Mullins’ Felton commits to North Carolina during Beach Ball Classic

Simply putting his name among some of the best scorers in the history of the Beach Ball Classic wasn’t enough for Jalek Felton.

The Mullins sophomore verbally committed to the University of North Carolina Tuesday, following up a conversation he had with Tar Heels coach Roy Williams the previous day. Williams had been in house to watch another commitment.

“I talked to Coach Williams [Monday],” Felton said. “He came out here to watch Luke Maye. We talked a little bit and I decided [Tuesday] was the day.”

Felton, the nephew of former UNC standout and NBA player Raymond Felton, has been rising up the recruiting charts since his eighth-grade season. This year, he’s averaging around 30 points per game and earned that offer from North Carolina.

He said he wasn’t sure what would sway him away eventually from signing with from Chapel Hill, although he intends to still visit several other schools before he signs with any program – something he can do at the earliest in November of 2016.

If this week was any indication, more offers would deservedly be on the way.

Felton entered his third game of the tournament Tuesday already tied for 15th place on the Beach Ball’s three-game scoring list. A 21-point second half in the loss to Northland changed that in a hurry. He shot all the way up to third after finishing with 33 in the Auctioneers’ third and final game of the tournament.

The only two players in the tournament record books ahead of Felton’s three-day mark of 113 points were Mike Bibby, who scored 118 points for Shadow Mountain (Ariz.) in 1995, and Kobe Bryant, who scored 117 points that same season for Lower Merion (Penn.).

Mullins’ two losses prevented the Auctioneers from earning a fourth game; however, of all the players in tournament history who had played either three or four contests, Felton finished tied for fifth in scoring.

“It’s a big accomplishment, coming from last year when I was a freshman and playing kind of so-and-so,” Felton said. “It means a lot.”

Grand Strand fans will have at least three more opportunities to see Felton play locally this year. The Auctioneers will make trips to Region VIII-AA opponents Loris, Aynor and Waccamaw in January.

This story was originally published December 30, 2014 at 6:31 PM with the headline "Mullins’ Felton commits to North Carolina during Beach Ball Classic."