KINSTON — Junior power forward Dontrez Styles is the highest-ranked player from the state of North Carolina in the class of 2021.

Rivals.com ranks the 6-foot-7, 205-pounder as the No. 58 overall player in the country. NC State jumped into his recruitment last July, and followed up by watching him in a handful of games this past winter.

NC State head coach Kevin Keatts and assistant coach James Johnson made the drive out to Kinston (N.C.) High to watch Styles take on Wolfpack junior commit Terquavion Smith and Farmville (N.C.) Central on March 3 in the NCHSAA 2A playoffs.

Styles had 11 points, nine rebounds and committed four turnovers in a 66-51 loss to Farmville Central. Offensive fouls, which were also turnovers, proved his undoing in the loss. He went 4 of 13 from the field, 0 of 2 on three-pointers and 3 of 6 at the free-throw line.