Once thought as a South Carolina visitor, five-star forward has change of plans

When highly touted basketball prospect Wendell Moore trimmed his recruiting list to five schools in May, one program was not like the others.

Moore is a five-star forward in the 2019 class who attends Cox Mill High School in Concord, North Carolina. Three months ago, he announced he would be choosing between Duke, UNC, N.C. State, Wake Forest – and South Carolina. The Gamecocks were the lone member of that group to not play home games in the Tar Heel State.

As it turns out, Moore won’t be crossing state lines for college. Not even for a visit.

Cox Mill coach Jody Barbee has told The State that Moore will only take four officials visits this fall. A previously scheduled trip to USC for the Gamecocks-Georgia football game on Sept. 8 has been canceled. Moore is reportedly visiting N.C. State this weekend, Duke on Sept. 22, Wake Forest on Sept. 29 and UNC on Oct. 12-14.

The Gamecocks had been courting Moore for a while. Both head coach Frank Martin and assistant Perry Clark watched Moore in December during the Chick-fil-A Classic in Columbia. Martin then watched Moore at least twice this summer – in Argentina at the FIBA World Cup and in North Augusta at Peach Jam.

The Gamecocks will have at least three open scholarships after the 2018-19 season. Hartsville’s Trae Hannibal is their lone commitment in the ‘19 class. The Big Spur reported this week that Myles Tate plans to take an unofficial visit to USC this weekend for the Coastal Carolina game, and P.J. Hall will do the same next weekend for the Georgia game. Tate and Hall, both of Dorman High School, are considered the state’s top prospects in the 2020 class.