown, Connecticut, Temple, Alabama, LSU, Penn State, Florida and Arizona State, have also jumped in.
•••
NC State offered Montverde (Fla.) Academy senior big man Bruno Fernando, but the Wolfpack will need to make up ground fast if recent reports are accurate that he wants to decide in the very near future. Alabama, LSU and SMU appear to be the clubhouse leaders the athletic 6-10, 225-pounder from Angola.
One interesting position to watch in recruiting this spring will be the quarterback spot. Our guess is given the expected small size of the class that NCSU will hold true to signing just one, typically the case.
