Linn-Mar's Paige commits to North Carolina

Linn-Mar junior point guard Marcus Paige has given his oral commitment to play college basketball at North Carolina, a press release from Linn-Mar said Saturday night.Paige and his father, Ellis, took an unofficial visit to UNC last month, where Marcus was extended a scholarship offer by Tar Heels Coach Roy Williams. A top-50 recruit nationally, Paige also was being recruited heavily by Kansas, Iowa and Iowa State, among others. Ames' Harrison Barnes is a freshman for North Carolina.Paige is averaging 19 points per game this season for the top-ranked Lions and is shooting 61 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range. He is considered the 37th-best recruit in the junior class, according to

Rivals.com.Here's what Paige said in the release:"I would like to thank all the coaches accross the country who have taken the time to recruit me to be a part of their basketball program. The recruiting process has been exciting for me and my family. At this time I would like to announce that I have accepted a scholarship offer from Coach Roy Williams to continue my career as a student athlete at the University of North Carolina. The decision process has been difficult and the deciding factors for me include:*The great relationship that I have developed with Coach Williams and his staff*The history and tradition of North Carolina Basketball*Having the opportunity to play for a National Championship"Paige and Linn-Mar beat Apple Valley (Minn.) as part of the Timberwolves Shootout on Saturday night at Target Center in Minneapolis. Though he hadn't immediately returned a phone message from Source Media Group, he did talk to

ESPN.com about his decision, which came at a surprising time.All through the recruiting process, the 6-foot lefty had said he would wait and take his official visits before committing."I think there were a couple of moments," Paige told ESPN. "I was planning on taking my time, but talking to (Williams) and visiting was huge. Some of the things he said about the guys he recruits and the sincerity meant a lot. That was big."