Elizabeth City State basketball coach Shawn Walker recently went on a trip to Okinawa, Japan, to work at a coaching clinic.

While it was a personally rewarding experience, Walker also managed to get a little work in.

He not only returned home with some unforgettable memories, he came back with Kentrell Key, who will be joining the Vikings next year as part of a three-man recruiting class.

Along with Key, Walker has recruited Camden’s Shawn Hammonds, a 6-foot-5 swingman, and Glenn Patterson Jr., a 5-foot-9, 170-pound point guard from Red Springs who averaged 24.6 points per game as a senior.

Local fans might remember Patterson as he scored 27 points to lead Red Springs past Hammonds and Camden in the regional semifinals of the 1A state playoffs.

Walker thinks Patterson is the most likely of the three to contribute right away.

“He’s an incredible player and has had an incredible high school career,” Walker said. “At this point, I think Glenn will come in and be in our plans immediately.”

While Patterson may be the centerpiece of the class and Hammonds the most well-known to area fans, Key is the most intriguing recruit.

Walker had never heard of Key until he visited Okinawa in early April as part of Creating Athletic and Educational Opportunities through Sports, a clinic directed at the children of service men and women living there.

Spotting the 6-foot-7, 215-pound forward was easy.

“He’s a Marine all day,” Walker said of Key, who was named camp MVP. “The first day or so I watched him, I thought he was a decent player. The second day, I thought he was a little better and the more I saw him the more I recognized.

“One of the advantages that Kentrell has is he’s so hungry to learn new information. On the military bases in high school, those kids don’t benefit from the same type of coaching as in the States. He’s a pretty good player with pretty good physical tools now and I think down the line, he’s going to be even better with more practice.”

That military background and discipline also played a big part in selling Walker on the raw talent.

“He’s a product of his father being the pastor of a church and his father being a military person. His mother is a teacher and very intelligent and he’s been well-schooled and versed in how to conduct himself,” Walker said.

The recruiting of Key took place entirely over the one-week period that Walker was in Japan for the clinic. It helped that Walker had two big advantages, both coming purely by coincidence.

First off, Key’s father was born and raised in Portsmouth, Va., and they have family in the area. That meant coming to Elizabeth City would be a homecoming of sorts and Key would have a good support group already in place.

“It probably would have been a little more difficult if Kentrell’s family was from the west coast and he didn’t have any idea where Elizabeth City was, didn’t have any kinship in this area and there was just a coach that had come in,” Walker said. “Maybe his parents might have had a little bit more concern.”

The second edge came in the form of someone who was not there. Morehouse head coach Grady Brewer, a friend of Walker, was scheduled to make the trip to Japan, but was unable to go. It just so happened that Morehouse was the only other school actively recruiting Key.

“Kentrell’s father told me Morehouse was recruiting his son, but that he was open.” Walker said.

Key ultimately decided that ECSU was the best fit for him and signed a National Letter of Intent. Even though it is a half a world away from home and family and he has never laid eyes on ECSU’s campus, he is not intimidated.

“Actually, I am neither scared nor nervous about going to college far away,” said Key, who is considering majoring in business administration. “I look forward to going to ECSU and meeting new people.”

That does not mean that he will not miss his life in Japan.

“I will miss my family and friends over here because I have lived here most of my life,” said the 18-year-old Key, who has lived in Okinawa for 12 years over two stints.

Walker likens Key, who spent his freshman year in Sandusky, Ohio, to former Pasquotank player and current Viking Jaron Moore, a 6-foot-6, 210-pound sophomore forward.

“He’s not as athletic as Jaron, but they come with the same kind of body and same kind of desire to learn,” Walker said. “Kentrell and Jaron, in my projection, will be two kids that when they are juniors and seniors will be starters and very good players in this league.”

Key is ready for the challenge.

“I would say I am mentally and physically prepared for the next level,” Key said. “Over here in Okinawa, I was a leader, I wasn’t the highest scorer, but I motivated and pushed my team to be No. 1. For the next level I want to be a better leader to help my team win.”

ECSU lost just two seniors from last season’s team that went 18-10 and fell in the quarterfinals of the CIAA tournament.