Future Tar Heel, Day’Ron Sharpe, returns to his home state with new team, Montverde Academy
It wasn’t quite Winterville, the eastern North Carolina town 90 minutes from Raleigh, but it was close enough for Day’Ron Sharpe.
Being in the Triangle for a couple of days has been a sort of homecoming for Sharpe, who led his former team, South Central High School, to a 4A state championship the last time he played here. Friday night he led his new team, Montverde Academy, the No. 1 team in the nation, to an opening win in the David West Bracket of the John Wall Holiday Invitational.
Sharpe, a UNC signee, finished with 14 points and six rebounds as the Eagles destroyed Durham Academy 85-43. It was the first time Sharpe has been back to North Carolina since his birthday on November 6.
After leading the Falcons to the state championship last winter Sharpe transferred to Montverde, located in central Florida. At Montverde, Sharpe plays with and against several top Division I players and traded in eastern North Carolina food staples like Cook Out and Bojangles for a strict food regiment implemented by his new coach, Kevin Boyle, who runs Montverde like a small college program.
“Our coach won’t let us eat that,” Sharpe said as he left the postgame press conference at the John Wall. “He’s strict.”
Since arriving at Montverde, Boyle said Sharpe has trimmed down, losing some of the “baby fat” he had when he arrived in Florida. But his game has improved as well.
“He’s more mobile,” Boyle said. “We still try to work in the man to man to develop him for moving his feet. For college the big thing at that level is can you jump out and guard a ball screen or switch if you need to switch. He’s getting better and better at those things. I think he’s a terrific passer in the post.”
Sharpe was the first player to commit to Roy Williams for the class of 2020 and now headlines the five-man group, ranked No. 3 in the country and No. 2 in the ACC. He’s been a household name in the state since he was a freshman at South Central and has seen his stock rise in the basketball world since committing to the Tar Heels. When he gave UNC his verbal the summer before his junior year, Sharpe was a four-star prospect and the No. 13 ranked power forward in his class. Now, Sharpe is a five-star and the No. 3 center in the country.
That kind of recognition made for a warm welcome back to the Tar Heel state for Sharpe.
“It’s exciting to be back,” Sharpe said. “I feel loved when people come out and see me play. I walked in yesterday and people were saying ‘Day’Ron, Day’Ron,’ it feels good to be back.”
Sharpe admitted it was a tough decision to leave South Central, considering he had known that group since they were little kids. But the choice to transfer to Montverde and play a national schedule was a good move for his basketball development. Not only do the Eagles play a tough schedule, their practices are battles that will make Sharpe better. Sharpe is ranked the No. 14 player in the country, according to 247Sports. Two of his teammates — Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes — are ranked ahead of him. Cunningham, the No. 2 player in the nation, is headed to Oklahoma State. Barnes, No. 9, signed with Florida State.
The roster also includes Moses Moody, who is committed to Arkansas and Zeb Jackson, a Michigan commit.
“Scott guards me every day,” Sharpe said. “Scott, to me, is one of the best defenders, at any position, in our class. I get better every day playing against talent.”
The addition of Sharpe has been a huge upgrade to the team, according to Cunningham.
“I think it was big for us because having a big man inside like Day’Ron brings so much size and ability, but he’s so unselfish,” Cunningham said. “He’s super easy to play with, easy to play through and he makes plays for others. It’s been easy for us.”
With the numbers he’s been putting up since moving to Florida, Sharpe has made the transition from North Carolina prep basketball, to playing a national schedule look easy. He knows playing against the best will prepare him for the ACC.
“It helps a lot because other schools have 7-footers,” Sharpe said. “It helps me play harder every game, no possessions off, more like a college atmosphere. Every possession counts.”
Sharpe will join 7-footer Walker Kessler, guards Caleb Love and R.J. Davis, and forward Puff Johnson at Carolina this summer.
“I think we have a pretty good class,” Sharpe said. “Walker is a 7-foot shooter. Calen and R.J., tremendous talent. Puff is a knockdown shooter just like his brother.”
This story was originally published December 28, 2019 at 10:08 AM with the headline "Future Tar Heel, Day’Ron Sharpe, returns to his home state with new team, Montverde Academy."
