GREENSBORO – With one last game to play as a Salisbury High School player, Juke Harris went into the Josh Level Classic just looking to have some fun, “get a few buckets here and there,” and play with some future opponents.

“I just feel like we’re coming in here, have a good time. Of course, get the win, get a few buckets here and there,” Harris told Deacons Illustrated on Saturday at Grimsley High School. “But I feel like this is just a fun game to close it out.”

He messed around and scored 29 points, earning the game’s MVP award.

The Josh Level Classic has, in some ways, taken the place of the North Carolina East-West All-Star Game. Almost every college-bound player enrolls for summer classes, drying up the pool of players for the mid-July East-West game — of which, Chris Paul was the MVP in 2003.

With a mid-May date, the Josh Level Classic brings together a talented pool of players spread across multiple ages. For those like Harris, it can feel like the final note in a high school career.

“I feel like this is the last step of my high school career,” Harris said. “Graduate in the next two weeks, so just getting this last high school game in, it’s just going to be fun to play with a bunch of high-level guys one last time, until we get to college.”

Of course, he’ll still see several players from Saturday’s event — they’ll just be wearing opposing jerseys.

Three of the four Tobacco Road schools were represented in the game, with Paul McNeil (N.C. State) suiting up against Harris, and Drake Powell (UNC) teaming up with Harris on Team Warriors.

“See, I didn’t get to play with Drake last year, so we got this final time to play together with each other,” Harris said.

It’s every bit of all-star basketball as you’d expect, i.e. lots of offense and not so much otherwise. Harris’ team won 136-131; they played four 10-minute quarters.

The 6-6, 205-pound Harris got going about halfway through the first quarter when he soared for a two-handed dunk. He’s a creative finisher around the basket, and in a defense-optional, constant-fast-break setting, he shined.

The timing and absurdity of the college basketball calendar was on display Saturday, too.

About three hours before Harris arrived at Grimsley, Ty-Laur Johnson’s commitment as the Deacons’ latest transfer portal addition was announced.

About an hour after Harris got to Grimsley, Churchill Abass’ commitment was announced.

In between those is when Harris talked about tracking who his teammates next season will be, and his excitement level to be on a team with so many fresh faces.

“I built a good bond with the guys that were recently there,” Harris said. “But I feel we’re all new coming in, so I feel like it’s going to bring us closer together because it’s a new look for everybody.

“I feel like we’ll build that chemistry over the summer and we’ll come in and be ready to play.”

Harris said Wake Forest wants to play him at the 2- and 3-positions. He knows he’ll have to bulk up a bit, especially if he’s matching up against wings in the ACC.

“Hopefully when I get to Wake, I can put on a little bit more muscle,” Harris said. “I’ve been trying to do it on my own, but I know when I get there, they’re going to put it on.”

That starts next month.