Christmas Trims His List and Other Recruiting Tidbits

IDS News is reporting that 2011 prospect, Rakeem Christmas has trimmed his list to 8. Baylor, Florida, Georgetown, Indiana, Ohio State, Oklahoma,Texas and Villanova are the schools he will be choosing from. The 6'8 Philly product is thought to be the top center in the '11 class and was drawing interest from the NC State staff. This is not a big blow to the Wolfpack as they had only recently begun tracking Christmas.

Right now, the focus is still on the final scholarship available in 2010. The big names on the board for the Pack are CJ Leslie, Luke Cothron and Mychal Parker, all of whom would be gigantic additions to an already stellar class of PG Ryan Harrow (5 star) and Lorenzo Brown (4 star). A sleeper in this class is Tobias Harris, a perimeter oriented 6'8 forward who has brought high energy and intensity to the floor every time we've seen him. He has a connection to the staff, but is being recruited very heavily by Kentucky and Tennessee.

2011 should be an exciting class to follow as the staff is recruiting two local products in Dezmine Wells and Quincy Miller.

We'll keep you updated on any new developments.

Complete Boost Mobile Elite 24 Roster

The complete rosters for the Boost Mobile Elite 24 game up in Rucker Park. There are a few names on the roster that should spark the interest of NC State fans. For starters, C.J. Leslie of Word of God Academy will be representing the Raleigh area up in New York. Also, Tobias Harris will be one of the hometown favorites at the game. Harris is a guy that the Pack has shown interest in for quite some time now, and we know that the coaching staff was watching him closely this summer. Rakeem Christmas is a name you probably aren't accustomed to hearing in the NC State recruiting discussion, but that could soon change. Christmas' is a consensus Top-5 player in the 2011 class (#1 Center) and he is arguably the best shot blocker the country has to offer currently, regardless of class. We know that the NC State coaching staff has shown some interest in Christmas this summer.

Roster:

Austin Rivers Winter Park (Winter Park, Fla.)
C.J. Leslie Word of God (Raleigh, N.C.)
Cory Joseph Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.)
DaJuan Coleman Jamesville-DeWitt (DeWitt, N.Y.)
Dion Waiters Life Center (Burlington, N.J.)
Doron Lamb Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Harrison Barnes Ames (Ames, Iowa)
Jared Sullinger Northland (Columbus, Ohio)
Joe Jackson White Station (Memphis, Tenn.)
Josh Selby Lake Clifton (Baltimore, Md.)
Josh Smith Kentwood (Covington, Wash.)
Kendall Marshall Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.)
Kyrie Irving St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.)
Myck Kabongo St. Benedict's (Newark, N.J.)
Perry Ellis Wichita Heights (Wichita, Kan.)
Phil Pressey Episcopal School (Dallas, Texas)
Rakeem Christmas Academy of the New Church (Bryn Athyn, Pa.)
Roscoe Smith Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Terrence Jones Jefferson (Portland, Ore.)
Terrence Ross Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.)
Tobias Harris Half Hollow Hills West (Dix Hills, N.Y.)
Tony Wroten Jr. Garfield (Seattle, Wash.)
Tristan Thompson Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.)
Will Barton Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.)


The game will be televised on ESPNU on Saturday, August 22nd at 7pm.