QEA basketball showdown rescheduled for Saturday
BY CRAIG T. GREENLEE
FOR THE CHRONICLE
Quality Education Academy’s basketball showdown that was postponed by last weekend’s snowstorm is now on “go” again.
Word of God Christian Academy comes to town on Saturday to play QEA in a 7 p.m. contest. The game will feature a total of eight players on both teams who are acknowledged as college prospects.
The most anticipated match-up in this game involves a pair of shooting guards who are being heavily recruited by the big-time powerhouse programs.
In recent weeks, Deshawn Corprew of QEA has become a hot commodity in the eyes of recruiters. The 6-foot-5 senior averages 28.7 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists per game. Corprew’s list of suitors continues to grow. Such high-profile programs as Louisville, UCLA, Kansas, Texas and Florida State are targeting him.
Rawle Alkins of Word of God is a five-star recruit who was voted Player of the Year in New York City last season while playing for Christ the King. Alkins, also 6-foot-5, transferred to Word of God (located in Raleigh) for his senior season. Word of God is the same school that produced NBA All-Star John Wall of the Washington Wizards.
North Carolina, N.C. State, Kentucky, St. John’s and Kansas are believed to be among the schools on Alkins’ short list of possible college destinations.
Although the Corprew-Alkins match-up is an intriguing one, the final outcome of this game may not come down to these two players. QEA could have an edge because of post players Marsellis Purvis and Pape Ndiaye. Purvis, a dependable factor at both ends of the court, is getting his share of college looks, but hasn’t committed.
Ndiaye, a 6-foot-9 native of Senegal, is beginning to show signs of being fully recovered from a torn ACL that caused him to miss all of last season. Prior to his injury, Ndiaye had received offers from Oklahoma, Washington State, Mississippi State and UNC Charlotte.
Aside from Alkins, Word of God has four other players – Jalen Fornes, Brandon Huffman, Blake Harris and Jalen Harris – who have attracted a lot interest from the college scouts. Fornes, a shooting guard, has signed with UNC Wilmington.
