Larry Davis never thought of himself going to North Carolina State during his junior year.

It wasn’t until the Wolfpack’s coaching staff took notice of him in recent months during the spring AAU season that the school’s recruitment of the 6-3 guard from Christ the King picked up.

“A few months ago, I never would have thought I was going there,” Davis said yesterday after committing to the ACC school at a press conference at CTK. “But when they saw me, they fell in love with me and when I met them, I fell in love with them.”

Davis’ feelings for N.C. State were so strong that he decided to commit almost immediately after returning from a visit to the campus last weekend. He had also considered Villanova and Pittsburgh.

“I could tell right away it was the place for me,” said Davis, who befriended former St. Raymond’s star Gavin Grant while he was there. “There was no reason to wait any longer.”

Davis is the second major recruit from the city this year to commit while still a junior, joining Rice’s Edgar Sosa, who is on his way to Louisville.

“Edgar’s a friend of mine and after he committed, he told me I should do the same, that I would feel a lot better,” Davis said. “And I do. I feel great about this, so much pressure is off of me.”

His head coach, Bob Oliva, was pleased with his player’s decision.

“I’m glad he got all this out of the way,” Oliva said. “Now he’ll be able to focus on his senior season.”