Heels, Deacs add to classes

Harrison Barnes will leave Iowa's cornfields for Tobacco Road to play basketball at North Carolina.

Barnes, a 6-6 small forward from Ames, generally considered the top senior in the country, signed a binding national letter of intent with North Carolina yesterday afternoon at his high school and announced his decision live on ESPNU.

He also considered Duke, Kansas, UCLA, Oklahoma and Iowa State. Placards bearing the logos of all six schools were on a table in front of him, and he moved to a lectern to make the announcement after praising each program.

Also yesterday, Coach Dino Gaudio of Wake Forest completed his class by signing Tony Chennault, a 6-1 guard from Philadelphia, and Melvin Tabb, a 6-8 forward from Raleigh's Enloe High.

In Iowa, Barnes used a laptop computer to call Coach Roy Williams of North Carolina and to establish a video connection. Williams' face then appeared on a screen to Barnes' left.

"Well Coach, I know that you're in practice right now, and I need to get going on signing my letter of intent here, but I want to let you know that I'll be joining you guys next year on the squad, and I can't wait to play with all you guys," Barnes said.

Williams had a two-word response: "All right."

Barnes, considered a player of rare ability by recruiting analysts, averaged 19.7 points and 8.8 rebounds as a junior last season and shot 60 percent from the field in leading Ames High to a 26-0 record and a Class 4-A state championship.

He said in an interview on ESPNU after the announcement that he feels he will fit in comfortably and quickly.

"I would say they play a very up-and-down tempo, and that's something I like to do," Barnes said. "I hope I can come in there and add my contributions and hopefully help us win a national championship."

He also said he's looking forward to playing in the rivalry with Duke, one of his strongest suitors.

"It will be one of the greatest feelings to be able to play in front of the Cameron Crazies," Barnes said. "I've been (there), and I've seen the North Carolina rivalry. I think it will be absolutely great."

Dave Telep, the national basketball recruiting director for Scout.com, ranks Barnes the No. 1 senior in the country and projects that he will have an immediate and substantial impact as a freshman.

"You take Harrison, and you insert him into your program, at the level he's being recruited at, and you're going from Final Four contender to national- championship contender," Telep said.

Telep said that two things stand out for him when rating Barnes as a college prospect. One is when Barnes stopped playing offseason games last summer to work on his game before competing in an international tournament.

"Most kids wouldn't have the courage or conviction to take themselves out of the spotlight to work on their game," Telep said. "He did."

The other was at the tournament, after Barnes' team lost. Upset by the outcome, Barnes erupted for about 50 points in his next game.

"He has really an entire package," Telep said. "His competitive edge is as sharp as anybody's. He's turned himself into a guy who can play behind the (3-point shooting) line and inside the line.

Analyst Bob Gibbons of All Star Sports in Lenoir ranks Barnes No. 2 in the nation and compares him to Paul Pierce, who played for Williams at Kansas.

"He has an all-around game," Gibbons said. "He can score in a variety of ways, inside or outside. He plays good team ball. He's not one of these kids who's on an ego trip. He's just a very complete, advanced high-school player."

Gibbons said that Barnes' addition will give the Tar Heels the top recruiting class in the nation for now, but that the ranking could change depending on where other top players go. UNC also has signed point guard Kendall Marshall and shooting guard Reggie Bullock.

At Wake Forest, the signing of Chennault and Tabb yesterday rounded out one of the most heralded classes in Wake Forest history, one ranked in the Top 10 by many recruiting analysts.

Chennault averaged 16 points a game last year for a Neumann-Goretti High School team that finished 26-3 overall. He chose Wake Forest over offers from Pittsburgh, Providence, St. Joe's, Villanova and Virginia.

"Tony is a typical Philly point guard--he's incredibly competitive, a very good leader and simply put, a winner," said Gaudio. "Tony has a chance to add to the long line of great point guards at Wake Forest."

Tabb averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds for Enloe High School, which finished 28-3 overall.

"Melvin is a strong, physical forward who can contribute in a variety of ways to our program," said Gaudio. "Melvin can score inside, as well as off the dribble, and he is a terrific defender."

The three who signed on Thursday were 6-3 guard J.T. Terrell of Charlotte, 6-7 Travis McKie of Richmond and 6-10 Carson Derosiers of Lawrence, Mass.

"We are very pleased with our 2010 recruiting class," said Gaudio. "All five of these young men are good students and high-character individuals who will fit in very well on the Wake Forest campus and on our basketball team."