The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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MAY/JUNE 2021 ■ 27 scoring 18 points on 50 percent shooting while pulling down 15 rebounds. "Ernest is the guy you have get off the bus first," Keatts said. "He is just a physi- cal specimen. He fits what we look for in a combo forward. He's a high-energy guy who excels in the open court. He's a versa- tile player, and I believe he has the ability to develop into an elite defender who has the ability to cover a lot of ground and guard multiple positions. "He's also shown that he has the ability to step out and stretch the floor with his shooting." Ross selected NC State over a long list of Power Five schools, including Florida, LSU, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M, among others. He may be the lone signee in the Pack's 2021 class from outside of North Carolina, but he'll be plenty familiar with his team- mates once he arrives in Raleigh. He already knows most of the younger players from crossing paths on summer circuits in high school and played on the same AAU team, Game Elite (Fla.), as Dowuona. "That's my guy," Ross said. "I'm looking forward to playing with him next year like how we did it in AAU. I'm just very excited for that. I can't wait to play in PNC Arena and to be on campus. I think we're going to have some fun." Like Dowuona, Ross has a high-upside shot-blocking ability that could complement redshirt sophomore center Manny Bates' game. According to Ross' AAU coach, he can play an even more versatile role on de- fense beyond rim protection with his ability to defend guards and post players, which should bode well in NC State's system. "Ross is a high-character kid as well as an elite defender," Game Elite head coach Russell Powell said. "Ernest is going to be a guy that can guard the one through five positions. We had lineups in AAU hoops where we would put him on the point guard on defense. "He's just one of those guys that can play multiple positions and do a lot of different things." 'More Than Just A Bucket' Smith was the first of the Pack's 2021 class to commit when he announced his decision in February 2019 as a sophomore. Smith is a four-star that is ranked as the No. 100 overall player in the 2021 class by Rivals.com. NC State was the first Power Five school to offer him and earned his commitment over competing offers from East Carolina and High Point. He won three consecutive North Carolina 2A state championships at Farmville Central and helped the Jaguars set the state record for most points in a title game when his team defeated Hendersonville 113-91 in the 2021 championship. He was named the game's MVP after producing a near triple-double with 33 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. "Terquavion is a winner," Keatts said. "He is a three-time state champion and comes from a talent-rich area with a great high school program. I love his intensity, he's just an intense competitor, who doesn't back down from anyone. "He was the first player to commit to us in the class of 2021, back in his sophomore season, but he's stayed hungry and has con- tinued to build his game." He helped Farmville Central to a 32-0 record and its first state crown as a sopho- more in 2019. He was also a four-time all- conference selection in high school. Smith averaged 27.2 points per game dur- ing his senior season and went on to be named the 2020-21 MaxPreps North Caro- lina High School Boys Basketball Player of the Year. "I work on my game every day," Smith said. "I'm a gym rat. I'm in the gym every day, constantly, at home. My trainer and I focus on threes because the line gets deeper and deeper at the next level. I really focus on my jumper a lot. "I try to keep a killer mindset. I don't let anybody hold me back from anything, and really just keep going hard. Hard work beats everything." Smith's offensive accomplishments were the reason he emerged as one of the top players on the North Carolina prep scene, but he brings a greater skill set than just an ability to score points. The 6-3, 175-pounder was the main facil- itator of Farmville Central's offense. He was also the team's leader and typically guarded the opponent's best player every night. "He's more than just a bucket," Farmville Central head coach Larry Williford said. "He can defend. He's sneaky fast; he's long. He disrupts a lot of things defensively. A lot of people come to see him score, but for us he's a lot more valuable than that because he can really pass the basketball. "He's the ultimate competitor. He pushes these guys in a timeout to step up their game. He's the first one to get on somebody to go a little harder. He's the unquestioned leader of our basketball team." Farmville Central faced Reidsville in the quarterfinals of the 2021 2A state playoffs, which set up a matchup between Wolfpack signees Smith and Pass. Smith's Jaguars ultimately prevailed 83-55 behind his team-high 26 points, five assists, four rebounds, one steal and one block. "He's a hell of a player," Reidsville head coach Jason Ross said of Smith after the game. "[Smith and Pass] are going to be a dynamic duo. The thing that I like the most about him is not his game. This goes back to the first time I met him — it's his man- ners. 'Yes sir, no sir, hey coach, good game coach.' "He can play, and he's obviously a top- five player in North Carolina. The sky is the limit for him." Reidsville's Finest Pass rounded out the Wolfpack's 2021 class when he committed in September 2020. The 6-0, 175-pound three-star is ranked as the No. 36 point guard in his class by Ri- vals.com and picked NC State over Georgia Tech, Providence, Rutgers and St. John's, among others. " I really like this class. These are three highly sought after young men. … We are going to continue to emphasize this state because it is a talent-rich environment. But we're also going to recruit nationally, especially when a player with the ability of Ernest Ross is out there. " Head coach Kevin Keatts on his trio of incoming freshmen