The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1364233
26 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY JUSTIN H. WILLIAMS C State men's basketball will welcome five additions to its 2021-22 roster, including three incoming freshmen and two transfers, but a handful of new faces doesn't necessarily equate to new beginnings. Of the Wolfpack's three- man 2021 recruiting class, two hail from the state of North Carolina: four-star shooting guard Terquavion Smith of Farmville (N.C.) Central High and three-star point guard Breon Pass of Reidsville (N.C.) Senior High. Alachua (Fla.) Santa Fe power forward Ernest Ross, who played AAU basketball alongside current freshman Ebenezer Dowu- ona, rounds out the incoming class. He is listed as a four-star recruit and the nation's No. 76 overall prospect by Rivals.com. "I really like this class," head coach Kevin Keatts said. "These are three highly sought after young men. Give my staff credit. They got on these guys early and did a great job of making them a priority. We've signed two guys from North Carolina. Keeping talented players from leaving our state is a priority for me and our staff. "When you look at our last two recruiting classes, including Josh Hall, we've signed nine players and seven are from the state of North Carolina. 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." The Wolfpack's 2021 class is ranked No. 38 nationally according to Rivals.com, which is seventh-highest among ACC teams. NC State also earned commitments from a pair of transfers: sophomore power for- ward Greg Gantt of Providence and sopho- more combo guard Casey Morsell of Vir- ginia. Both were listed among the top 55 recruits nationally by Rivals.com out of high school. Gantt, a former four-star Wolfpack target in the 2019 class, shares Fayetteville, N.C., roots with redshirt sophomore center Manny Bates. Morsell, a former four-star standout on the Washington, D.C., prep scene, wasn't offered by NC State out of high school but played two seasons in the ACC with the Cavaliers. The Wolfpack will also return six play- ers who earned multiple starts last season, including four of its top six scorers from the 2020-21 campaign. First Off The Bus Ross, who stands 6-9, is the No. 15 power forward and No. 76 overall prospect in his class according to Rivals.com. He is the highest ranked of the Pack's 2021 signees. He averaged 18.4 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, 2.3 steals and 1.3 assists per game as a senior in high school. He also shot 52.6 percent from the field, made 13 of 39 three- point attempts (33.3 percent) and connected on 63.3 percent of his free throws. The native of Alachua, Fla., led Santa Fe High to a 20-6 overall record last season as well as an appearance in the 4A state cham- pionship game. Ultimately, his team lost 90-83 in double overtime, but it was not due to a lack of production from Ross. The senior big man delivered a double-double on the big stage, N TALENT INJECTION NC State Basketball Will Add Four Former Or Current Top-100 Recruits For The 2021-22 Season Three-star point guard Breon Pass (left) and four-star shooting guard Terquavion Smith (right) are in-state products that will suit up for the Wolfpack next winter. They met in this year's 2A state quarterfinals, with Smith's squad notching an 83-55 win. PHOTO BY MAX SCHEIDE/THE HOOP STATE NETWORK