UNC Basketball eyes two blue chip sophomores for Class of 2026
Representatives from the UNC Basketball program recently took a trip to scout two high school sophomore phenoms in nearby Reidsville.
Coach Hubert Davis and the UNC Basketball program got an early jump on recruiting for the Class of 2026 as the new year dawned. On Friday, Davis had some of his coaches travel to Reidsville, an hour northwest of Chapel Hill, to scout a pair of high-profile sophomores.
Patrick O'Brien of Phenom Hoops Report revealed that some of North Carolina's coaches visited Reidsville High to check out power forward Kendre Harrison and point guard Dionte Neal, who helped lead the Rams to the North Carolina 2A state title game last season.
According to @RamsBballhoops, North Carolina was in town today to check out two incredible sophomores. They checked in for 2026 Kendre Harrison, and were able to view 2026 Dionte Neal.
— Patrick O'Brien (@POBScout) January 4, 2024
Two of the top players in NC for 2026 and WINNERS! #PhenomHoops https://t.co/pkSd1P2RCg pic.twitter.com/To9tLgj4kl
Reidsville head coach Jason Ross was very pleased to see North Carolina take notice of Harrison and Neal. It turns out that the Tar Heels are the latest to express interest in them. Both Harrison and Neal are two-sport stars. They helped lead the Rams to the 2A football title game in the fall of 2022 before leading the basketball team to the 2023 title game.
Harrison is being scouted out by the UNC Football program as well. A two-way player at tight end and defensive end, he has football scholarship offers from Alabama, South Carolina, Southern California, Michigan, and Florida, among others. In basketball, he has offers from Florida State and Wake Forest.
Neal plays wide receiver and cornerback in football, and was a first-team defensive back on the first-ever North Carolina sportswriters' all-state team. In basketball, he has offers from North Carolina A&T, College of Charleston, High Point, and Hampton.
It turns out that Neal and Harrison are cousins; their uncle is former NC State great C. C. Harrison. Neal told WFMY-TV in Greensboro that he and Harrison have incredible chemistry from "growing up together and playing in the rec leagues." That chemistry seems to have rubbed off on both the Rams football and basketball teams. Will we get a chance to see that same chemistry for UNC Basketball and UNC Football? We'll have to see.
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