UNC Basketball: Earl Timberlake favoring this Carolina school?

The UNC basketball program continues to pursue Earl Timberlake, but is the 4-star prospect leaning toward another Carolina school?

The North Carolina Tar Heels are one of seven programs that 4-star prospect Earl Timberlake named to his list of finalists in late July. In addition to the Tar Heels, Alabama, Miami, Pittsburgh, Providence, Seton Hall and South Carolina made the cut for the top-30 class of 2020 prospect.

A 6-foot-6, 215-pound small forward out of Hyattsville, Maryland, Timberlake was holding on to 30 scholarship offers at the time of his announcement, and now he’s looking to make official visits before deciding on his college destination next fall. He already took trips to Providence and South Carolina during his junior season, and has visits scheduled with Pittsburgh, Miami and Alabama over the next month. He’s expected to use his two remaining official visits on North Carolina and Seton Hall.

With things potentially setting up for Timberlake to complete all of his visits by October or November, Rivals recruiting analyst Corey Evans believes that a decision could be coming some time before the calendar turns over to 2020.

"“There is a chance that he could complete all five of his official visits before November, which might lead to an early signing,” Evans writes. “Who he signs with is an entirely different story. Providence has been in the picture the longest, which is why he took his first official visit there last year. Miami is one to watch, thanks to the staff’s connections to the DMV region, and if there are two dark horses they would be Alabama and Pitt.The latest whispers that I have heard connect Timberlake to South Carolina. But for now, things remain uncertain. His five official visits should clear things up a whole lot before a possible signing later this year.”"

So, while Evans has no definitive information on what direction Timberlake is leaning, rumor has it that South Carolina could be in a good position with the talented wing out of DeMatha Catholic. It seems likely, though, that this is a recruiting battle that will be won during his string of official visits, and we should have a much better idea of where things stand once Timberlake finishes his visits in a few months.

Ranked No. 28 in the 2020 class according to the 247Sports Composite, Timberlake is the sixth-rated player at his position, and the No. 1 prospect from the state of Maryland. There are currently no predictions in his Crystal Ball, but look for that to change over the next month or so.

Stick with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on the Earl Timberlake recruitment, and everything UNC basketball.