Budding Big Man on Pack's Radar

We have reported in the past that the coaching staff seems pretty set on landing a 'big' to accompany point guard Ryan Harrow in the 2010 recruiting class. C.J. Leslie and Luke Cothron are the two big fellas that currently hold offers from the Pack. Although these two might be the top priority, don't think that the coaching staff won't be evaluating all of the talented post players on the market during this July evaluation period. One such player is Damontre Harris out of Trinity Christian School down in Fayettville. We have heard from a reliable source that NC State will be giving Harris a good look this month.

Damontre is a 6'9 Center, weighing in at 205 pounds. Scout ranks him as the #8 Center in the class and ESPN lists him at #11. Harris is a Top 100 player according to both Scout and Rivals, with Scout ranking him at 83rd and Rivals ranking him 65th. Last season he averaged 11 points and 10 rebounds on a balanced Trinity Christian team. While he definitely needs to add a little mass to his frame, he is extremely athletic for his height and moves like a Small Forward. He has a 7'1 (some report 7'3) wingspan, and he uses it to his advantage. Harris is a ferocious shot-blocker and possesses the ability to easily shoot over his opponent. He has good range on his jump shot and has a soft touch around the basket. He will have to continue to work on not rushing his shots, his decision making and his post move arsenal. With all that being said, most think that Deamontre hasn't even scratched the surface of his potential. For instance, look at what Dave Telep had to say to the FayObserver concerning Harris last week:

"Among the players Telep finds himself loving more and more as time goes on is Damontre Harris, an on-the-rise Class of 2010 forward from Trinity Christian Academy who's currently ranked as Scout's No. 65 rising senior nationally.

Telep raves about Harris' athleticism and selflessness. With a 7-foot-1 wingspan and explosive leaping ability, Harris has a headstart on becoming a difference maker at the next level.

Perhaps most intriguing aspect about Harris has been his long-term potential, with many recruiting analysts believing he is just now beginning to realize how good he can be."

SLAM also had this to say about Harris after the recent NBA camp:

"Damontre Harris, 6-9 rising senior post, Trinity Christian (NC): Harris may have been the absolutely least-heralded kid in the building (NBA Camp), but the rail-thin prospect more than held his own. A very intriguing player, Harris isn’t in the least bit physical, but his length and athleticism allows him to finish plays on offense, be a defensive presence and hit the boards, while his excellent shooting touch (and range) and agility gave defenders fits."

Trinity Christian's coach Heath Vandevender spoke with the FayObserver as well and confirmed that Harris is looking to trim his list on August 2nd:

"A recent report on Rivals.com indicated that Harris and Trinity Christian coach Heath Vandevender have set a deadline of Aug. 2 for schools interested in the star recruit to offer a scholarship.

That, Vandevender told Rivals, will allow Harris to gauge all the interest coming his way and narrow his list down to five finalists, schools he will then take official visits to in the fall."

Schools that have extended scholarship offers include Boston College, Georgia, USC, UNC-Wilmington, Virginia Commonwealth, Xavier, Winthrop, Maryland, Auburn, Wake Forest and UCONN.

We will keep you updated with anything that comes up concerning the Pack's recruitment of Damontre.