The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1113082
MAY 2019 ■ 71 ■ BASKETBALL RECRUITING UConn, Texas and Houston were among the colleges that reached out to Allen. "I used to always see Coach Keatts around at Garner Road because of his son," said Allen, 20. "We still had a connection. He hit me up in early April, and we just started from there. "I like how they play. Coach Keatts just made me more comfortable going there than staying in Nebraska." Allen knows not many recruits end up re- turning to the school they originally signed with but did not attend. "I think over time it just became not awk- ward," he said. "I learned a lot just going to Nebraska that will help me." Allen has been following NC State the last few years, so he knows the style of play and what is expected of him when he arrives. "They play fast and they play hard," said Allen, who wants to major in criminology. "They shoot a lot of threes, and that is the way I play. "They like the way I see the floor and the way I shoot the ball, and I can be extremely active on the other side of the ball." The 6-1, 184-pound Allen averaged 8.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game for Nebraska. He shot 43.6 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from three- point range, and reached double figures in 10 contests. He had a season-high 18 points against both Creighton Dec. 8 and at Pur- due Feb. 9. He knocked down 5 of 6 three- point attempts against the Boilermakers. Allen's season came to an end Feb. 28 at Michigan when he had a high ankle sprain and tore part of his ankle. He figures he'll be back to 100 percent when he makes his way to Raleigh in mid-May. Allen expects to sit out a year and then have two years of eligibility remaining. "We talked about trying to get a waiver, but I'm sitting out next year," Allen said. "I want to get more active on defense. I want to learn how they operate on offense. "They play fast, so I have to get ad- justed." Rivals.com ranked Allen as the No. 103 overall player in the class of 2017. When he was released by NC State, the Wolfpack added point guards Lavar Batts and Brax- ton Beverly. Batts has since transferred to UNC Asheville, and now Allen will be pushing Beverly in workouts and practice over the next year. Allen knows he has improved on the court the last two years. "In high school, people saw me as a laid- back, casual type of player," he said. "I've added more speeds and more reaction." ■ Follow TheWolfpacker.com for men's basketball recruiting coverage. ♦ Tailgate Specials ♦ Catering Services ♦ College Student Discounts ♦ Pizzas 1/2 off during AWAY games 3905 WESTERN BLVD • RALEIGH, NC 27606 (919) 851-0473 • WWW.AMEDEOSRESTAURANT.COM AMEDEO'S ITALIAN RESTAURANT