Thumbnail Sketches by Al Myatt

Number of known signees or commitments to date: 5

MOST RECENT UPDATES: 07.10.23 > Added thumbnail sketches on LSU transfer G CAM HAYES, Kansas transfer G BOBBY PETTIFORD & Gastonia (NC) Gaston Day School C CALLUM RICHARD

Note: Thumbnail sketches displayed in red font are for previously committed players whose recruiting statuses have changed.

TA’KORRIE FAISON (6-6, 220) F, Goldsboro High School … Faison entered the NCHSAA 2-A playoffs with a 24.8 scoring average for the Cougars (24-2), the No. 2 seed in the East bracket. … His senior numbers also include 59 percent field goal shooting, 12.7 rebounds per game, 2.3 assists, 2.7 blocks and 36 percent 3-point shooting. … East Carolina coach Mike Schwartz and his staff attended a Goldsboro game, Faison made a campus visit and committed to the Pirates shortly after an offer on Jan. 26. … He is eligible to sign with ECU on April 12. … Alabama State made an offer on Jan. 11. … Goldsboro’s regular season losses were to 3-A Westover (72-65, Dec. 17) and Farmville, the No.1 seed in the East 2-A bracket (77-69, Jan. 7). … Faison had 26 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks against the Jaguars. (Image source: 247sports.com)

CAM HAYES (6-2, 185) G, LSU … Hayes has averaged 7.6 points in two seasons at N.C. State and last year at LSU. … He played on the high school level at Greensboro Day School. … Regarded as a pass first point guard, Hayes averaged 2.2 assists in 23 minutes per game for the Tigers. … He scored 25 points twice last season in games with Winthrop and South Carolina. … Had six assists vs. Wake Forest. … Hayes made 27 starts in two seasons at N.C. State. … Will help East Carolina deal with the departure of Javon Small to Oklahoma State. … Transferred to ECU on April 25. … Hitting 31 percent from beyond the arc for his college career as well as 77 percent from the line. … Helped Greensboro Day to a 31-5 record as a senior as the Bengals were topped, 75-64, by eventual champion Cannon in the NCISAA 4-A semifinals. (Image source: 247sports.com)

CYR MALONGA (6-11, 205), C, Evangel Christian School, Louisville, KY … Malonga received an offer from East Carolina on July 25, committed to the Pirates on Sept. 12 and signed a letter of intent with ECU on Nov. 9. … A native of the Republic of Congo, Malonga received offers that included Cincinnati, Georgia, Illinois, Mississippi State, Seton Hall and Texas … Malonga visited ECU the weekend of Sept. 3. … He has shot-blocking ability and is expected to develop offensively with only three years of playing experience after focusing on soccer in his younger days. … He is rated a 3-star prospect and the No. 3 player in Kentucky in the Class of 2023. … He is ECU’s first commit and signee for Coach Michael Schwartz’s second incoming class. (Image source: 247sports.com)

BOBBY PETTIFORD (6-1, 175), G, Kansas … Pettiford played at South Granville on the high school level. … He initially signed with Louisville in November of 2020 before decommitting the following March. … He also had offers from East Carolina, Maryland, Ole Miss, Providence and UNC Wilmington. … Pettiford made unofficial visits to ECU in January and February of 2019. … Wore No. 0 in his freshman and sophomore seasons at Kansas. … Injuries limited his career with the Jayhawks. … Entered the transfer portal on March 22 and signed with the Pirates on April 10. … Made the academic All-Big 12 first team in 2023. … All-time leader in points (1,944), assists (230) and steals (95) at South Granville. … Had 29 points in a 99-81 NCHSAA 2-A second round playoff loss to eventual champion Farmville Central as a senior in 2020-21.  … Saw action in 46 games at Kansas, including 32 last season, hitting 53 percent of his field goal attempts as a sophomore. (Image source: 247sports.com)

CALLUM RICHARD (6-11, 228) C, Gaston Day School, Gastonia … Richard selected East Carolina over offers from East Tennessee State, Gardner-Webb, High Point, Marshall, Mercer, South Florida and UNC-Asheville. … He visited ECU on April 22, committed on April 24 and signed on May 5.  … Richard helped Gaston Day to an 18-10 record in his senior season in 2022-23. … The Spartans were topped, 53-49, in the North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association 2-A semifinals by eventual champion, The Biurlington School. …  Richard averaged 15.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game, and was selected to the NCISAA 2-A All-State team as a senior. … He is regarded as more on an offensive threat in the low post than Cyr Malonga, an incoming freshman post player, whose projected strength is on the defensive end. (Image source: 247sports.com)

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