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UNLV Recruiting Notebook: Gorman’s Carter to decide in “a week or so”

Carter to choose between UNLV, Oregon and Utah; Allen to visit UNC, Johnson picks Washington State

practice basketball - do not post gallery

Sam Morris

UNLV recruit Ben Carter watches the Rebels practice at the Thomas & Mack Center during his official visit to campus Thursday, October 20, 2011.

Updated Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2011 | 11:40 a.m.

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For Bishop Gorman's Ben Carter, the official visits are all now, well, officially done.

The 6-foot-8 senior forward wrapped up his 48-hour trip down the road to UNLV on Friday afternoon, then wanted some time to clear his head before deciding between his hometown school, Oregon and Utah.

According to Gorman coach Grant Rice, Carter will wait "a week or so" before making his choice known.

All three options have clear strengths for Carter, who Rivals.com ranks as the No. 129 overall prospect in the 2012 class.

At UNLV, Carter would play for the coach who offered him his first college scholarship. Rebels first-year coach Dave Rice extended one to Carter following a team camp at BYU before his sophomore season at Gorman, when he hadn't yet played a minute of varsity basketball. With the Rebels, he'd be a true power forward within Rice's uptempo offensive system, giving him a chance to face up, use his mid-range shot or put the ball on the floor, and also continue to be a dangerous back-to-the-basket threat.

Utah not only has the prestige of its new membership in the Pac-12 conference to boast, but in Salt Lake City, Carter could have the chance to be a part of an exciting rebuilding process under new head coach Larry Krystkowiak. His staff has already started to put together a strong 2012 class, headlined by a local product in 6-foot-6 wing Jordan Loveridge.

Oregon is appealing not only because it is a rising power in the Pac-12 under second-year coach Dana Altman, but going to Eugene would afford Carter the luxury of playing in a swank new arena alongside close friend and former Gorman teammate Johnathan Loyd.

UNLV's three current commits in the 2012 class are Baltimore combo guard Daquan Cook, California point guard Katin Reinhardt and Gorman power forward Demetris Morant. The Rebels still have two open scholarships remaining. Cook took his official visit to campus this past weekend.

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Bishop Gorman's Rosco Allen.

Allen to take final visit to North Carolina

Gorman's other 6-foot-8 forward — Rosco Allen — will take the last of his four official visits to North Carolina this weekend.

Allen, an explosive wing ranked by Rivals.com com as the 2012 class's No. 73 overall prospect, already took official visits to UNLV, Stanford and Oregon. There is no specific timeline on a decision for Allen, but he has made it clear several times that he intends on signing with a school next month.

(UPDATE:) Allen cancelled his visit to North Carolina on Wednesday morning. The Tar Heels are now out of scholarships to give in the 2012 class following a commitment from Brice Johnson, a 6-foot-9 forward who Rivals ranks as the class's No. 49 overall prospect.

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Westwind Prep's Demarquise Johnson.

Johnson chooses Washington State

Over the weekend, UNLV saw one of its top wing targets in the 2012 senior class fall off of the radar for good.

Demarquise Johnson, a 6-foot-5 do-it-all shooting guard from Westwind Prep in Arizona, chose Washington State over UNLV, Washington and Gonzaga. Johnson told the Seattle Times that Washington finished second in his recruitment.

Johnson, ranked 77th in his class by Rivals.com, joins Westwind teammate Richard Peters as a Cougar commit. Peters did so on Oct. 5.

Heading to Washington State, Johnson has a chance to play a major role right away for a Pac-12 team. UNLV had recruited Johnson ever since Rice and his staff first arrived last spring, and the efforts have been strong throughout. Even though UNLV missed out on Johnson, the Rebels will still be strong on the wing next season, especially with the addition of highly-touted USC transfer Bryce Jones, who is redshirting this season per NCAA rules.

UNLV's top target in terms of wing scorers in the 2012 class is still Gorman's Shabazz Muhammad — the unanimous top player in the nation in the current senior class. Muhammad will not choose a school until this spring.

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