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March 28, 2024

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UNLV Recruiting Notebook: Updates on Johnson, Allen and Carter

Dave Rice in Phoenix Tuesday for in-home visit with 2012 wing Demarquise Johnson, who will visit UNLV next weekend

Bishop Gorman Workout

Steve Marcus

Bishop Gorman juniors Ben Carter, left, and Rosco Allen work on a dribbling drill during an open workout at Bishop Gorman High School Thursday, Sept. 9, 2010.

Click to enlarge photo

Westwind Prep's Demarquise Johnson.

UNLV's quest for a top-notch scoring wing in the 2012 recruiting class brought first-year head coach Dave Rice to Phoenix Tuesday afternoon, where he's having an in-home visit with Westwind Prep's Demarquise Johnson.

Johnson, a dynamic 6-foot-5 guard/forward originally from Detroit, took an unofficial visit to UNLV in early August and is scheduled to be back for his weekend-long official visit beginning Oct. 7.

The Rebels appear to be one of four finalists for Johnson, who has already taken official visits to Gonzaga, Washington State and Washington. He was in Seattle checking out what the Huskies had to offer last weekend, but left without giving a commitment to Lorenzo Romar and his staff.

Missouri was also in the mix for Johnson for a while, but dropped off of the radar in the last few weeks.

Johnson has long been a top target of UNLV associate head coach Justin Hutson, who began recruiting him hard while still working as an assistant at San Diego State.

Rosco Allen still exploring options

Bishop Gorman 6-foot-9 senior wing Rosco Allen and his family will welcome two more visitors into their home this week as they continue to weigh their options before national signing day arrives in November.

Oregon head coach Dana Altman and assistant coach Brian Fish will visit the Allens at home Wednesday night. They'll then host Rosco on an official weekend visit beginning with their Midnight Madness event on Oct. 14 in Eugene.

Also in town this week for an in-home visit with the family will be North Carolina head coach Roy Williams and assistant coach Jerod Hasse.

According to Rosco's father, Daniel Allen, he's planning on taking an official visit this fall to Chapel Hill, though a date has yet to be set.

He took official visits to Stanford and UNLV earlier this month, and is still being aggressively pursued by both coaching staffs.

Ben Carter sets up three official visits

Allen's Gorman teammate and front court partner, 6-foot-8 forward Ben Carter, has kept his recruitment relatively quiet of late, but he also appears to be closer to making his own decision.

Carter has three official visits set up in the coming weeks — Utah, Oregon and UNLV.

He'll visit Utah this weekend, followed by a trip to visit Oregon next weekend. Along with UNLV, Oregon has been one of the most aggressive suitors in Carter's recruitment, and he would fit nicely there alongside friend and former Gorman teammate Johnathan Loyd, who started 16 games at point guard for the Ducks as a freshman last season.

Carter's last planned official visit, for the time being, is with UNLV, coming a week after his trip to Oregon. It will overlap with the Rebels' own season tip-off event on Friday, Oct. 14.

As far as Allen and Carter together are concerned, it does not appear that the two are looking to be a 'package deal' for any of their potential schools. At the same time, the two close friends are not dead set on having to play at different schools, but their recruitments are not tied together.

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