‘BIG’ recruiting news breaking Wolfpack’s way?

Basketball Recruiting45

NC State Basketball has been on “commitment watch” the last few days as all indications had been that highly rated post prospects Beejay Anya and Dominic Woodson might announce their college decisions this week. Our message forums have been a great place to follow recruiting in real time. You can click here for the most recent thread discussing Anya (and some on Woodson) during his visit this past weekend.

Heading into this week it was widely reported that Anya had narrowed his list to NC State and Indiana and Woodson had narrowed his list to NC State and Baylor.

While we’ve been waiting for each high school star to make his college choice known, news has broken this morning that Indiana has pulled their offer to Anya and are focusing on Noah Vonleh who is not an NC State target. (Link) Schools/coaches will often leak this kind of information to the public after they’ve been told that they will not be getting a commitment so that it doesn’t look like they were turned down. Regardless of what has happened with Anya, NC State appears to be sitting exceptionally strong here at decision time. (Read more under the quote)

And, to the exact point just referenced in the aforementioned paragraph — it appears that NC State is no longer involved with Dominic Woodson. 🙂

According to Evan Daniels, the national basketball recruiting analyst for FOXSports.com, Indiana has stopped recruiting Class of 2013 center BeeJay Anya in order to focus on forward Noah Vonleh.

There could be a big trickle-down effect on the Triangle.

Anya, a 6-foot-9, 275-pound senior at DeMatha, recently narrowed his recruiting list to Indiana and N.C. State. ESPN ranks him as the 31st-best player in the Class of 2013, and he visited Raleigh last weekend. The Wolfpack is also recruiting big men Dominic Woodson and Kennedy Meeks, although North Carolina and Georgetown are considered the frontrunners for Meeks. Woodson has narrowed his list to N.C. State and Baylor.

If Indiana is able to land Vonleh, a 6-8 forward ranked as the No. 8 senior by ESPN.com, that’d be a blow to the Tar Heels. They are pursuing Vonleh and top-ranked Andrew Wiggins, a small forward who will likely end up at Kentucky or Florida State, according to many recruiting experts.

If State does ultimately land Anya to pair with Kyle Washington in the post the situation continues to set itself up extremely nicely for Top-3 rated prospect, Julius Randle to fit exceptionally nicely into the Wolfpack’s roster and rolling scholarship spacing.

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Basketball Recruiting

45 Responses to ‘BIG’ recruiting news breaking Wolfpack’s way?

  1. STLPack01 10/31/2012 at 1:53 PM #

    This is good. Anya is preferable to Woodson. Another great get by Gott!

  2. Packfan28 10/31/2012 at 1:59 PM #

    It is so enjoyable to see us in the running for so many top recruits. It is even more enjoyable to see us land so many of them. Way to go Gott and staff.

    I propose a new course at NCSU. Maybe call it Advanced Recruiting Techniques 501″. It would be taught by Gott and staff, and mandatory students would be Tom O’Brien and staff.

  3. Pack Leader 10/31/2012 at 2:07 PM #

    Can anyone describe Anyas game for those who have not seen him play? 6’9″ 275lbs seems a big heavy to run with our current squad, what is his athletic ability?

    Is he from the same mold as the Center from Miami (his name has left me)?

  4. SuperStuff 10/31/2012 at 2:13 PM #

    From the few youtube clips I’ve seen he is a major shot blocker and dunking machine. He didn’t look as big as that Miami center to me.

  5. TruthBKnown Returns 10/31/2012 at 2:15 PM #

    I read on another blog that Anya has a wing span of 7’9″. That is a CRAZY wingspan for a guy that is 6’8″. I think the rule of thumb is that the wingspan is NORMALLY the same as one’s height. His is over a foot longer than his height!

    I can only imagine the insane shot blocker this guy would be for us!!!

    http://packinsider.com/2012/10/wolfpack-basketball-recruiting-roundup-1031

  6. rtpack24 10/31/2012 at 2:17 PM #

    Anya has lost 30 lbs since last year and has a tremedous upside. He has a great wing span and a 9’3″ reach. Our staff has done a super job in recruiting him. This is great by opening up pipeline to DeMatha again. Indiana pulled his offer after they got word he was going to State, just like Duke with Purvis and UNC with Warren. Once again this staff has not only worked extremely hard but has produced. This should also help us with Randle in the spring.

  7. Pack Leader 10/31/2012 at 2:18 PM #

    “From the few youtube clips I’ve seen he is a major shot blocker and dunking machine.”

    Not to be a dick, but youtube could make me seem like an AAU allstar… tough to really get a feel for his live game.

  8. STLPack01 10/31/2012 at 2:18 PM #

    He doesn’t look fat like Johnson from Miami, but he is big. Scouting reports say that weight and conditioning are an issue, but if Rich Howell taught us anything it is that Gott can handle that. His offense is raw, but there’s great potential. He has a 7’4″ wingspan and is a committed post player. Think a bigger version of Rich who will stay down low. A rebounding and shot blocking machine.

  9. primacyone 10/31/2012 at 2:21 PM #

    I’d say he’s a combination of Reggie Johnson (Miami) and John Hensen. Reggie is definetly larger – I belive he is around 300 lbs and also listed at 6’9″ Reggie has more of a finesse game IMO. Anya is more of you better get that chit out of here and don’t come back and agressive slammer. Also according to limited tape I’ve seen, he seems to have a very nice and very quick close range jump hook. He’s just a super fit for what we need to anchor the paint.

    On a side note: U*NC has just announced they are no longer recruiting Troy Williams and have pulled his offer….

  10. Pack Leader 10/31/2012 at 2:23 PM #

    Good stuff, no doubt Gott cant wait to get him in a conditioning program. 7’4″ wingspan is out of this world!!!

  11. 808WOLF 10/31/2012 at 2:24 PM #

    Reggie Johnson is the name you’re looking for. And if we’d had coach Gott when Reggie came out of HS in Winston, I’d bet he’d be running with the pack.

  12. 808WOLF 10/31/2012 at 2:26 PM #

    And he’s 6’10” 290

  13. motorhead 10/31/2012 at 2:27 PM #

    I haven’t really followed the Randle situation much, since he isn’t deciding til spring. How does getting Anya help us with Randle?

  14. 1.21 Jigawatts 10/31/2012 at 2:27 PM #

    “I read on another blog that Anya has a wing span of 7’9″. That is a CRAZY wingspan for a guy that is 6’8″”
    “He has a great wing span and a 9’3″ reach.”
    “His offense is raw, but there’s great potential. He has a 7’4″ wingspan and is a committed post player.”

    I’m 5’11” and have a 12’3.5″ wing-span. Sure I look like an orangutan and I drag my hands on the floor 2 feet behind me but you should see me blocking shots on the court.

  15. Packfan28 10/31/2012 at 2:28 PM #

    Beejay’s biggest asset for us will be his interior defense. With an unheard of wingspan of 7′ 9″, he is going to be a shot blocking and rebounding machine. The kid is athletic, and he will be a major pickup for us.

  16. TruthBKnown Returns 10/31/2012 at 2:30 PM #

    I’ve seen his height listed at 6’8″, 6’9″ and now 6’10”.

    I’ve seen his wingspan listed at 7’9″ and 7’4″.

    Take the smallest of those numbers, and he still sounds like a great shot-blocker and dunker waiting to happen!

  17. charger17 10/31/2012 at 2:45 PM #

    What kind of impact could having Anya in practice have on really developing Vandenberg? I still think having real depth in the front court could make us a much more challenging team. Exciting times!

  18. LifeLongWolf 10/31/2012 at 3:11 PM #

    Not sure if “Done Deal” or “NC State $hit”.

    I’ll believe it when it’s official.

  19. JeremyH 10/31/2012 at 3:12 PM #

    this is great if it goes through. I was beginning to wonder who would be our post player replacement for Richard Howell (like Howell was our replacement for Tracy Smith), although it looks like Anya is uniquely a Howell/Grundy hybrid.

  20. StateFans 10/31/2012 at 3:12 PM #

    motorhead,

    Getting Anya doesn’t necessarily ‘help’ us with Randle in any way other than the fact that we clearly will be that much better and therefore be better positioned to be nationally strong (which can’t hurt).

    What I didn’t say well was that the combination of getting Anya and NOT getting Woodson gives us a perfect scholarship spot that we could use for Randle – both because of his position and his projection as a one-and-doner.

    If Woodson would’ve committed then I think we were in the position to have to accept it and still hope to get Anya. That wouldn’t been too much on the front line. I just like this ‘spacing’ and set up better for our chances at Randle.

  21. motorhead 10/31/2012 at 3:15 PM #

    Good info Statefan. Thanks.

  22. old13 10/31/2012 at 3:20 PM #

    Also PI reports that Julius Randle is down to NCSU and Texas! Could it happen!

  23. TruthBKnown Returns 10/31/2012 at 3:24 PM #

    old13, PI is reporting that Randle is down to six schools.

    “So Randle is now publicly down to 6 schools: Kentucky, NC State, Florida, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma.”

    But they go on to say that they are also hearing that Texas and NC State are the two “strongest schools” in his recruitment. And they go on to make the case for why he could very likely end up at State.

    But officially there are still six schools on his list.

  24. motorhead 10/31/2012 at 3:27 PM #

    Well we know where Randle ISN’T going……

  25. Prowling Woofie 10/31/2012 at 3:31 PM #

    Anya’s a Center, Randle is a PF… If we’ve got enough Bigs to play the post (Vandy, Washington, Anya…) then Randle may feel more comfortable coming to play with his boy, Purvis, knowing that he’s not going to be asked to play the 5 spot.

    Maybe !?!?!?

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