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Northern Guilford basketball star Jonathan Frye, the Mid-State 3-A Player of the Year, has been granted a release from his letter of intent to Appalachian State, his father confirmed Tuesday.

Frye, a 6-foot-4 wing player, committed to the Mountaineers before his senior season but looked to reopen his recruitment after head coach Buzz Peterson left for UNC-Wilmington earlier this month.

He is the first member of Appalachian's four-player incoming class to receive a release.

Though options are short this late in the signing period, Wilmington is believed to be one of the top contenders for Frye's services along with Charlotte and Butler. Frye's release does not preclude him from following Peterson to Wilmington.

Frye couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday, but he told the Winston-Salem Journal that he would also still consider playing for new Appalachian head coach Jason Capel.

"I know the whole coaching staff down there, so I'll definitely talk to them, but as of right now I'm not leaning that way or anything right now," he told the Journal.

Frye could be a good fit under newly hired Charlotte head coach Alan Major, a former Ohio State assistant who replaced Bobby Lutz whose defensive style would suit Frye's fundamental game. The most intriguing candidate is Butler, whose stock rose incredibly following its run to the national championship this spring.

The Bulldogs have been recruiting Frye steadily for a while but are currently waiting to see what happens with sophomore guard Gordon Hayward, who submitted his name for the NBA draft this week but has yet to hire an agent.

Heyward has until May 8 to withdraw his name and return to the Bulldogs, which would likely make them a top-5 team to start next season and would leave one less scholarship open.

Contact Tom Keller at 373-7034 or tom.keller@news-record.com