Strickland on His Decision

Dexter Strickland is headed to North Carolina.

As reported here earlier today, the 6-3, 180-pound junior point guard out of St. Patrick of Elizabeth announced Sunday that he'll play for North Carolina, choosing that storied program over Michigan State and Florida. Strickland made the announcement at the Nike Super Six Invitational at Madison Square Garden and with Carolina coach Roy Williams in attendance for St. Patrick's 64-56 victory over St. Raymond in which Strickland scored 11 points.

"I just think it was a great fit for me," Strickland, the No. 3 point guard in the Class of 2009, said after putting on a powder blue Tar Heels baseball cap and hooded sweatshirt. "I think all the schools are great, but there is just something special about North Carolina. I felt at home when I went up there. The players were great, the coaching staff, good history. I just felt that that was home."

"I love him," said Don Showalter, chair of the USA Men's Basketball Junior Development Committee. "I've seen him quite a bit. He was at our USA (Basketball Youth) Festival (last summer) and I thought he was probably one of the better point guards there. He can go as far as he wants to go, and he's so coachable."

Strickland joins St. Patrick teammate Quintrell Thomas (left) as teammates headed to Division I powers. Carolina is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation and Thomas, a senior forward, committed to No. 3 Kansas earlier this year. St. Patrick also has a freshman, Jeff Robinson, at No. 2 Memphis, as well as another freshman, Corey Fisher, at Villanova.

"I think I've been to enough schools to pick out the right one, so I don't regret my decision at all," Strickland said of his decision to commit as a junior. "I was thinking about Michigan State and Florida, they're also good schools."

Strickland said he made the decision about two weeks ago, but called the coaches from Michigan State and Florida Saturday night.

He was sold on Carolina after visiting the school with his family in in a large RV in early November.

"He had a great visit," his AAU coach, Lamont Halsey, said then.

During the visit, Strickland watched a basketball practice as well as the North Carolina football game against Maryland, won by the Tar Heels, 16-13.

Strickland becomes the fifth commit for UNC in recent days, joining 6-9 junior twins Travis and David Wear of Santa Ana, Calif., both forwards; 6-10 junior PF John Henson of Round Rock, Texas; and 6-5 sophomore SF Reggie Bullock of Kinston, NC. The Heels also have a commitment from 6-1 sophomore PG Kendall Marshall of Arlington, Va.

"The big guys are 6-10, so that will be good for us," Strickland said of the Wear twins.

Asked if St. Anthony combo guard Dominic Cheek would follow him to Carolina, Strickland said, "There's rumors going around that he likes Villanova a lot, but I haven't called him yet. Hopefully he comes to North Carolina, that would be good."

St. Patrick coach Kevin Boyle said he thought Strickland "could be a combo guard" at Carolina.

"I think early he'll probably be an off guard, but they'll work him at that position," Boyle said. "Maybe he'll be a two and a backup one, but I think it will be a good system for him because there's a lot of other good players. I think he continues to need to play in a system.

"I think that's how he's a pro, if he becomes a Rip Hamilton, screening to get open, using screens to get jump shots, feeding the post.

"He's got to work on finishing with his left. I think he's got to work on if he gets the ball on a long rebound, he...needs to come right at your face and attack."

Boyle added that he thought Carolina would be a great fit for Strickland because he is a team player.

"One of the reasons I really like North Carolina for him is because he's become a really team player, really unselfish," Boyle said. "And Dexter and the rest of the team really don't care who care who scores, they just want to win. And today it was more going to 'Q', and (Strickland) not getting all the opportunities. I think our team really plays unselfish, and I think North Carolina plays that way.

"I think they play the right way."