Winterville Wonder
It's often that UNC recruitniks get to follow top in-state basketball prospects in the major North Carolina cities.
Plenty of prep stars have come from the Charlotte area. Lots of them have come from Raleigh or Durham. More than a fair share have been recruited out Greensboro, Wilmington and Winston-Salem. Fayetteville, Wilson and Asheville have produced a handful of big timers.
Then there's Winterville, a small town just south of Greenville on the eastern part of the state. And there's a young sophomore power forward at South Central High named Day'Ron Sharpe, and his name is gaining traction with college coaches and scouts as one of the top 2020 prospects in the state.
THI spoke to the 6-foot-9 sophomore, who is just 16-years old, who boasts an impressive 4.0 GPA.
Our first question? We asked him to describe his own game, with his own words.
"Well I’m a good rebounder, rim protector. I finish around the basket, and I'm a good passer. I can hit the mid-range jumper."
Despite being a sophomore, several college programs are already following him to show interest. North Carolina, NC State and Clemson were three that he mentioned.
"There are other schools," he added. "But I haven’t really have the chance to interact with them."
He did tell THI, however, that he has had multiple viewings by the staff in Chapel Hill. And he's already visited unofficially as well.
"Well I visited (UNC) and talked to Coach (Roy) Williams, and they had came to see me play three times. They are bringing me back there to see a game."
His first visit to North Carolina was last summer, he told THI.
"They really just told me that they want to see me get more of my points with the ball. And not just from rebounds. (Williams) talked to me about what he looks for in a player. How important grades are. What comes after basketball. That he would never lie to me. And that before he offers any player, he has to see what a player can do with his own eyes."
Sharpe admits that he's enamored with the attention from the defending National Champs. And he clearly sees the value of the program.
"I am UNC fan by the way," he noted. "I think their basketball program is very good. One of the best in the nation. Their program has a lot of passion when it comes to basketball."
The sophomore is off to a great start for South Central averaging just under 15 points, 10 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per contest.