N.C. State’s DJ Horne, Virginia Tech’s Hunter Cattoor highlight annual PIT
Virginia Tech’s all-time leader in 3-pointers and a guard who helped steer North Carolina State to its first Final Four in more than 40 years are among the basketball players who have committed to play in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament this week.
The 70th annual PIT, a showcase of aspiring pro basketball players, features eight teams and runs Wednesday through Saturday at Churchland High School.
Hunter Cattoor, a 6-foot-3 guard, finished his career in Blacksburg with 332 3-pointers — more than any other Hokie in school history — and ranks seventh all-time in the ACC in career 3s. Cattoor scored more than 1,500 career points and this season averaged 13.5 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.
N.C. State’s DJ Horne, a 6-2 guard who grew up in Raleigh, transferred from Arizona State to play for his hometown Wolfpack during his final collegiate season. He helped spur N.C. State’s improbable postseason run, first to the ACC Tournament championship and then to the Final Four. Horne was N.C. State’s leading scorer this season at 16.9 points per game and also averaged 3.5 rebounds.
Among the other notable standouts from the recent NCAA Tournament on PIT rosters: Oregon’s Jermaine Cousinard, Alabama’s Aaron Estrada and Tennessee’s Santiago Vescovi.
Cousinard scored a career-high 40 points in a first-round NCAA Tournament victory over South Carolina — his former team — and finished his final season with the Ducks averaging a career-high 16.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
Estrada helped Alabama reach the Final Four and was the Crimson Tide’s second-leading scorer at 13.3 points per game.
Vescovi was part of a Tennessee team that reached the Elite Eight, and he averaged 6.3 points and 3.7 rebounds.
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Portsmouth Invitational Tournament rosters
Jani-King
Coaches: Mike Holland, Roland Ross, Cynthia Cooper.
Players: Tolu Smith III, Mississippi State; Enaruna Tristan, Cleveland State; Kevin Cross, Tulane; Keylan Boone, UNLV; Allen Flanigan, Mississippi; Hunter Cattoor, Virginia Tech; AJ Hoggard Jr., Michigan State; Xavier Johnson, Southern Illinois.
K&D Rounds Landscape Services
Coaches: Jim Markey, Chris Fuhrmann, Walker Russell.
Players: Jamiario Sharp, Mississippi; Donta Scott, Maryland; TJ Bickerstaff, James Madison; Clarence Daniels, New Hampshire; Alex Ducas, Saint Mary’s; RaeQuan Battle, West Virginia; Sam Griffin, Wyoming; Jahvon Quinerly, Memphis.
Mike Duman Auto Sales
Coaches: Jeremy Jordan, Walter Westbrook, Elijah Burns.
Players: Tyrese Samuel, Florida; Isaiah Cozart, Eastern Kentucky; Quincy Guerrier, Illinois; Jamison Battle, Ohio State; Jarod Lucas, Nevada; Santiago Vescovi, Tennessee; Daniss Jenkins, St. John’s; Eric Gaines, UAB.
Norfolk Sports Club
Coaches: Mike Head, Jim Corrigan and AJ Guyton
Players: Will Baker, LSU; Isaac Jones, Washington State; Eric Dixon, Villanova; Kyle Rode, Liberty; Isaiah Crawford, Louisiana Tech; Quincy Olivari, Xavier; RayJ Dennis, Baylor; Tyson Walker, Michigan State.
Portsmouth Partnership
Coaches: Evan Kee, Erik Johnson, Chris Lofton.
Players: Jesse Edwards, West Virginia; Max Fiedler, Rice; Malevy Leons, Bradley; Ali Ali, Akron; Marcus Domask, Missouri; Ta’Lon Cooper, South Carolina; DJ Horne, N.C. State.
Portsmouth Sports Club
Coaches: Charles Thomas, Paul Hall, Jessica Breland.
Players: Joel Soriano, St. John’s; Tyler Wahl, Wisconsin; Drew Pember, UNC Ashville; Tyler Burton, Villanova; KJ Jones II, Emmanuel; Jermaine Couisnard, Oregon; Aaron Estrada, Alabama; Shahada Wells, McNeese State.
Roger Brown’s Restaurant
Coaches: Bill Mann, Junior Burrough, Joey Dorsey.
Players: Josh Oduro, Providence; Branden Carlson, Utah; Enrique Freeman, Akron; Jordan Wright, LSU; Tyler Robertson, Portland; Boogie Ellis, USC; Kenan Blackshear, Nevada; Jahmir Young, Maryland.
Sales Systems, Ltd.
Coaches: Kenneth Harris, PJ Honore, Lazeric Jones.
Players: Fardaws Aimaq, California; Kalib Boone, UNLV; Jaylin Williams, Auburn; Riley Minix, Morehead State; Vonterius Woolbright, Western Carolina; Tyrece Radford, Texas A&M; James Bishop IV, George Washington; Max Abmas, Texas.
Schedule
All games at Churchland High School
Wednesday: Jani-King vs. Portsmouth Sports Club, 7 p.m.; Mike Duman Auto Sales vs. Norfolk Sports Club, 9 p.m.
Thursday: Consolation, 3:15 p.m.; Sales Systems, Ltd. vs. Portsmouth Partnership, 7 p.m.; Roger Brown’s Restaurant vs. K&D Landscape Services, 9 p.m.
Friday: Consolation, 3:15 p.m.; Semifinal, 7 p.m.; Semifinal, 9 p.m.
Saturday: Consolations at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 5 p.m. Championship, 7 p.m.
