Thomas Allen having successful senior year

NC State senior point guard signee Thomas Allen is starting to get used to the snow and being at Wolfeboro (N.H.) Brewster Academy.

Allen, who played his first three years at Garner (N.C.) High, was able to come home for the holidays Dec. 16-Jan. 3, and he watched his old school finish second at the John Wall Holiday Invitational on Dec. 27-30 at Raleigh Broughton High.

“This was the No. 1 tournament,” Allen said. “It is my favorite. Everybody comes here, and I got to see John Wall come here [this past week]. I remember when he played [at Raleigh Word of God], and you had to arrive at 3 p.m. to see him in the 9 p.m. game.”

Allen loved playing in front of the big crowds at the Holiday Invitational, but is having fun with his new star-studded team. Some of his teammates include fellow Raleigh native Michael Okauru, who recently verbally committed to Florida. Other teammates include Connecticut point guard signee Makai Ashton-Langford, Georgia Tech senior wing commit Curtis Haywood II and Purdue power forward signee Aaron Wheeler. Junior small forward Sidney Wilson is a hot target for a variety of colleges in the class of 2018.

“That first week, I was like, ‘I don’t know if I want to stay here,’” said Allen about being homesick. “Now, it has been good. When I left last, it was negative-six degrees and there was snow on the ground. I had never seen anything like that.”

Working out with talented guards has helped Allen improve, and he has welcomed the share the wealth offensive system.

“It has been good, and we are 11-0 right now,” Allen said. “We are the No. 1 team as far as prep schools. Our last game against Andover (N.H.) Proctor Academy, we played at my coach’s old high school gym. That game was really good. It was almost sold out.”

Allen has been able to attend a few NC State home games or watch the Wolfpack on television. He has been encouraged by NCSU’s 12-3 start.

“It has been going good,” Allen said. “Dennis Smith had 16 assists in a game, and that is good right there. Markell Johnson, Torin Dorn and I will be good [next year].”

Allen is looking forward to playing CBD Montverde (Fla.) Academy at 10:45 a.m. Jan. 15 at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

“We got some tough games coming up,” Allen said.