5 recruits plan to visit Midnight with the Heels

UNC sources have confirmed that five prep basketball standouts are planning to attend "Midnight with the Tar Heels," the Oct. 11-12 event that tips off practice for the Carolina men’s basketball team.

Brian Johnson, a 6-9 junior forward/center who is arguably UNC’s most important target from the class of 2004, has said he will attend. Johnson spent some of his younger years growing up in Laurinburg, N.C., but now lives in Glenarden, Md., and plays at Alexandria (Va.) Bishop O’Connell. He is rated the No. 11 player in the class of 2004 by RivalsHoops.com.

Also attending will be Mohamed Tangara, a 6-10 junior center from Durham Mt. Zion ranked the 15th-best player in the 2004 class by RivalsHoops.com; Julius Powell, a 6-7 sophomore forward from Newton-Conover; and a pair of players from Greensboro Dudley, 6-5 freshman William Graves and 6-8 sophomore Kevin Swinton.

UNC verbal commitments Reyshawn Terry (Class of 2003) and JamesOn Curry (Class of 2004) will not be able to attend Midnight with the Tar Heels because they are both taking the SAT the following morning, Oct. 12.

The event, which begins this Friday at Carmichael Auditorium, will be hosted for the second year in a row by Carolina alumnus and ESPN anchor Stuart Scott. Former Tar Heel point guards Jimmy Black and Dick Grubar will serve as guest coaches.

Black was the senior leader on Carolina’s 1982 NCAA champions and was a teammate of UNC head coach Matt Doherty. Grubar was the starting point guard on UNC teams that won three straight ACC regular-season and tournament championships, won three NCAA East Regional titles and played in NCAA Final Fours from 1967-69.

Carmichael’s doors will open at 6:30 p.m. The evening starts with the 11th-ranked UNC volleyball team taking on Wake Forest at 7:30. Midnight with the Tar Heels activities will begin at 11 o’clock.

All seats are general admission. The first 300 in attendance will receive

free tickets to the Nov. 2 Blue-White men’s basketball game. Parking for the midnight practice is available at the Smith Center, Boshamer Stadium, Ramshead and the Highway 54 visitors lots.