The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/862569
84 ■ THE WOLFPACKER ■ BASKETBALL RECRUITING tracked the 6-6, 205-pounder through the month of July. "NC State is definitely in there with Coach Keatts and Coach Johnson," John- son said. "I noticed them at the games. That means a lot. Having two coaches mainly recruit me from a coaching staff, being at the games and constantly showing support, is big." Johnson said the Wolfpack coaching staff might be new at the school, but they'll get the time to make an impression. "I can't blame them for coming in new, so I'll give them a chance like I'll give everybody else a chance to build a relation- ship," he noted. "We'll see how far it goes." Rivals.com ranks Johnson as the No. 26 overall player in the class of 2018. The five-star recruit averaged an impressive 19.7 points per game in 23 contests with the Boo Williams traveling team between the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League and Nike Peach Jam. He shot 50.2 percent from the field and reached double figures in all 23 games, with a high of 34 against Nike South Beach April 21. "I didn't try to force anything and just wanted to get my teammates involved," Johnson said. "We were just sharing the ball." Johnson reflects back to those Team Loaded 15s days when he was just making a name for himself and trying to escape the shadow of his older brother, Georgetown junior wing Kaleb Johnson. "It has gone by so fast, I can't believe it," Johnson said. "I think about being in the EYBL for my final year of AAU, and I just wanted to put it all on the line." Bacot Blows Up In Class Of 2019 Bacot, who plays at Richmond (Va.) Trinity Episcopal, had hoped to unofficially visit NC State June 30 following an adidas Nations event in Los Angeles, but his travel plans scuttled that opportunity. The 6-10, 235-pounder has emerged as one of the top junior recruits in the coun- try. Rivals.com ranks him as the No. 14 overall player in the country in the class of 2019, and he has racked up 38 scholar- ship offers. Bacot isn't sure when he'll be able to make the short trip from Richmond to Ra- leigh, but he hopes to at some point in the near future. "I want to see the coach and also what a day in the life of a player is," Bacot said. "I want to see the campus, the coaches and the facilities." Oklahoma State is another college Bacot noted that he would like to unofficially visit. Dry Clean Your Carpets! commercial residential Since 1987 www.bmsdry.com Environmentally safe "green" system No soapy residue common to steam cleaning systems Fully bonded and insured Safe for children and pets • • • • No waiting on carpets to dry Proven system – millions of square feet cleaned in the Triangle since 1987 Wolfpack family owned and operated • • • Phone: 919-834-1990 • Fax: 919-834-1998 bms12@nc.rr.com – commercial jed.barbour@bmsdry.com – residential Ask about our Sure Step non-slip floor treatment!