Skeen visiting favorites, decision to follow

The state of North Carolina is home to some of the best college basketball in the country. And some of the game's best players reside within a small radius of each other in the Raleigh-Durham area. One of the state's best high school player isn't in the famous Triangle though. Jamie Skeen, a 6-foot-8, 215-pound forward from North Mecklenburg High School is doing his part to stake that claim this season. And he could be wrapping up his recruitment soon.

Skeen is averaging 21 points and 10.4 rebounds a game for North Mecklenburg head coach Duane Lewis. The Vikings are 19-1. The team's only loss came by the hands of Woodside High School from Virginia, featuring another top junior Stefon Welsh. Many believe Skeen has proven that he is one of the top players in North Carolina.

"With Jamie, it's no question," Lewis said. "He's by far the best player in North Carolina right now. I'm biased, but I think he really is. He's one of the most unselfish players, too. He has good guys around him and he's the guy that knows if he wants to win, he has to utilize them, too."

Coaches like the future for Skeen, who turned 16 in the late summer. They should. He's a combination forward with an improving perimeter game. According to Lewis, Skeen has knocked down a three in every game this season and is shooting 46 percent from downtown this year. While some schools are wondering what position he plays at the next level, there are two big timers that just want to put him on the floor as a player.

"Wake Forest has been the best one about that," Lewis said. "They say he's a player no matter what position he plays. Florida sees that, too. They both see him as a mismatch problem."

Both programs will have Skeen on their respective campuses soon, too. Skeen will be in Winston-Salem on Wednesday when Duke plays the Demon Deacons in a big time ACC battle. Then it's down to Gainesville when Kentucky comes to the swamp for a huge SEC showdown. Skeen was at Florida's Midnight Madness and he's been to Wake Forest before. Could the No. 93 ranked junior in the country pop soon?

"He loves Wake Forest and Florida," Lewis said. "Wake is definitely the leader right now. The head coaches have made Jamie a priority and that's important to him. I have to give a lot credit to Skip Prosser. He's been with Jamie since he was in the tenth grade."

Skeen will take the ACT for the first time on Feb. 12. Virginia Tech, Virginia and Miami are also in the picture.