By Mitch Abramson
Christ the King's Larry Davis, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard, announced Monday during a press conference at Christ the King that he intends on playing for North Carolina State in 2006.As he treats most situations concerning basketball, the process of choosing a school was apparently effortless for Davis. Davis, the TimesLedger CHSAA Player of the year, visited N.C State over the weekend and stayed with freshman Gavin Grant, a former standout at St. Raymond's who touted the school's warm weather and the coaching staff and expressed the opportunity to learn both on the court and in the classroom. Last season marked the fourth consecutive year NC State qualified for the NCAA tournament. The Wolfpack reached the Round of 16, and runs a version of the Princeton offense which relies on jump shooting and moving without the ball, two of Davis' strengths. Davis averaged 13.9 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists a game last season for the Royals, and he was at his best in crunch time when most of his opponents were straining to maintain their composure. He scored 13 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter during a come-from-behind overtime victory over nationally-ranked Rice, and his relaxed demeanor usually set the tone for his teammates.Davis planned to visit Pittsburgh and Villanova but cancelled those trips following his visit to NC State. The school's associate head coach Larry Harris was recently named one of the top recruiters in the country by Rivals.com, and he has been instrumental in filling the Wolfpack's roster with blue-chip talent.At Monday's press conference, Davis slipped on a red NC State hat and said he made the decision early so he can focus on playing his senior year. Akeem Gooding, Christ the King's athletic forward, declared that he will attend Quinnipiac College in the fall. The Bobcats finished 10-17 last season, 6-12 in the Northeast conference. Gooding expressed dismay following the high school season that he wasn't being recruited by more schools, but he was adamant that prep school was not an option.
