Wolfpack Hoops

IT'S OFFICIAL: We've MOVED!!

2009-11-20T14:44:00.004-05:00

We're changing our look and our location. We've updated the site to make it much easier to navigate, and we've moved to PackInsider.com. WPH and WPP will both still be around, and we'll still be providing the same coverage, just at a different location. Feel free to head on over to PackInsider.com since we will no longer be updating this website.

Thanks! and see you over at Pack Insider!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO PACKINSIDER.COM

Glenn Wilkes Classic Preview: NC State vs. Akron

2009-11-20T08:58:00.002-05:00

NC STATE WOLFPACK vs. AKRON ZIPS
When: 3:30pm
Where: Daytona, FL
Records: NC State (1-0), Akron (0-1)
Television: None (Online Streaming from GlennWilkesClassic.com)
Where To Watch In Raleigh: The Brickhouse Sports Bar and Grill (3801 Hillsborough St.)

On Friday afternoon the Wolfpack will take on the favorite to win the MAC, the Akron Zips. Sporting a senior laden line-up, the Zips are an experienced squad looking to notch their first win of season. Last week, Akron fell to Austin Peay (whom the Pack will play on Saturday) in true heartbreaking fashion. With 5:26 left to play, Akron held a 12 point advantage, only to see Austin Peay reel off the next 17 points, en route to the victory.

With the Zips, it may not be the starting five you need to focus on. In their opening game, the bench players out-scored the starters 47-30, led by junior guard Steve McNeese with 14, and the infamous three point threat, 'Humpty' Higgins with 12.

Friday will mark the third time NC State has faced Akron. The Pack has won the first two contests rather handily (in 1947 and 1969). NC State also owns a 3-0 record against all MAC teams.

The Wolfpack will most likely be without senior Farnold Degand (coaches decision- grades) according to head coach Sidney Lowe at his weekly radio show. The absence of Degand, the fastest player on the squad, could certainly hamper the Pack's attempts to push the pace. This will mean finding ways to score out of the half court set, when forced to do so. Lowe is tinkering with a few ideas, including moving the sharp shooting freshman, Scott Wood, to the two, enabling him to get more floor time. He also mentioned allowing Tracy Smith to operate out of the 4, meaning freshman Jordan Vandenberg could see extended time this weekend. Vandenberg has been a shock to fans who figured his lack of recruitment equated to a lack of talent. That theory has been put to rest as Vandenberg is now a fan favorite thanks to his presence in the middle, his intense nature and his sneaky athleticism.

Another reason you may see a bit more of Vandenberg is to off-set Akron's 7 foot freshman, Zeke Marshall. Marshall, a heralded freshman who shunned schools such as Pitt, Virginia and Virginia Tech for Akron. Ranked as the 7th best center in the nation, he chose Akron, in part, because he wanted to bring a small school to national prominence and doesn't think you need to play in a power conference to get drafted.

"A lot of high-ranked players are starting to go to smaller schools," Marshall said to ESPN. "You can make The League without going to a big school."

Although, at the end of the day, the team with the most baskets win, limiting turnovers and pressure defense will certainly be a deciding factor in this one, as usual for NC State. The Zips only committed 9 turnovers in their first contest, a number expected for an experienced roster. The Pack also, surprisingly, only had 9 turnovers in their opener. A surprisingly low number, taking into consideration the amount of freshmen logging minutes for State.

The Glenn Wilkes Classic will certainly be a test for this young NC State team. Playing three games in three days away from home will tell a lot. It will help head Coach Lowe get a gauge of who to play and when to play them. It will tell if this young team is ready for to compete against the big boys, and it will test the togetherness of a team that swears by their chemistry. It should be an exciting weekend. Stay tuned, as we're in Daytona covering it every step of the way.

2012 Center Uchebo Commits To NC State!

2009-11-19T10:38:00.004-05:00

With the 2010 recruiting class already solidified as a Top-10 class, Coach Lowe reached a couple years into the future, and received a commitment from 7-foot center Joseph Uchebo in the 2012 class.

Joseph Uchebo is a 7-foot, 220 pound sophomore center in the 2012 class. Originally from Nigeria, Uchebo played for Mt. Zion in Durham last season. Currently, he is at Oak Ridge Academy, but his transfer papers have been submitted, that could land him at Word of God Academy in the near future. Uchebo is supposed to be a tremendous soccer player, making him much more athletic and agile than most 7-footers. This young man's game is raw, but ESPN states that he has a skilled inside presence and quickness. Uchebo's ceiling is very high, and many believe he could end up being one of the top players in his class before it is all said and done.

Uchebo was at NC State's Red Rally at Reynolds and has been up to practice on numerous occasions. This coaching staff continues to show that they have an eye for talent early on in the recruiting process.

Uchebo is #25.

Wolfpack's Weekend Tournament To Be Televised At "The Brickhouse"

2009-11-19T07:59:00.000-05:00

We just wanted to give everybody a heads up, and let them know where they can catch the Wolfpack on TV this weekend, since the games are not televised by any cable companies. The Pack is playing in the Glenn Wilkes Classic in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We have spoken with the guys over at "The Brickhouse: sports bar and grill" in Raleigh, and they have let us know that they will be hooking their big screens into the live internet feed provided by GlennWilkesClassic.com.

"The Brickhouse" is a NC State friendly sports bar and grill, located off of Hillsborough St, in Raleigh. It sits in the shopping center directly across from the entrance to Meredith College. It's a great place to watch a game, and has some of the best wings Raleigh has to offer.

We invite everybody to come out and cheer on the Wolfpack as they face their first true test of the young season. We will be covering it on location in Daytona and giving you game updates, so feel free to bring your laptops (they have free wi-fi.)

GAME TIMES:
NC State vs. Akron (Friday, 3:30pm)

NC State vs. Austin Peay (Saturday, 8:15pm)

NC State vs. Auburn (Sunday, 8:15pm)

The BRICKHOUSE
The Brickhouse: Sports Bar and Grill
3801 Hillsborough St
Raleigh, NC 27603

Recap of Coach Lowe's Radio Show (11/16/09)

2009-11-18T22:31:00.000-05:00

-Coach Lowe talked about how this weekend's three-game stint in Daytona, FL, is a good chance for the team to spend time together and to gel a little more. He anticipates it being a great experience.

-Question: "What have you learned about this group?" Coach Lowe described this group as eager to learn and puts forth consistent effort in practice. There is a great team attitude and atmosphere amongst the group.

-He stressed the fact that they worked hard on defense this off-season. From day one they worked on their defensive set first, and then their offensive set. They want to dictate the game from the defensive end.

-Coach Lowe talked about how he put all of the new guys on one side of the court early on to help them get familiar with the offense. He specifically noted that Wood and Vandenberg were quick learners. He said that he can deal with one mistake, but he doesn't want to see the same mistake repeated. When Coach Lowe came to NC State as a player, he was prepared well at Dematha, and therefore had a head start. His mother also taught him to strive to please his elders, especially his coaches.

-Coach Lowe has been vocal in the past about wanting to have a point guard who knows what to do without looking to coach. He mentioned that Javi has really improved and is doing a better job pushing the ball up the court.

-He said that they wanted to run an "inside-out" offense. This team is very unselfish. Tracy Smith is coming along, but he still needs to be more patient. He had a great summer and works on his free throws every day in practice. Smith is going to get fouled a lot.

-Degand will probably not play this weekend. Coach Lowe is still not satisfied with his academic effort.

-Coach hinted at the fact that he might mess around with the lineup a little bit. Wood could see some time at the '2' and Smith could see some time at the '4'.

-Richard Howell practiced for the first time this Monday and is looking good. He could be ready to go by next week.

-Coach Lowe said Ryan Harrow is a 'special player.' He came all the way to Raleigh to sign his letter of intent so the fans could be a part of it. He then drove back in the rain so he wouldn't miss class. That's the type of kid he is.

-He also talked about how Josh Davis contributes in a lot of ways besides scoring that keep him on the floor.

-This team likes each other...they listen to each other. There is no single leader for the team at this point. Horner leads by example and has a tremendous work ethic. Smith has become more of a vocal leader this year.

-Coach Lowe talked about watching Lorenzo this past weekend in Lousiburg. He said that he made some electrifying plays and glides when he moves. Brown is deceptively quick.

First Half Surge Pushes Pack Past FAU 84-70

2009-11-18T10:50:00.005-05:00

After overcoming foul trouble in the first half, the Wolfpack concluded Tuesday evening with an 84-70 win over Florida Atlantic. Three of the Wolfpack starters in Nikitta Gartrell, Lucy Ellison, and Bonae Holston received two fouls apiece in the first 10 minutes of the first half. The Wolfpack was led by the efforts of redshirt junior Amber White and freshman Marissa Kastanek, who combined for 45 points in the game.

Amber White’s career high of 25 points and another strong performance of 20 points from Marissa Kastanek paced the Wolfpack as they connected on 57.7% of its first half attempts. With that being said, the Pack never led until the 5:31 mark in the first half on a three-ball from Marissa Kastanek, which put the Pack up 26-25. The last 5 minutes of the half consisted of a 23-6 run for the Wolfpack, as they led 42-31 at intermission.

Much was the same in the second half as NC State came out of the locker room and extended their run to 33-6 as they scored the first 10 points of the half. Rebounding was easily the key point discussed at the break, as the Wolfpack collected 32 of the team’s 50 total rebounds after the break. After halftime and once the Wolfpack settled in and gained momentum and control, the FAU Owls never moved within 14 points of the lead.

In a quick start to the season, Coach Harper and the Wolfpack looks toward their fourth game in a week span as they host the Davidson Wildcats Friday at 7pm at Reynolds Coliseum. A win Friday would give Coach Harper her 100th career coaching victory early in her 6th year of coaching.

Box Score

Hickson Fitting In Well In The Starting Lineup

2009-11-17T11:14:00.007-05:00

On November 6th, J.J. Hickson started his first game of his NBA career. Coach Mike Brown, Lebron James and Shaquille O'Neal have all been vocal about Hickson's potential. Heading into his first start, Hickson was only averaging a measly 0.8 points in 6.5 minutes per game, while shooting a poor percentage of 20%. Coach Brown had witnessed what Hickson could do when given extended playing time during the preseason, when he averaged in 10 points in 20 minutes per game, shooting an efficient 52%. Looking to give the young sophomore a cortisone shot, his head coach inserted him into the starting lineup, hoping it would bring the embedded potential out of their 2008 1st round draft pick.

In J.J.'s first start, he was tremendously effective in a short period of time, scoring 6 points, on 3 of 4 shooting, in 13 minutes of play. Hickson has now started 4 straight games, and it should be noted that the Cavs are also on a 4-game winning streak. On November 12th, the budding star played like he belonged in the starting lineup, posting a career high of 18 points (7 of 9 shooting) in 31 minutes of play, which was also a career high. Hickson would continue to set new career highs in his next game on November 14th, scoring 20 points in 38 minutes of play. J.J. has scored 47 points in his last three games, after scoring 11 points in the first 7games. In his Hickson's first 4 games as a starter, he is averaging 13 points in 26 minutes per game, knocking down shots at a 59% clip.

"To know that Mike Brown and the rest of the coaching staff want me to start (is great)," Hickson told The News-Herald. "It was crazy. Coach told me that about 10 minutes before we met (prior to the Knicks game). I was surprised. I felt I made the best of the situation."

Coach Brown believes that this lineup allows him to get the most out of Anderson Varejao and J.J. Hickson. Varejao has shown in the past that he can be tremendous burst off of the bench and Hickson seems to flourish in the starting role thus far. Hickson spent most of the summer under the wing of reigning MVP Lebron James, and the 'King' approves of Coach Brown's decision to give J.J. the nod.

"I commend Coach for making that change," James told The News-Herald. "I think it can help us. It's not always who starts. It's about who finishes the game. "It gives J.J. some time to work with the first unit and build a lot of confidence. It could be good for not only our team, but also for Andy and J.J."

Congratulations J.J.!

Wolfpack Women Sign Four In Harper's First Recruiting Class

2009-11-17T08:00:00.004-05:00

RALEIGH, N.C. – Women’s basketball coach Kellie Harper announced her first recruiting class at NC State Thursday during the November early signing period.

Harper received signed National Letters of Intent from Myisha Goodwin (Lorton, Va.), Kody Burke (Riverside, Calif.), Devin Griffin (Lubbock, Texas) and Nashika “Breezy” Williams (Durham, N.C.).

“I'm excited about these four ladies officially joining the NC State family today,” said Harper. “I believe that they will grow, both on and off the court, in the next few years and I can't wait to have the opportunity to coach each player. These young women are already excited and care deeply about NC State.”

Goodwin is a 5-5 point guard from Thomas A. Edison High School in Lorton, Va. She is ranked as the 47th overall player in the country by ESPN HoopGurlz and the No. 12 guard nationally by the same publication. She averaged 24.1 points per game as a junior and was named second team all-state for her efforts last season. Goodwin has been selected the district player and defensive player of the year the last two seasons (2008 and 2009), led her team to a district title as a junior and to a state runner-up finish in 2007 during her sophomore campaign.

Goodwin, who also plays AAU for the Fairfax Starts elite team, chose NC State over Old Dominion and Virginia Tech.

“As a player, Myisha is talented and competitive,” Harper said. “With her confidence and her play-making abilities, she possesses the qualities that I’m looking for in a point guard. She has great court awareness and can get the ball to the right place at the right time.”

Burke is a 6-1 power forward from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High School in Riverside, Calif. She is ranked as the 73rd-best power forward in this class by ESPN HoopGurlz.

Her father played college basketball at UC Riverside and Cal-State Dominquez Hills, and then professionally overseas.

Burke averaged 21.5 points, 15.0 rebounds, 5.4 blocks and 3.0 assists per game in leading her team to a 26-7 record as a junior. She scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead Notre Dame to a Division AA championship over Orange Lutheran.

Burke will be a four-year varsity performer, starting since her sophomore season. She was named the conference MVP the last two years and was named first team All-California by CalHi Preps.

Burke chose NC State over Arizona State, Notre Dame, Boston College and Colorado.

“Kody Burke is a special player,” explained Harper. “Her versatility to score on the block or facing the basket makes her a perfect fit with our offensive system. Although Kody has a sweet nature off the court, she transforms into a feisty and aggressive player when she steps across the line. She uses that tenacity well when she is attacking the boards.”

Griffin is a 5-9 wing player from Coronado High School in Lubbock, Texas. Her basketball bloodlines run deep with two older sisters having played at Texas Tech, Darrice and Darchelle, while her mother, Tami Wilson, was also one of the all-time best players for the Red Raiders.

Griffin averaged 22 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for Coronado last year, earning all-district and all-state honors for coach Shirlene Hughes. She led the state’s largest district in scoring.

Coronado had an exceptional season in 2009, posting a 33-4 record and lost in the playoffs to the eventual state champs.

Griffin also received interest from Texas, Arkansas and Missouri.

“Devin Griffin is a high-energy, up-tempo guard,” added Harper. “Combining her athleticism with her drive to succeed, she has unlimited potential. Her length gives her an advantage defensively and finishing at the rim. Devin comes from a basketball family and thus, has a good understanding for the game, which is important to our program.”

Williams is a 5-11 wing player from Northern Durham High School in nearby Durham, N.C.

She will be a four-year starter and was named first team all-conference and co- PAC 6 Player of the Year as a junior. The Knights reached the sectional semifinals before falling to Southeast Raleigh.

Williams chose NC State over Virginia Tech, Clemson, Temple and Delaware.

“Breezy has unbelievable potential,” said Harper. “She is extremely strong, athletic, and explosive. She has the size and speed to be a productive player in the ACC. She also sees the floor very well and is constantly looking to get her teammates involved. I’m not only happy for our program, but also happy for the community, as one of the Triangle's own will be part of our team.”

Information provided by NC State Media Relations.

Lorenzo Brown At The '09 Louisburg Tournament

2009-11-16T15:05:00.001-05:00

Wolfpack Women Win Season Opener, But Fall In Championship

2009-11-16T08:35:00.002-05:00

On Saturday, in what was the conclusion of the Sheraton Raleigh Wolfpack Invitational, the host Wolfpack fell short in the title game to Vermont by a score of 52-47. Though trailing by double-digits in both halves, the resilient experience of the Wolfpack showed as they fought back to tie the game at 47-47 with less than a minute to go. These would be the last points the Pack would score as the Catamounts would score the next 5 points to put the game away. Nikitta Gartrell led the way for the Wolfpack, posting a team high 10 points, and was aided by the efforts of Bonae Holston who added 8 points and 9 rebounds, and by Amber White with 6 points. State was hampered by 13 turnovers, allowing Vermont to claim 14 points off of them.

In the opening round on Friday night, the Wolfpack picked up a win in their season opener over Florida International 87-71. This marked the 7th straight season opening victory for the Wolfpack. NC State’s full-court pressure was too much for Florida International to handle. The Wolfpack forced 27 turnovers and almost scored half of their total points off of these turnovers. The resilient play of the Golden Panthers, cut a 21 point lead at halftime in half, but a 3-pointer from Emili Tasler ignited the Pack to go on a 12-0 run which replenished the lead, and the Wolfpack ended up winning by 16 points.

All-Tournament Team

May Kotsopoulos, Vermont (MVP)
Courtney Pilypaitis, Vermont
Bonae Holston, NC State
Amber White, NC State
Marquita Adley, FIU
Miame Giden, Western Michigan

Holston averaged 14 points and 6.5 rebounds over the two games, while shooting 55%. Coming off a tremendous freshman campaign, in which she won the ACC Sixth Player of the Year Award, averaging 9.6 points and 5.7 rebounds as a reserve, Holston is expected to be an integral part of the starting lineup this season. Last season, she led all ACC Freshmen in scoring and rebounding in ACC play, averaging 12.8 points and 7.4 rebounds.

White averaged 11.5 points over the two games, while shooting 67%. Her performance this weekend had to be a boost of confidence for White, after missing all of last season with an Achilles injury.

NC State (1-1) looks to rebound at home on Tuesday night against Florida Atlantic (1-1). The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Reynolds Coliseum.

Open Thread: WPH in Louisburg

2009-11-14T16:19:00.003-05:00

Feel free to talk about anything or ask any questions that are NC State basketball related.

**UPDATE: Although we were unable to attend Lorenzo Brown's game today, we did have someone up in Louisburg helping us out and keeping us updated.

Brown went off, in what was an intense game, unloading 35 points and around 5 assists. Brown scored from everywhere on the floor, showcased his handles and his quickness, and also threw down a pretty impressive dunk in traffic.

We will be getting the footage from this game as well, so this should be the only place where you can find highlights from all three games. We'll get you all the footage sometime in the coming week.

We were told an NC State assistant coach was in the house, most likely Larry Harris.

Cothron Goes For 40+ Again

2009-11-14T12:24:00.003-05:00

After scoring 42 points against Oak Hill Academy on Wednesday night, Luke Cothron made it two games straight with 40+ points, scoring 43 last night in the first day of the Calvary Baptist Day Invitational. Through 3 games this NC State commit is averaging 37 points a game. Flora MacDonald will be playing again today in Winston Salem at 3:00pm. If you live in the surrounding area, go give Luke your support.

Ryan Harrow 09-10 Season Schedule/Stats

2009-11-14T10:56:00.002-05:00

Lorenzo Brown 09-10 Schedule/Stats

2009-11-14T10:49:00.004-05:00

Cothron Talks Signing, Commitment

2009-11-13T12:47:00.006-05:00

On Wednesday, Sidney Lowe inked two of his three big time commits for 2010. Ryan Harrow signed his LOI in front of a packed house in Raleigh, at Sammy's Tap and Grill, while Lorenzo Brown joined his Hargrave teammates in their signing day festivities in Virginia. That leaves only one commit that has yet to make it official, 2010 power forward, Luke Cothron. Rumors leaked about Cothron signing in the early period after he initially committed, but this week the big man changed his mind and informed numerous sources that he will, in fact, wait until the spring period to sign.

We spoke with Luke on Wednesday night to find out more about the situation.

"I think I'm just going to sign in the late period." said Luke. When asked if there was any particular reason, Luke stated that he just wanted to wait before he signed an LOI. "Oh yeah, I'm still 100% committed to NC State. No doubt." said Cothron when asked where his commitment stands.

We will be keeping you updated all season long on Luke's season and his recruitment, but at this point there doesn't seem to be any reason for State fans to worry, as he was adamant about still being committed to the Pack. In his first game of the season, Flora MacDonald came up a bit short against national powerhouse, Oak Hill Academy. Luke, however, filled the State sheet in impressive fashion, pouring in 42 points and pulling down 12 rebounds.

We'll have more on Luke in the near future.

Coach Lowe After Georgia State

2009-11-12T22:03:00.001-05:00

Tracy Smith After Georgia State

2009-11-12T21:58:00.002-05:00

Tracy Smith battled foul trouble in the season opener, but still managed to post a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds. The statistic that was the most impressive for Smith, was the fact that he hit 10 of his 12 free throw attempts.

Julius Mays After Georgia State

2009-11-12T21:52:00.002-05:00

Julius Mays was big for the Pack in the second half, scoring 14 of his 16 points in the second period. Mays logged 21 minutes and only had 1 turnover. Even though he shot 50% from the field (3-6), but it was his clutch free throw shooting that made the biggest difference, sinking 10 of 11.

Dennis Horner After Georgia State

2009-11-12T21:40:00.003-05:00

Senior Dennis Horner stepped up for the Wolfpack in a big way in the season opener versus Georgia State. He logged the most minutes of anyone on the team, with 34. He also scored 15 points, knocking down shots at a 60% clip (6-10 FG, 1-2 3PT).

Wolfpack Comes On Late, Defeats Georgia State 69-53

2009-11-12T21:27:00.007-05:00

The Recap
For a young NC State team, they'll take a win any way they can get it. Playing for the first time all season in the RBC Center and without senior guard Farnold Degand (academic reasons), the Pack faced a veteran ball club in Georgia State, and while they stumbled out of the gate, they came on late to notch the victory 69-53.

The Pack went to work early, feeding Tracy Smith on the block for a few easy buckets, but it wasn't long before Georgia State began sagging men in the paint and forcing the Wolfpack to beat them from the perimeter. Throughout the first half, the Pack struggled to do so, could not find a rhythm and were unable to establish themselves on the break. It wasn't until their lone senior stepped up and took control that the Wolfpack finally got it going. Horner went onto a run of his own, scoring 7 straight points and helping the Pack stay afloat, and go into halftime with a slight lead 32-29.

The Wolfpack came out of the tunnel in the second half knowing that they had to put the game away early and not allow the veteran Panthers to hang around, however, an early 3rd foul on Tracy Smith (18 points, 11 boards) sent him to the bench.

"He's thinking about getting pressure on the ball and getting his hands on it. He's got to be smarter about the personnel he's matched up against. We can't have him getting unnecessary fouls" said Coach Sidney Lowe

Without their star center, Sidney Lowe was forced to turn to his guards, something he's had to do in seasons past, but to no avail. Tonight, however, the guards answered the call. Javi Gonzalez hustled, scrapped and fought his way to 8 points, 8 assists and 8 rebounds, while sophomore Julius Mays dropped 16, 14 of which came in the second half. In the end, though, it was the defense keying the Pack's late game run, which closed the door on the Panthers for good.

"We made a nice run and came at them defensively. We went after it and got some rebound and steals, made some stops and that really allowed us to open up our game. Our offense took off from there." said Coach Sidney Lowe

The defensive pressure, and a few long rebounds, helped the Pack get out on the break, extend the lead and cruise to a 16 point victory.

The Player Rundown

Overall the Pack played decent, but there is certainly a whole lot of room for improvement. Tracy Smith did what Tracy Smith is going to do, he punished the opponent in the paint any time he was isolated one on one. He drew fouls, got to the line and played very physical.

The big story of this game was the guard play. 12 assists to only 9 turnovers. That stat alone will show you why NC state was able to hold off the Panthers down the stretch. Without Farnold Degand, and with Smith in early foul trouble, it was up to Javi Gonzalez, Julius Mays and CJ Williams to run the show. While Williams was unable to get things going tonight, Javi Gonzalez showed maturity and poise, as he dropped 8 points, grabbed 8 boards and dished out 8 assists, all while only committing two turnovers. A very impressive performance that got the attention of a guy who might know a thing or two about the position, his coach, Sidney Lowe.

"Javi was great. Two turnovers, eight rebounds. I thought he played great. I think he realized that we didn't have Farnold and that he was going to have to play both positions and play both positions well. He was outstanding. He went in there and got a couple key rebounds for us. He defended the ball, passed the ball, and overall played a great game. "

Mays also was great down the stretch. For a good deal of the first half the Wolfpack basically ran their sets and passed it around the perimeter, looking to drop it to the post. There was very little attempt at creating by the guards until Mays began pushing the envelope and making things happen on offense. His 14 second half points were huge in the Pack getting this victory.

Another player that really stood out was Josh Davis. Although Davis doesn't have much to show on the stat sheet, aside from 3 rebounds, he was so active on both ends of the floor. He crashed the boards, dove for loose balls, and moved with a purpose on the offensive end. In fact, all of the freshman really deserved to be recognized for their effort. Jordan Vandenberg, Scott Wood and DeShawn Painter all played their hearts out, but the bright lights and the excitement of the home opener seemed to shake them a bit. Wood finished with 8 points, but was an uncharacteristic 1-6 from three. Vandenberg slotted in for Smith nicely and really played some important minutes for the Pack. His length alone is game changing, add in the fact that he's aggressive and you have yourself a piece that should play an important role on this team as the season moves forward.

KEY STATS OF THE GAME
-12 assists and only 9 turnoevers
-NC State shot only 18% from beyond the arc

BOXSCORE

Pack Beats Georgia State 69-53

2009-11-12T19:04:00.006-05:00

Tracy Smith had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Julius Mays had 16, and Dennis Horner had 15 points as the Wolfpack came on late to beat Georgia State 69-53. We'll have the story shortly.

GAME PREVIEW: Wolfpack Set To Open 100th Season

2009-11-12T14:21:00.003-05:00

NC STATE WOLFPACK vs. GEORGIA STATE PANTHERS

Tip-off: 7pm
Location: RBC Center, Raleigh, NC
TV: None (Pack Pass, Gopack.com)

Basketball season is finally upon us. The Wolfpack play host to the Georgia State Panthers tonight at 7:00pm at the RBC Center, in their 100th season. Tonights game is the first game of the Glenn Wilkes Classic, which will continue with three games in three days in Daytona Beach next week.

The Pack open the year riding a 15 game winning streak of season openers, and have done so by a respectable 21 point margin of victory. This, however, will be the first time that the Wolfpack has faced the Georgia State Panthers. They narrowly defeated Shorter College in their only exhibition game, 72-68. While you may not be very familiar with Georgia State, you certainly should be familiar with their point guard Marques Johnson. Johnson played with the Wolfpack during the '07-'08 season before deciding to transfer to Georgia State. This will be his first game with the Panthers, and strangely it will be against his former ball club. Johnson played 21 games with the Wolfpack, in which he averaged 2 points and 1.2 assists per game.

The Wolfpack will take the floor tonight coming off an impressive performance against an over matched opponent in St. Paul's College in last Thursday's exhibition. NC State dominated in all aspects of the game, with a solid inside performance from Tracy Smith and the long range sharp shooting of freshman Scott Wood. The Wolfpack ran up an impressive 84 points. On defense, they worked hard, racking up the deflections and playing textbook help-and-recover defense all night long. Tonight, the Pack will face a bigger, faster and more experienced opponent in Georgia State.

The Panthers are led by 6'1 senior guard, Joe Dukes, who also has his own ACC connections, transferring to Georgia State from Wake Forest. They are an experienced group, who will rely on the backcourt trio of Dukes, senior guard Trae Goldston and Johnson for a majority of their scoring. It will be up to the Wolfpack guards to make sure that doesn't happen. Javi Gonzalez, Farnold Degand, CJ Williams and Julius Mays will all need to step up and shut down the dribble penetration if they want to run away with the victory.

A lot of new faces will see their first regular season game action tonight as the Pack will introduce a few freshman that are looking to make immediate impacts. Scott Wood, DeShawn Painter, Jordan Vandenberg and Josh Davis are on tap to see the floor and get their first taste of playing in front of the home crowd at the RBC Center.

It's hard to say what you can expect form this young Wolfpack team, but if the exhibition game was any indication, you can certainly expect them to play hard, play smart and play uptempo. Three things the Wolfpack faithful are certainly looking forward to.

CJ Leslie Talks with WPH at Sammy's

2009-11-12T12:20:00.004-05:00

WPH: CJ, tell us about the upcoming season. You were a junior and went to the state championship game last season. What are your expectations, and how do you feel you've improved as a leader coming into this year?

CJ: We've definitely improved on a lot. Right now I have one goal and that's to win a state championship. That's my main goal and I'm looking forward to achieving that.

WPH: Talk about your recruitment and how everything has been going with that.

CJ: It's going pretty good. Right now, I'm getting a lot of attention from everybody, but I haven't narrowed my list down. It's still just open to everyone right now.

WPH: I know you've become pretty good friends with Ryan. It's pretty cool for you to come out and support him like this.

CJ: Ryan is like my little brother. He's a very good person. He's cool on and off the court. He's a friend.

WPH: Talk about Coach Hatchett, and what the transition has been like for you.

CJ: Changes are not always easy, but things are going well, I can say that. Coach Hatchett definitely has his way of doing things and right now, as a team, we're looking real good.

WPH: Can you talk about Sidney Lowe and how he's been recruiting you.

CJ: Sid, he's still going pretty hard. He's recruited me as hard as anyone has recruited me. So, right now Sid is still a good dude. I love him off the court and as a coach.

WPH: What's the most important thing for you in your recruitment? You have all these schools coming at you. What is the biggest factor for you?

CJ: To just settle down and just pick the right school for me.

Ryan Harrow Talks With WPH At Sammy's

2009-11-12T10:43:00.003-05:00

WPH: What are your thoughts on all of this?

RH: It's big for me. I know all of these people are out here to support me just because I'm coming to their school. That makes me feel good. I knew I had made the right decision, but now I really know. All these folks are here, and I haven't even started playing basketball yet.

WPH: What was going through your mind when you pulled into a packed parking lot?

RH: I didn't even expect all the people to be here. I thought it might just be a couple of people, and I was going to be cool with that. It's just a great feeling to see all of these people here.

WPH: What did you think of the question and answer session?

RH: You know me, I like the attention. I like goofing around. Anybody can talk to me and I'll be friendly and make them smile.

WPH: Your pretty good on the mic.

RH: I try, I try my best.

WPH: Is it nice to have this official and done?

RH: Yeah. I always knew I would be here at NC State ever since Coach Lowe walked in the door, but now that it's official, I know I'm into college now and now I can just focus on getting my grades and keep working on basketball.

WPH: Your head coach said your Walton High team is going to be better than last year.

RH: Definitely. We've got a lot of pieces. We're more of a friendly team. Last year it wasn't the greatest atmosphere. Sometimes we liked each other, other times we didn't. Now it's like everybody gets along.

WPH: Now it's Ryan Harrow's team?

RH: That's what they say, but I'm not that cocky type of person.

WPH: Your coach also said you've stepped up as a vocal leader.

RH: I want to win. It's my senior year. I've got a state championship ring in North Carolina, and now I'm trying to get one in Georgia to add to my collection.

WPH: Is it pretty cool for you and Lorenzo to both make it official on the same day?

RH: We always knew that we were going to be together. I guess the dream just keeps going.

WPH: Pretty cool for CJ to show up, huh?

RH: He just likes to mess around. I know he's going to be here with us. He just likes the attention just like me.

WPH: What would you like to tell the fans that couldn't make it out today?

RH: I really appreciate all of the support and I hope yall are ready for when I get here, because I'm ready to make yall happy.

VIDEO: Ryan Harrow Makes It Official

2009-11-12T00:28:00.002-05:00

Brown Officially Inks with Pack

2009-11-11T22:18:00.005-05:00

With all the excitement here in Raleigh around the Harrow signing, many may have forgotten that another big time Wolfpack commit also made his decision official. Lorenzo Brown signed his scholarship papers today in the early afternoon at Hargrave Military academy.

Brown did not sign his LOI since recruits can only sign that one time and Lorenzo signed his last season. He did, however, sign his scholarship papers and had them faxed over to the University today. We will have more on Brown's signing later.

Ryan Harrow Is Officially A Wolfpacker

2009-11-11T14:11:00.022-05:00

In front of a room of nearly 200 enthused Pack fans and fully decked out in NC State gear, Ryan Harrow signed his L.O.I. at 12:05pm, making it official that he will attend NC State in 2010. Seated next to his mother, father, brother-in-law, sister and and high school coach, with highlight reels rolling in the background, Ryan spoke about his decision, his future at NC State and talked about his dream of bringing home a national championship to Raleigh.

The room was filled with excitement as Pack fans chanted his name and erupted into cheers after Ryan officially inked his name on the scholarship papers and the letter of intent. (which his mother immediately faxed to the school after the signing)

The event began with Erasto Hatchett, Ryan's brother-in-law and coach at Word of God Academy, thanking everybody for coming out and supporting Ryan over the past year and a half. He spoke of Ryan's character and his drive to be the best, and thanked all those who have helped along the way.

Hatchett's speech was followed by very telling comments by Walton coach Joe Goydish, who let the Wolfpack fan's know what a treat it's been to be able to coach such a talented and charismatic young man. He explained how Coach Lowe believed in Ryan from the very beginning and how he thinks Ryan is certainly, now, one of the ten best players in the nation.

Next was Ryan's father, who has been quiet and behind the scenes during this entire recruitment. The emotion in his tone was obvious as he talked of Ryan's motivation and drive to excel. Tears of joy filled his eyes when he explained to the Wolfpack fans how proud Ryan has made him as not only a player, but as a young man.

The mic went back to Ryan as he opened up the floor for questions. One of the more interesting questions came from a woman who wanted to know who the guy was that Ryan was throwing all the alley-oops to in the highlight reels ,referring to Wolfpack recruit CJ Leslie, who just so happened to be sitting 15 feet from Ryan, taking in the excitement while taking down an order of hot wings. "I know CJ is going to make the right decision. I don't know what he's waiting for." said Ryan, making those in attendance burst out in an excited laughter.

After the question and answer session, it was time to eat. Most Wolfpack fans stuck around and ordered wings, talking about the bright future that seems to be approaching in Raleigh. While they ate, Harrow took it upon himself to make rounds around the restaurant, talking to Wolfpack fans and thanking them for the support.

The event was unlike any signing day we've ever witnessed. The scene itself told the story of the passion and enthusiasm that the NC State fans encompass. For the first time in a long time, Wolfpack fans feel that the program is finally turning the corner. We spoke to one fan in attendance who had this to say. "This was amazing. It just is evidence that the Wolfpack fans are the most passionate fans in the world. Nobody cares about their program like we do. I've never heard of a signing day party like this, and even with the bad weather, this many fans showed up? It's amazing. It's great for Ryan and NC State is on it's way back to the top, you better believe that."

The pure excitement that Ryan brings to the court each game was found on the patio at Sammy's today. His charisma, quick wit, and loyalty to the NC State program had those in attendance walking away impressed. The mood is slowly changing in Raleigh. The storied NC State program that helped build the ACC, is quietly inching it's way back with the help and recruiting efforts of one of it's own, head coach Sidney Lowe.

We have tons more to come on this event. Keep checking back for:

-Full video coverage of the speeches and the signing

-A video interview with Ryan Harrow

-A video interview with CJ Leslie

-Quotes from Coach Hatchett, his mother and Ryan himself

*Here are some pictures we shot at the event:

Miller and Hood Play Well In Losses

2009-11-11T07:51:00.005-05:00

Quality Education Academy had a tough match-up for their season opener last night, playing at Christ School, who is ranked #11 nationally. Even though QEA fell 79-95, NC State recruit Quincy Miller played well against the three-time defending NCISAA 3-A champions, scoring 26 points. QEA will play again this Friday at home versus God's Academy.

Meridian (1-1) lost their home opener last night to Starkville by the score of 60-63. NC State recruit Rodney Hood had 20 points in the loss. The Wildcats play at home again tomorrow night versus Jim Hill.

We will have the schedules/stats of all of NC State's commits/prospects up shortly.

Harrow Makes it Official Today in Raleigh, Brown To Ink In Virginia

2009-11-10T20:04:00.011-05:00

WHAT: Ryan Harrow's Official Signing to NC State
WHEN: Wednesday, November 11th (12 Noon)
WHERE: Sammy's Tap and Grill, Raleigh, NC

2010 NC State commit, and heralded point guard, Ryan Harrow, will be signing his L.O.I. (letter of intent) tomorrow, cementing his commitment to Sidney Lowe's Wolfpack. Already a fan favorite, Harrow has decided to make the trip up from Georgia and sign in front of what hopes to be hundreds of loyal Pack fans and students at Sammy Tap and Grill off of Avent Ferry Rd, near campus.

The event is open to the public and will feature highlight reels provided by the top names in the industry. The event is slated to kick-off at 12 noon, but we've been hearing from a lot of people that are planning to make it out to see Ryan sign, so getting there early might be in your best interest. Make it a lunch and order some Sammy's famous wings (which will be 1/2 price).

We will be there to cover the event, but if you're in the area, we hope to see you all out there!

Brown to Ink in Virginia

As expected, Lorenzo Brown will also be signing today with NC State as well, except he will do so from his school (Hargrave) in Virginia. Brown will not be signing his LOI, as he's already done that last year. He will be signing scholarship papers, which will serve the same purpose.

We'll attempt to get up with Brown about his signing later in the day.

Cothron Puts Up Big Numbers in Season Opener

2009-11-10T16:29:00.005-05:00

NC State commit Luke Cothron started off the season with a bang, scoring 25 points last night in Flora MacDonald's (1-0) 79-71 win over American International Institute. Flora MacDonald will be back in action tomorrow night in a early season showdown versus Oak Hill Academy up in Virginia.

Here is a look at Luke's schedule. We will keep this table updated all season long.

Ryan Harrow vs. Milton (2/21/09)

2009-11-10T11:39:00.005-05:00

These are highlights from the '09 Regional Tournament when Walton lost to Milton 89-95. NC State commit Ryan Harrow had 31 points in the contest.

2009-2010 Basketball Team Preview: Center

2009-11-09T19:29:00.003-05:00

Name: Tracy Smith
Height: 6'8"
Weight: 247
Class: Junior

For the Wolfpack, the center position is surly the most solidified position on the floor. Tracy Smith is coming into his junior year fresh off of a breakout season that saw him average 10 points and almost 5 rebounds per game as a sophomore. What is even more impressive is that he did all of that damage while only logging 18 minutes per contest. Smith is a scoring machine who isn't afraid to mix it up in the middle.

As a high schooler many projected Smith to be a top-25 recruit, however his weight ballooned during his sophomore year, and had him playing at an enormous 285lbs. As the weight increased, big time programs began to back off, questioning his motivation and work ethic. During the latter part of his junior year, Tracy decided that it was now or never if he wanted to fulfill his dream of playing college basketball. He cut out fried foods and soda and began to put in work in the weight room. The intense training and disciplined eating paid off as Smith came into his senior season down nearly 30 pounds. With a new found work ethic and increased production on the floor, college coaches once again came knocking. In the end the highly touted big man chose NC State.

In his first season, Smith showed glimpses of what he was capable of in his sparse minutes of playing time, scoring with ease whenever he got the ball in the paint. Last season, with star center JJ Hickson moving on to the NBA, Smith was the first big off the bench, playing behind upperclassmen Ben McCauley and Brandon Costner. Smith immediately made the most of his opportunity, shooting an impressive 54% from the field and pushing the Wolfpack's experienced frontcourt for minutes down the stretch.

This season the Wolfpack are without McCauley and Costner, and with Smith stepping in, there isn't any reason to expect a decline of production in the paint. An off-season of intense weight training and grueling conditioning, courtesy of new trainer Wright Wayne, has Tracy ready to become a bona-fide star in the ACC.

"Last year I would say it was tough with Charles but Wright Wayne, he really put it on us. I’m in the best shape I’ve been in since I’ve been at NC State and I think it’s going to show in our stamina, the way we run the floor and everything." said Smith during media day

In the exhibition versus St. Paul's College, Tracy did not disappoint, shooting 9-11 and dropping 21 points in only 21 minutes. He showed off a few new tricks, as he took it to the opposing 'Bigs' with both power, advanced footwork and a quick baseline spin move he's been working on this off-season.

Tracy will be the #1 option in a Wolfpack offense that still has a lot of questions to be answered. Wolfpack coach Sidney Lowe preaches running the offense from inside-out, but if Tracy continues to improve, there won't be much need for the 'out' part of that equation.

Name: Jordan Vandenberg
Height: 7'1"
Weight: 238lbs
Class: Freshman

Surprise, surprise, Jordan Vandenberg isn't a project player after all. The unknown 7'0" Aussie inked with the Pack late in the recruiting process and had many State fans wondering if Lowe was playing the desperation card with the signing. It turns out he wasn't. Vandenberg is 7'0" tall and still extremely raw, but anyone who's watched him has seen that he's already capable of causing a lot of problems for ACC opponents. His tenacious style of play, and coordination on the floor has caught a lot of people off guard, including his teammates.

"Jordan surprised me when he got here. He's not your everyday 7 footer. He's a lot better than what I expected, because you know, a lot of times 7 footers that you haven't heard of usually don't have it all together. Jordan, he does." said Farnold Degand

The fans found one of their new favorites when Vandenberg stunned the crowd by winning the team dunk contest at the Red Rally two weeks ago, and again when he punished St. Paul's 'Bigs' during a stretch where he threw down a drop step dunk and followed it up with a ferocious block out of bounds on the other end.

The fiery big man will surely provide some much needed depth to the Pack front court this season and should definitely open a few eyes in the process. Although still very raw, his size and athleticism alone will keep teams honest in the paint and have opposing guards altering shots when they get in the lane. The future is very bright for the young freshman who still must learn to compete in the ACC, but he knows that if he keeps working he could be a very big piece to not only this years team, but the future of the program as well.

POSITION OVERVIEW
The center position is the easily the strongest part of this young Wolfpack team, thanks to Tracy Smith alone. The success of this team will depend heavily on whether he can shoulder the load the coaching staff will trust him with. His ability to score and rebound will need to be on display night in and night out if the Pack wants to be a dark horse in the ACC race. With the capable Vandenberg also in the mix, the center position seems to be sizing up nicely for Sidney Lowe and the Wolfpack.

Powell Is Enjoying November

2009-11-09T16:01:00.006-05:00

Thus far, November has been a good month for former NC State forward Josh Powell. He averaged 10.5 minutes, 5.5 points and 2.5 in two games in October. Since then he has become a much bigger contributor off of the bench for the Lakers. Through 5 games in November, Powell is averaging 6.4 points in 15.6 minutes of play. He has proven to be more efficient in the early parts of the 09-10 season, shooting 53% from the field (he shot 44% from the field last season). Josh had his best game of the young season on Friday night, scoring 13 points in 23 minutes of play, which were both season highs.

Laker head coach Phil Jackson has been pleased with Powell's spark off of the bench this season. "He's been our most reliable substitute this year off the bench," Jackson told the LA Times. "He's been shooting the ball well. He's much more comfortable playing in the offense. He knows the niches he can find, and plays and knows how to use them well."

According to the Times, Powell was stoked to hear of the compliment that his head coach had thrown his way. "Powell's eyes lit up when he was told of Jackson's compliment. 'If Jesus said so, I'm with it," Powell told the LA Times, smiling. "That's PJ, man.'"

Women’s Basketball Receiving National Attention

2009-11-08T12:03:00.005-05:00

Even though the official season has yet to begin, the NC State Women’s basketball team is already garnering attention from coaches across the nation. In the most recent USA Today/ESPN Top-25 preseason poll, the Wolfpack notched a total of 11 votes from the panel of 31 Division I head coaches.

Head coach Kellie Harper looks to get an experienced Wolfpack team rolling early, in hopes of rebounding from a 13-17 record last year which was only the fifth losing season in program history (dating back 35 years). When asked why she picked NC State, and how long it will take to seriously contend for championships, Coach Harper responded with this:

“I’ve had opportunities to leave [Western Carolina] before, but the fact of the matter is that I felt like we could go to a Final Four here. That’s a dream of mine: to coach a team to a Final Four. I think we could be competing for championships in three or four years. Does that mean we won’t win before then? No.”

The Lady Wolfpack rolled last Monday night with a balanced 87-44 exhibition win over North Greenville University, a game in which 11 different players tallied 14 or more minutes in the victory. On Friday, November 13 the team will play host to Florida International in the Raleigh Sheraton Wolfpack Invitational. The game will kick-off the official season at 8 p.m. in Reynolds Coliseum. The first game will feature Vermont and Western Michigan at 6 p.m.

Be sure to make plans to attend the beginning of a new era in Wolfpack women's basketball. Tickets are on sale through GoPack.com.

By: Patrick Stephenson
**quote from Red & White for Life Blog

Update From Across The Pond (11/7/09)

2009-11-07T14:19:00.004-05:00

Moycullen has gotten off to a rocky 0-5 start, but Simon Harris has had a great start in his first year as a professional. He is second on his team in scoring, averaging 13.8 points per contest, and leads his team in rebounds with 5.4.

Cameron Bennerman's Basket Crabs lost their first game of the season on November 1st to Banco Sard 75-83. Bennerman posted a line of 16 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals.

Bennerman is averaging 18.2 points and 2.8 steals per game.

Anthony Grundy's Carife Ferrara squad has lost three straight games, since winning their season opener. On November 1st, they fell to Lottomatica 71-88. Grundy' led his team with 22 points (9-18), along with 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals.

Grundy is averaging 21.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game.

Brandon Costner's Dexia Mons team is 2-5 in the Belgium League and 1-1 in the Eurocup. Costner didn't play in Dexia Mons 82-79 win over Verviers on Haloween night.

Costner is averaging 11.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.

Coach Lowe: After St. Paul's College

2009-11-06T01:06:00.000-05:00

Javi Gonzalez: After St. Paul's College

2009-11-05T23:52:00.001-05:00

Tracy Smith: After St. Paul's College

2009-11-05T23:45:00.001-05:00

Scott Wood: After St. Paul's College

2009-11-05T23:29:00.001-05:00

New Look Wolfpack Crushes Overmatched Tigers 84-42

2009-11-05T21:58:00.013-05:00

The Wolfpack opened up the basketball season on Thursday night with a bang, beating the St. Paul College Tigers 84-42. Although it was only an exhibition game, there was an excitement that filled Reynolds Coliseum, as students and season ticket holders showed up to catch a glimpse of the new look Wolfpack.

With plenty of new faces and a brand new up-tempo offense, Sidney Lowe wanted to show the Pack faithful just why he's been so excited this offseason. Soon after the tip, it was pretty apparent. Tracy Smith went to work immediately, maneuvering in the post and powering to the rim to notch the first 5 points of the game, and he didn't stop there. Smith kept up that pace all night, and although he was facing a much smaller, weaker opponent, he was impressive to say the least. Jump hooks, drop steps and great body control helped Tracy to a game high 21 points on 9-11 shooting. Smith looked stronger, quicker, and more lean than he did last season, all of which he attributes to hard work this offseason. (He also went 3-3 from the line, a place where he struggled last season)

When Smith wasn't punishing St. Paul's from the paint, Scott Wood was reigning down threes from the outside. The heralded freshman known for his sharp-shooting, showed NC State fans what all the fuss was about, as he was a perfect 4-4 from beyond the arc. His quick release and confident nature had the crowd dialed in every time he touched the ball. Starting at the SF position, Wood not only shot the ball well, but he did his part on defense and didn't commit a single turnover in 22 minutes.

Both Smith and Wood were impressive, but equally as good was junior point man, Javi Gonzalez. After two years of taking lumps and learning what it takes to play point guard in the ACC, Gonzalez looked in control and eager to push the pace. His quick hands and aggressive defense led to a team high 4 steals, which helped the Pack get out on the break. When the pace picked up, Javi didn't look the least bit overwhelmed, making the right passes at the right times and ended up with 6 assists with only 3 turnovers. This gave Javi an impressive 2:1 assist to turnover ratio, which is great news for a guard plagued by turnovers early in his career. Gonzalez also pitched in 5 points and 5 boards for good measure.

The faster pace and smarter play was refreshing to the 5,000 in attendance and gave a preview of the style of play Sidney Lowe has been talking about since he was hired in 2006. Although it was only the opening exhibition game, this Wolfpack team seems like a smarter more athletic group than last years team.

While there were many bright spots for the Wolfpack, there were also a few areas where improvements will need to be made. In the first half the Pack struggled to out-rebound the smaller Tigers, and went into halftime with the rebounding totals dead even at 20-20. A Sidney Lowe halftime speech later, and State's rebounding was on point, out-boarding St. Paul's 30-14 in the second half. While much of the rebounding was accomplished by team effort (eight players with 4 or more rebounds) a lot of the praise can be given to two freshmen 'bigs'.

DeShawn Painter and Jordan Vandenberg were not in the starting line-up, but you can believe, if Thursday was any indication, they will be seeing their fair share of court time this season. Painter was a jolt of energy off the bench and provided Sidney Lowe with a different look at the four position when senior Dennis Horner is on the bench. A true trouble maker around the rim, DeShawn was relentless on defense, altering shots and pulling down rebounds in traffic. He even pulled his weight on the offensive end with 8 points. Painter is still very raw, but his non-stop motor and aggressive nature will certainly make him hard to keep off the court.

Vandenberg is another player who turned some heads with his play in the exhibition. The 7 footer from Australia, who many envisioned to be a 'project player' was anything but. A thunderous dunk, a soft midrange two, a perfectly executed high-low , and a block and stare down that had the Pack fans on their feet, were just a few examples. Although he did get a little sloppy with 5 turnovers (most of which were bullet passes to cutters at close range) that can likely be chalked up to the first game jitters, Jordan was impressive. Down the road you can bet Jordan will most certainly be something special for the Wolfpack.

With a week to prepare before the season opens, Sidney Lowe will have to make a few interesting decisions. CJ Williams played a solid game, but so did his backup Farnold Degand. Degand really pushed the pace and gave the Pack another quality ball handler in the backcourt, while Williams is the bigger more physical of the two. It will most likely come down to match-ups, but Degand was really impressive dishing out 4 assists and only being responsible for one turnover. Even better news than that was that Farnold looked to be 100% after two years of knee troubles.

Box Score (click to enlarge)

Wolfpack Wins Exhibition 84-42

2009-11-05T18:44:00.005-05:00

The NC State Wolfpack took down the St. Paul's College Tigers 84-42 in impressive fashion. The Pack showed off their new up tempo offense to a crowd of students and season ticket holders in storied Reynolds Coliseum.

The crowd came away impressed as Javi Gonzalez and Farnold Degand pushed the pace all night long, leading to easy buckets and an some exciting highlights. Tracy Smith led all scorers with 21, and freshman Scott Wood pitched in 12, going 4-4 from three point range.

We'll have a detailed recap coming soon.

2009-2010 Wolfpack Basketball Preview: The Power Forwards

2009-11-05T09:54:00.007-05:00

Name: Dennis Horner
Height: 6'9
Weight: 226
Class: Senior

Dennis Horner won't quit on you. Sidney Lowe found this out first hand when he was hired at NC State. Previous coach Herb Sendek had a top notch recruiting class coming in, including highly touted prospects Dan Werner, Larry Davis and Dennis Horner. Upon learning of Sendek's departure Werner and Davis reneged on their commitments, leaving Horner as the lone freshman in Lowe's first season. Lowe knew he needed Horner. With the loss of Andrew Brackman and Ced Simmons to professional baseball and basketball (respectively), he had no one to turn to but the loyal, true to his word, Dennis Horner.

Three years later Dennis is a senior and has been a solid contributor every step of the way. With the Pack now quicker on the wing, Lowe and the staff decided to make a decision to move him from the wing to the post, where he could exploit bigger, slower defenders with his ability to shoot the ball from deep or attack off the dribble. Horner accepted the role and has added close to 15 pounds of muscle this offseason (now up almost 40lbs since his freshman season), enabling him to match the physicality of opposing ACC four men.

The Wolfpack is young this season, and with the loss of their top three scorers, they will look to Dennis to shoulder a little more of the scoring load than he did a season ago. Last year, Horner averaged 6.4 points and almost 3 rebounds in about 18 minutes of court time per game. This season he should see a generous increase in minutes being the only senior amongst this years front court.

There aren't many questions surrounding the 6'9 forward. He has been a consistent contributor throughout his career and you can always count on getting 100% out of him when he steps foot on the floor. The test for Horner will be to see if he is ready and willing to step up and lead this young NC State team. He knows the ropes, he knows what to expect, but will he be able to deliver in his senior season? The answer to that question could mean a lot in how the season turns out for the Pack.

Name: DeShawn Painter
Height: 6'9
Weight: 213
Class: Freshman

It's easy to forget about Painter. He was the last freshman to sign and came without the fanfare of some of the other recruits, however, Painter may very well be the most important one of them all.

Early in his prep career, DeShawn was one of the most highly touted players in his class. His versatility, aggressiveness and athleticism had big name programs and scouts drooling over the high ceiling that he possessed, but things changed when he was injured the summer before his senior season. A small back injury nagged Painter and put a hold on the growing hype surrounding him. A few poor AAU performances against some big time big men and the bloom was suddenly off the rose. Many schools backed off and decided to take other directions, but not NC State. Lowe continued to pursue the talented PF, understanding that when back to full health, Painter had the ability to be a dominant force in the ACC.

Before the Pack could make a final push, DeShawn signed with Billy Donovan and the Florida Gators. A little bit later, Painter had second thoughts about his commitment to Florida, and re-opened his recruitment. Soon after, Painter inked with the Wolfpack.

Painter is a high energy, highly skilled athlete who excels on the wing and facing up his defender. He is a very strong rebounder and loves to mix it up on the boards, much like his idol, Kevin Garnett.

"I’m tall and long and I can do a lot of what KG does. I mean, I know I’m not as good as him or as strong yet, but that’s the player I pattern my game after. I always say I want to be better than KG, but of course I have a lot of work to do. I just want to play the game as hard as I can and get better. Even Coach Lowe told me he saw a lot of Garnett tendencies in my game. I guess you can say I like to shoot it and I can shoot it. I like to face up and attack the basket too. I’m not too much of a back to the basket guy but,I know if I get stronger I can be." Painter said.

The Wolfpack would certainly love to see those Garnett tendencies on the court come game time and will be counting on DeShawn for some major minutes backing up Dennis Horner. Early practices have seen Painter become a big surprise for the NC State staff. His versatility is a lot better than what most had reported, so good even that they have flirted with the idea of working Painter out on the wing some this season. For now Painter will be called on to provide energy and an aggressive body on the block to help with rebounding.

The knock on Painter is his thin frame. He will need to prove that at 6'9, 213lbs, he can bang with the big boys of the ACC. If he can prove to be effective at the four, Painter will be a gigantic boost for the Pack who will need all the help on the boards that they can get. It may be a season or two before we really see how great DeShawn Painter can be, but a speed boost in that learning curve would help tremendously.

Name: Richard Howell
Height: 6'8
Weight: 265
Class: Freshman

With the Pack's starting front court gone, they will need every big body they can find to provide help on the blocks. That's where Richard Howell comes in. Howell, a freshman from Atlanta, is a big bodied, highly skilled power forward who can score effectively from the blocks or the wing. He has a soft jump shot and already possess the size to mix it up in the middle.

This pre-season Howell has fallen victim to a few minor injuries, but hopes to be ready when the season rolls around. Sir Rich is a not only a gifted athlete, but also possesses a high basketball IQ and a solid work ethic. Howell is known for being a unselfish player that goes hard all the time. While he isn't much of a high flyer, he makes up for it in his strength and body control. In the paint Howell can break you down with an array of post moves, or he can step out and keep you honest with his improving midrange game.

There is no question that Howell is a fighter and will do what has to be done to win basketball games. He is relentless on the glass and isn't afraid to throw around his 265 pound frame. The question with Howell is about his health. If he can overcome these early season bumps and bruises, he should be a sure bet to contribute at the four spot for Sidney Lowe. As with any freshman there will surely be a period of adaptation, but sporting an ACC ready body, it will be mostly a mental thing for Richard.

POSITION OVERVIEW
With the experience and outside shooting of Horner, the sheer athleticism of Painter, and the size and tenacity of Richard Howell, Sidney Lowe has a nice array of tools to work with at PF. All three of the options will still need to prove that they can handle some of the scoring load and shut down opposing bigs, but there is no question that they will give it every once of effort they can muster. Horner, Howell, and Painter all go hard to the boards and never back down. This is a position that the staff will look to for consistency and hustle, and most likely they will get it. As with the SF position, PF is a deep position that has a lot of versatility and will more than likely take a few games for the staff to get a real feel for what the younger guys can do.

The importance of this position is a lot greater than many realize. Tracy Smith is a great rebounder, but as you saw last season, he will need some help. These three options will be key in controlling the glass, an extremely important factor for a team looking to get out on the break. In a round-about way, I guess you could say that a lot of the Pack's visions of running a fast pace offense will rest on the rebounding efficiency of these three players.

NC State Commit: Ryan Harrow vs. Norcross.

2009-11-04T13:31:00.006-05:00

This is a highlight reel from when Walton High lost to Norcross in the second round of the state playoffs 61-64 last season. Harrow had 29 points against the #1 team in the state.

2009-2010 Wolfpack Basketball Preview: The Small Forwards

2009-11-04T12:05:00.007-05:00

Name: Scott Wood
Height: 6'7
Weight: 170
Class: Freshman

Scott Wood can score. The 6'7" forward is another product from Marion High School in Indiana, the same school that produced Wolfpack point guard Julius Mays. Coming from a winning program, Wood is known for his intensity and drive to win. He's probably even more known for his quick release, and long range sharp shooting. Wood possesses a jump shot that was one of the most feared in the 2009 class, and which helped make him to be ESPNU's #1 signing day sleeper last November.

Wood's ability to score in bunches will certainly help a Wolfpack team who hasn't had a consistent three point threat the last few seasons. His release is as quick as they come and has been compared to that of former Davidson sensation Stephen Curry, who's hair-trigger release made him a nightmare for anyone who attempted to guard him. The ACC, however, is a whole new ballgame and will take some getting used to for Wood who is still a bit slender by ACC standards. That's not to say that Scott can't attack the basket. This summer he surprised his teammates with his ability to put the ball on the floor and finish with authority. The key to Wood's overall success on the offensive end will be showing this ability come game time. Teams will certainly make a point to keep tabs on Wood and to eliminate open looks from long range. With opponents looking to press up on him, Wood will need to keep them honest with his dribble-drive and ability to finish in traffic.

When he signed with NC State, ball handling was one of his weaknesses, however, he was forced to take over at point guard his senior season when Marion's starting point man was ruled ineligible. He told us earlier this off-season how being moved out of position was a blessing in disguise.

"Playing point last year definitely helped me. Now, I'm more confident with the ball when defenders pressure me and am able to take them off the dribble on the wing." Scott told us.

Offense is something that Wood has never truly struggled with, and given some time, he should adapt to the ACC game and become a big time scoring threat for the Pack. The only question for Wood then becomes playing time. With a high basketball IQ, a motor that never stops and the ability to put the ball in the hole, you'd think there was no way Scott could be kept off the floor.

One thing the Wolfpack will need to focus on this season is defense. With their top three scorers gone from last season they will need to keep opponents in check if they want to be successful. With Wood, it's not a question of desire, but like with any freshman, there will be a learning curve on the defensive side of the ball. There is no question that, at points this season, Wood will be matched up against a quicker opponent on the wing. He will need to show Coach Lowe that he can make stops and stay in front of quicker, more athletic forwards if he wants to stay on the court.

Name: Josh Davis
Height: 6'7
Weight: 205
Class: Freshman

Sidney Lowe has made it a point that he wants guys who will buy into the program and give 110% every time they are on the floor. With Josh Davis, he has just that. Davis grew up a Wolfpack fan and has always idolized the past players that donned the red and white. Now it's his turn. The athletic forward was a late bloomer at Athens High School in Raleigh and went unnoticed by many big name programs and recruiting services, however, he didn't slip past Sidney Lowe.

"He’s the type of player that you don’t have to call a play for, he just makes it happen. When I talked about the ball being on the floor, he’s the first one to go on the floor, the first. He’s going to be a guy that it’s going to be hard to not have him on the floor, because he does all the little things. He defends, he rebounds, he runs, he’s going to get those loose balls and he’s a finisher. He gets on the break, he’s gets the ball and he finishes. He’ll get the offensive rebound, go back up and get fouled. He’s been fun to coach." said Lowe in his preseason press conference.

That is an outstanding vote of confidence from a coach who puts more stock into hard work and effort than he does into pure talent. While playing the same position, Davis and Wood are completely different players. Josh is not a go-to scoring threat, but that does not mean he can't put up points. As a senior at Athens, he averaged over 25 points per game and pulled down over 8 rebounds. Although the staff isn't looking for Davis to put up those type of numbers in the ACC, they are hoping that he can bring his hustle, heart and athleticism every time he steps on the floor, something they've been very pleased with thus far in the preseason practices.

At 205lbs, Davis already has the build to compete in the ACC and has shown the staff that he wants to be on the floor, showing a positive attitude and a willingness to work. He is only a freshman and will certainly have to get acquainted with going up against great players every night, but the coaching staff has been surprised at how well he's adapted thus far. It's strange to say this with Davis being such an unheralded recruit, but as of now, he has the least amount of questions surrounding him at the SF position for the Pack.

Name: Johnny Thomas
Height: 6'6
Weight: 206
Class: Sophomore (redshirt)

If Johnny Thomas gets a lane, your best option might be to move. Thomas is a high flying forward who possesses elite athleticism coupled with a never quit attitude that has the coaches ready to see what he can do in his first healthy season. The fact is, Thomas has never gotten a chance to show the Pack fans what he's capable of. Redshirted in his first season at NC State with a serious knee injury, Thomas came back last year to provide some help and some hustle at the SF spot. Unfortunately for Johnny, his knee continued to act up and he was forced to miss a majority of the season.

This year he is fully healthy by his own admission and could be a key piece for a Pack team in need of a scorer. Watch Thomas play when healthy, and you catch glimpses of a young Gerald Henderson. From the build, to the shot, to the insane hops, JT has it all. The question is not whether it's there, but whether he can harness it and whether his knees will allow him to.

Thomas has spent the off-season strengthening his knee and honing his jumpshot, in hopes of filling the vacant SF role for the Wolfpack. Last season when Johnny stepped foot on the floor, he was aggressive, physical and active on both ends, but never quite looked full-strength, thanks to the knee. If he is able to overcome the injury woes and shows off the new found jumper that he flashed in the 'Red Rally scrimmage,' Thomas could be a pleasant surprise and a true team leader. If, however, his knee acts up again and his athleticism is hindered, he may find himself fighting harder than he thought to find court time.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The small forward position is easily the most versatile position on the floor for the Wolfpack this season with an array of new faces that possess a wide range of talents. Scott Wood, Josh Davis and Johnny Thomas will compete for minutes at this slot and all three bring a different dynamic when they're on the court.

This position battle may be more about match-ups than it is about finding one player to log most of the minutes. Wood will certainly make teams think twice about going zone, while Davis and Thomas will be the ones Lowe looks to when he needs a stop or he wants to push the tempo.

The SF position is really one to watch and one that could prove to be vital for the Pack. Like with the shooting guards, the small forward position has it's questions, but with three capable options, it seems hard to believe that Sidney and the coaching staff won't be able to find an answer.

SIMON SAYS: Issue #4: "I Love Coaching"

2009-11-04T02:00:00.005-05:00

What's going on Wolfpack Nation?

Well we didn't play our best basketball (especially me) this weekend to say the least. So all I'm going to say about that is that we're looking forward to redeeming ourselves on Sunday up in Dublin.

Recently I've been in really close contact with my mother, father, and close friends, because like I said before, losing is the number one thing in the world that I hate with a passion.

Changing speeds (haha), I have been concentrating a lot on the coaching aspect of my trip lately. I am coaching two teams over here. The first is an Under 16 all girls club team. I love coaching them so much, because they are so enthusiastic and receptive, and just love playing the game. I feel as if this age group is the most important to young players, because this is the time in which the game tends to get a little more serious. These girls are very talented and I feel that we're going to win a lot of games this season. I'm excited if you can't tell (haha).

The other team I'm coaching is the Varsity team here at the local University. OBVIOUSLY, I am more than elated to be doing this because one day I hope to possibly become a head coach back home in the states, so this is a big task I am taking on here in preparation for my future. This is the best part about this whole experience, in my opinion, because I love the strategy involved in coaching. The evaluation of what your strengths and weaknesses are, pitted against your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. There's nothing like it...

But I'll tell you about it more in detail when the respective seasons begin later this month. I have to run to training, so I'll be in touch. Hope you all have a great week and I'll be speaking to you soon.

Simon

2009-2010 Wolfpack Basketball Preview: The Shooting Guards

2009-11-03T10:39:00.015-05:00

Name: CJ Williams
Height: 6'6
Weight: 218
Class: Sophomore

Most tend to forget how good CJ Williams really is. He was an early commit to NC State during his junior season at Jack Britt High School in North Carolina. Williams hadn't had many offers at the time, but Roy Williams and UNC were regularly communicating with him and keeping tabs on the four star combo. The Heels backed off after CJ announced his college plans and the rest is history.

A back injury prior to his senior season at Jack Britt dropped Williams off of the radar for most scouting outlets, as his numbers dipped considerably in his senior campaign. He explained to us about this injury earlier this off-season.

"Well actually at first it was misdiagnosed. They first thought it was a pulled hamstring and they treated it for that. It didn’t get better, so then I went to get another opinion and they said it was a pinched nerve, and that wasn’t it either. Finally, I found a doctor that knew what it was. It’s actually called the sacroiliac joint, the SI joint. It’s a joint in your back that when you jump, it bears all your weight. That joint was actually out of place and they say if that joint is only 1/16th of an inch off, you’ll be on a pain scale of a 9. In my case the bones were actually stacked on top of each other. The pain would shoot from my buttocks all the way to my knee so I had to get surgery." Said Williams

Finally healthy, CJ came to NC State with the intentions of re-establishing himself as an elite do-it-all guard. He was arguably the top freshman last season (along with Julius Mays), logging over 14 minutes per game and chipping in almost 4 points per game. Williams is a tall guard who will interchange at the three spot for the Pack when necessary. He's a heady player that understands the game and plays within himself when he's on the floor. His .06 turnovers per game was a team low for players averaging more than 12 minutes of floor time.

Last season, Williams at times seemed timid and reluctant to force the issue, a certain symptom of being a freshman in the ACC. This season things will change, according to CJ.

"Last year I settled for a lot of jump shots and that's not really my game. In high school I liked to attack the basket and get in the lane for a pull-up." Williams told us.

Although attacking the basket in high school is a lot different than attacking the basket in the ACC, Williams has made the proper adjustments over his months off the court.

"I spent a lot of time in the gym this summer, getting stronger. I know I'm going to have to play more aggressive this year on offense so I worked on my ball handling which will help me with that." he told us.

With the loss of Courtney Fells, Ben McCauley and Brandon Costner, NC State will need someone to step up the scoring from the guard position and the staff is looking to Williams to provide that boost. This off-season Williams played in the Durham Pro-Am league, a highly competitive league that consists of former college players and current NBA stars. Williams, one of the younger players on the court each night, held his own and then some. Those in attendance could noticeably tell the work that CJ had put in. Improved strength, better ball handling and a dead eye jumper helped him become one of the leading scorers on his team, even pouring in 32 points in one contest. The experience of playing in the Pro-Am has given him a renewed confidence, something Sidney Lowe and the NC State coaches are hoping is carried over into the season.

Williams will certainly be a key piece for the Wolfpack, someone who will be looked to for leadership on and off the court. With no true scoring threat from the guard position, CJ will need to be aggressive and embrace the scoring role if the Pack wants to have success. If this summer was any indication, we don't think it will be much of a problem.

Name: Farnold Degand
Height: 6'4
Weight: 170
Class: Senior

The roller coaster ride that has been Degand's career at NC State is in it's final run, and Farnold is hoping it will be a good one. A transfer from Iowa State, Degand has been either redshirted or injured (for at least a part of) the past three seasons. This year he finally can claim that he is 100% healthy and ready to go. Two years ago, the Pack thought they had found the answer to the point guard woes that had plagued them since Engin Atsur left the team three years ago. Unfortunately, Degand's knee didn't cooperate and he was forced to miss the greater part of the last two years. With the knee problems behind him, he has readied himself for one last push.

Thought of mostly as a point guard over his years in college, Sidney Lowe has optioned to move Farnold to the two guard in hopes to alleviate ball pressure, give the Pack better ball handling on the perimeter, and put more speed on the floor to push the break. The move to shooting guard should take some pressure off Degand, who has had trouble handling the ball in the past. Last season he was third in turnovers per game at 2.2, a high total considering he only averaged 18 minutes per contest.

The question with Degand is whether he will be looked to for scoring and if so, is he capable. No guard on this year's NC State roster averaged over 7 points last season, meaning someone will have to take on that challenge. It's yet to be seen whether Degand has what it takes, but he's shown glimpses in the past of being able to get to the rim with his quick first step and had people taking note when he drilled 50% of his threes over the first 10 games prior to his injury.

Defensively Farnold has the ability to become a lockdown defender, but last season a sore knee hindered his lateral movement, making him an easy target for quicker guards. This year with the knee 100%, all Degand will have to focus on is playing smart, as his athleticism and quickness should take care of the rest.

"I've definitely improved my focus. This year I've made sure to correct things that have been wrong in the past. I haven't necessarily had the best success doing it the old way, so I figured I should go about it a little different this year and I've decided to take that route." Degand said during media day.

It will surely be interesting to see how the move to the two guard effects Farnold. If he is able to chip in on the scoring and alleviate the point guard's pressure, then Lowe will look like a genius and the Pack will be one of the faster ACC teams from end to end. If Degand falters and is lost at the off-guard spot, then I'd be curious to see if he moves back into the point guard rotation with CJ taking over primarily at the two.

POSITION OVERVIEW
There are a lot of questions at shooting guard for the Pack, simply because there are a lot of unknowns. Will CJ mature into a constant scoring threat for the Pack? Will Farnold Degand adapt to the two spot and allow the offense to really push the ball down the court form either backcourt position?

This position certainly has the most flexibility, as you may at times see Julius Mays or Scott Wood slotted in here if the situation presents itself. The staff certainly hopes, however, that CJ or Farnold will step up and grab the reigns. The best case scenario would be the Pack finding a legitimate scoring threat from the two spot, as well as a consistent ball handler that will help cut down on backcourt turnovers that plagued them a season ago.

Harper Era Opens In Style, Wolfpack Women Roll 87-44

2009-11-03T08:47:00.007-05:00

**With the launch of the new site coming soon, we have brought on a little help in hopes to expand and grow. We have a new writer who will be covering Women's basketball this season. We hope you follow along as Kellie Harper and company try to bring the Wolfpack Women back into the national spotlight.

On Monday night, for the first time in 34 long years, the NC State women’s basketball team opened the competitive basketball season without head coach Kay Yow leading the way for the Lady Wolfpack. Instead, it was first-year coach Kellie Harper coaching up-and-down the court, shouting plays and instructing an experienced Wolfpack squad which includes 11 of 12 players returning from last year’s team, a team who compiled an overall record of 13-17 overall and 5-9 in conference, good enough for 9th place in the loaded ACC. With the regular season less than two weeks away, Harper and company took the floor for the first time in an exhibition game against the North Greenville Crusaders, a D-II university out of Tigerville, South Carolina. The pre-season jitters seemed to wear off immediately as the Wolfpack women played tenacious defense and executed to precision all night long in route to a 87-44 victory.

Appointed as the new head coach on April 16, 2009, the 32-year old Harper looks to continue the vision which Coach Yow dreamt about for so many years. The dream was to consistently be a national contender and compete with the best in the conference and the nation. If anyone knows how to accomplish this vision, it might be Coach Harper. A point guard on the Tennessee Lady Volunteers’ basketball team from 1995-1999 under legendary Coach Pat Summitt, Harper helped lead her team to SEC tournament championships in 1996, 1998, and 1999, and 3 straight NCAA titles in 1996, 1997, and 1998 with a perfect 39-0 record in 1997-1998. These accomplishments eventually would gain her entry into the Tennessee Lady Volunteer Basketball Hall of Fame. However, not only is Coach Harper a winner as the athlete, she has also proven herself as a worthy instructor and coach. Serving as an Assistant Coach on the Auburn Tigers squad, as well as at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She also found success when she took the head job at Western Carolina. The next chapter in her story began last night when the she led her Wolfpack women to a convincing victory in their opener.

The Lady Wolfpack dominated the game from tip-off until the final whistle blew with very little trouble in establishing dominance over an outmatched Crusaders team. The Pack began the game on an 11-0 run and held the Crusader’s on a drought that they were unable to break until the 15:55 mark in the first half. The Wolfpack was paced by senior Lucy Ellison who finished with 10 points and 9 rebounds, junior Tia Bell who had 14 points and 9 rebounds, and by sophomore Bonae Holston who finished with a game high in points and rebounds with 19 and 11 respectively. Though the team played great all-around ball, they finished with 18 turnovers, a stat which Coach Harper, being a former point guard, will not let continue. Overall, however, Harper was excited about the exhibition victory and felt that it was a good first showing for her ball club.

"We we're really excited, I know the girls were really excited to play somebody else." said Harper. "I'm pleased with the effort most of the game. I'm really anxious to go study this on film. I think film is a great teaching tool. We will watch a lot of it tomorrow and work hard to get better."

The first half saw alternating scoring runs from both teams and impressive offensive rebounding from a resilient Wolfpack frontcourt. NC State finished with a 62-25 edge on the boards, 27 which were offensive rebounds. The first half concluded with a balanced attack from the Wolfpack leading the Crusaders 42-17, even with the absence of Sharnise Beal, leading returning scored from last year (11.5 ppg) who was out with a knee injury. Each of the 11 players on the team who were eligible to play registered at least 14 minutes, with 10 of those 11 players getting in on the scoring column. The defense was also on key as the Pack held North Greenville to 19.2% shooting in the first half, and 23.1% for the game. The second half was much of the same with the Pack getting ahead early and steadily increasing their lead until it reached a game high 43 when the final buzzer rang. NC State outmatched North Greenville in points in the paint by a margin of 46-4, second-chance points 28-8, fast break points 18-4, and bench points 41-12.

Picked to finish 9th in the ACC this year, the Lady Wolfpack looks to play its official season opener on Friday, November 13 against Florida International at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh in the Sheraton Raleigh Wolfpack Invitational. Here Coach Harper will look to record her first official win in the NC State record books on her way to RE-establishing the Wolfpack as a national powerhouse, but for now she and everyone else should be happy with their performance against North Greenville University.

By Patrick Stephenson
Photo courtesy of GoPack.com

2009-2010 Wolfpack Basketball Preview: The Point Guards

2009-11-02T11:44:00.004-05:00

With the basketball season set to kick-off this Thursday, we'll be taking the next few days to preview the current team and take a look at each position, it's strengths and it's weaknesses. Today, in our first installment, we'll be looking at the point guards.

Name: Javi Gonzalez
Height: 6'0
Weight: 175lbs
Class: Junior

It may sound crazy, but there might not be a more experienced point man in the ACC. Javi Gonzalez went through baptism by fire during his freshman season when he was forced to fill the starting point guard role vacated by an injured Farnold Degand. Then last season, he again played a bigger role than expected, winning the majority of the minutes over freshman Julius Mays and an on-again, off-again injured Degand.

Last season had more highs than his freshman campaign, but still was marred by a high turnover total, something Sidney Lowe just won't stand for. "Playing for Coach Lowe, he expects his point guards to be perfect. No mistakes at all. I mean, he knows we are going to make a few here and there, but in practice and in games he wants us to be perfect." Javi said. Not surprising coming from a former point guard who holds the school record for assist-to-turnover ratio.

This season Javi is a year older and is looking to take the reigns as the opening day starter for the Pack. In order to prepare himself Gonzalez spent the off-season working hard on his areas of weakness. "All off-season I worked on getting stronger and creating off the dribble. The coaches wanted me to be able to attack more and keep the defense honest, so I've gotten a lot better at that." he said.

Late last season Gonzalez showed the Pack fans a glimpse of what may be in store for the '09-'10 season as he averaged over 11 points per contest over the final eight games. Javi gives the Wolfpack another viable option from beyond the three point line. Last season he connected on over 42% of his threes and was the go-to shooter down the stretch.

Gonzalez is now in his junior season and will be looked to for consistency at the point. The fiery son of a boxer has the heart, the quickness and the ability to be a solid option for Sidney Lowe, but will have to put it all together and cut down on the turnovers if the Pack wants to be successful with Javi at lead guard.

Name: Julius Mays
Height: 6'2
Weight: 190
Class: Sophomore

Mays is a competitor, there is no way around that. His refuse-to-lose attitude showed up on occasion over his freshman season, as he hit a game winner against Miami and poured in 18 points, 2 assists and zero turnovers against Maryland in the Pack's first round ACC tournament loss. Julius came to NC State knowing nothing besides winning. His Marion high school team went to the state championship game two seasons in a row and was the champion his junior season.

His first season, however, had it's share of ups and downs. Mays showed signs of becoming a beacon of consistency for the Pack backcourt, but freshman hiccups and an inability to defend quicker guards forced him to the bench down the stretch. This season Mays is quicker, stronger, and has a better grasp on his role with the Pack. "I worked a lot this off-season on getting quicker and stronger. I did a lot of agility drills and worked a lot in the gym. Coach Lowe wants us to able to push the ball this season, so I worked on conditioning a lot as well." Julius said.

While Gonzalez may be the quicker of the two, Mays is certainly more crafty. His ability to create space and score off the dribble, two things he excelled at last season, will be the things that Coach Lowe will need to see from Julius this year as the Pack will look for scoring wherever they can find it.

The key to Mays' success will be his ability to defend the smaller, quicker guards in the ACC, something he was not able to do consistently a season ago. Lowe and the Wolfpack have the personnel to match up man-to-man with most opponents, but penetration from opposing point guards haunted them a season ago, and will be key to their success again this year.

POSITION OUTLOOK

The success of the point guards will go a long way in dictating the outcome of this season. If the these two can stay consistent, take care of the basketball, and defend, the Wolfpack will surely be able to turn some heads. If neither Javi nor Julius step up, Lowe will have nowhere to turn and NC State may be in for a long season, however, the two guards have taken the off-season to make sure that doesn't happen.

Javi's weakness has been his size and his composure, but his age has to be taken into consideration. Gonzalez will be an upperclassman with two years of experience under his belt, and with an off-season of weight training, he just may be ready to come into his own.

Mays' was a fan favorite, however, his speed caused problems for the Pack last year. On numerous occasions, the only way Mays was able to get on the floor was if Lowe went to a zone. This season, Mays has proclaimed to be quicker and stronger, which if true, would be a gigantic boost to the Pack's point problems. Will to win, attitude and an eye to score will again be no problem for Mays, but his ability to adapt to a fast paced offense will be something that will need to be watched.

From all accounts, the biggest problems from last year were this off-season's top priorities. With a staff of former lead guards, there is certainly no lack of coaching advice, the question is, can Gonzalez and Mays blossom into the consistent team leaders that the Wolfpack is looking for.

Weekend Recap From The League

2009-11-02T09:53:00.004-05:00

Josh Powell had a productive night off of the bench on Friday night, scoring 9 points in 13 minutes of play in the Lakers loss to the Mavs. Powell connected on all 4 of his field goal attempts and also grabbed 3 rebounds. The Lakers will now go on the road and face Oklahoma City on Tuesday night at 8pm.

Over the weekend, J.J. Hickson and the Cavs went 2-0, defeating the Timberwolves and the Bobcats. Hickson scored 2 points in each game, shooting 2 for 3 from the field. In Saturday's 90-79 win over the Bobcats, Hickson played a season high 14 minutes. The Cavs next game is against the Wizards on Tuesday night at home.

Howell Making The Transition

2009-10-30T16:32:00.006-04:00

Coach Sidney Lowe has created a pipeline to the Atlanta prep scene that is starting to pay off big time. One of the players that has made his way to Raleigh by way of this pipeline is freshman PF Richard Howell. Howell played his high school ball at Wheeler high school, the same school that former Wolfpacker and current Cleveland Cavalier JJ Hickson attended, where he shined as a four star PF forward.

Howell is currently injured, however, the staff is hoping he'll be ready to go by the regular season. If he is, he will surely be one to watch on the block for the Wolfpack. We caught up with Richard recently about his transition to NC State and college basketball. Here is what he had to say:

On transitioning from high school to college:
"It's completely different from high school I can definitely tell you that. It's a hard adjustment but as you're making it you start to get the feel of things and it gets easier. Basketball wise, it's different from high school because you're basically playing with grown men. They're bigger, stronger and smarter. School wise it's different because you need to learn how to manage your time. It's really a maturing stage and you need to learn what to do in different situations."

On how the young guys have adapted:
"It's been smooth for everyone. Nobody is having trouble in the classroom and everyone is handling their business on the court. We're working hard as a team and I think the chemistry is outstanding, I really do."

On what has the team been working the hardest on:
"We push the ball every day in practice. That's one thing the coaches are really stressing this year, and I can understand why, because everybody on the team is fast enough and we can get out and just run and push the ball up the court. I think its really going to benefit us. No one is trying to slow it down and just dribble down the court. We want to get out and create breaks, keep it exciting."

On his goals for the season:
"My goal is for NC State to be successful. I want our team to be successful. I don't really care about how many points I'm scoring or how much playing time I get this season, I just want our team to have success."

Bulls Win Opener Over Spurs, Melo Too Much For Blazers

2009-10-30T09:29:00.004-04:00

Vinny Del Negro, former NC State guard and current head coach of the Chicago Bulls, guided a young Bulls team to a 92-85 victory over the Spurs last night in their season opener. They played a selfless and efficient brand of basketball, with 6 players finishing the game in double figures. They also had 20 assists on the night, and only 9 turnovers. The Bulls finished with a 41-41 record and went to the playoffs last season in Del Negro's first year as the head coach. The Bulls play tonight versus the Celtics on ESPN at 8pm.

Also, Carmelo Anthony's 41 point performance last night was too much for the Blazers, as the Nuggets won 97-94. Brandon Roy led the Blazers with 30 points. Tomorrow night Portland goes on the road against Houston at 8:30pm.

Sharing the Wealth: "Toughest Coaching Job in America?"

2009-10-29T15:35:00.004-04:00

Sidney Lowe has never been shy about stepping up to a challenge. He was the point guard when the underdog Wolfpack took home the 1983 National Championship. He was the coach that took over a disastrous Vancouver Grizzlies team, in what most in the industry saw as a career suicide mission. Finally, he stepped up to the plate again when his alma mater came calling. When Sidney Lowe took the job at NC State he read the fine print. He knew he'd be under a microscope. He knew two of the top programs in the nation were less than 20 miles down the road, but that didn't stop him. He's seen stranger things happen. The Asheville Citizen-Times put out an article today on this very point, and asked the question "Does Sidney Lowe have the toughest coaching job in America?"

“It could be,” Lowe said with a laugh. “I'm sure not going to argue that point, but I welcome that. It's two great coaches, two great basketball programs, and we're trying to work our way back to where they are.”

The players also understand the extreme pressure that Coach Lowe feels on an everyday basis, but feel like if given time, he will level the playing field. The Ashville Citizen-Times caught up with Farnold Degand to get his take.

“Coach Lowe may have the toughest job in the country, because we are going up against two very quality coaches who have a lot of history of success behind them,” he said. “That definitely makes it easier to recruit talented players. I think coach Lowe is very talented and he possesses the same kind of ability they have, he just hasn't necessarily proven it yet, but in a few years he will get the ball rolling and he will be looked at in the same light.” said senior guard Farnold Degand.

This is a great read and has some other great quote by Coach Lowe and Farnold Degand. Make sure you check it out.

A Benefit For Brian Keeter

2009-10-29T12:19:00.005-04:00

According to Cary High School's iHigh.com website, they will be hosting a benefit for former NC State basketball player Brian Keeter on November 10th. Here is the description of the event:

"A benefit for Brian Keeter, 1998 former standout basketball player for Cary High School and NC State, will be held in conjunction with the men's basketball scrimmage on Tuesday November 10 at 6:00pm in the Main Gym at Cary High. Cardinal Gibbons, coached by former Cary High men's basketball state champion Marque Carrington, and Wakefield will be involved in the scrimmage. Brian was in a car accident last December that left him paralyzed from the waist down. The Cary Imp Club will receive donations throughout the scrimmage. The funds received will be presented to the Keeter family to assist with the cost associated with his care and rehabilitation. Please attend and consider contributing to this loving and caring offering for Brian."

This is a great opportunity for many of us to bless the Keeter family. I hope you can make it out!

Cam Bennerman Video Update

2009-10-29T08:26:00.002-04:00

Cam Bennerman Highlights (Dunk @ 1:35 mark)

Cam Bennerman Press Conference

Cavs Fall For The 2nd Straight Night

2009-10-28T22:02:00.005-04:00

Not many people would have predicted that the Cleveland Cavaliers would have started the 09-10 season with an 0-2 record. The Cavs fell to the Raptors tonight for the first time since November 30, 2007. Despite Lebron James' triple-double (23 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists), the Cavs didn't have an answer for Andrea Bargnani (28 points) and Chris Bosh (21 points), and eventually fell 91-101. Cleveland's main problem was that the team shot poorly as a whole, knocking down shots at a 34.9% clip.

J.J. Hickson played 5 minutes in the game, and scored 1 point (his first point of the season) and grabbed 2 rebounds. The Cavs get another chance at their first win of the season Friday night against the Timberwolves on the road.

Wolfpack in the NBA: (10/27/09)

2009-10-28T14:44:00.000-04:00

Nate McMillan's Portland Trailblazers started of the season with a 95-89 win at home, over the Houston Rockets last night. Travis Outlaw was the surprise of the night, coming off the bench to lead the Trailblazers with 23 points, and Brandon Roy wasn't far behind with 20. The Trailblazers next game is against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night at 7:30pm.

The Lakers pulled off a 99-92 win last night in an L.A. showdown versus the Clippers. Statistically, the game was fairly even, but in the end there was just too much Kobe Bryant (31 points) and Andrew Bynum (26 points) for the Clippers to handle. Josh Powell logged 8 minutes of action, scoring 2 points (1-3) and pulling down 2 rebounds. The Lakers play next this Friday night on ESPN at 7:30pm versus the Mavericks.

J.J. Hickson and the Cleveland Cavaliers lost their season opener against the Boston Celtics last night 89-95. Besides Lebron James' 38 point effort, the Celtics beat the Cavs in every facet of the game. J.J. Hickson played a little over six minutes in the game and missed the only shot that he took. The Cavs will play tonight at Toronto at 7pm.

A More Focused Farnold

2009-10-28T08:35:00.007-04:00

Farnold Degand was a Boston City All-Star known for his quick first step and his ability to fill up a stat sheet. After averaging over 17 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists per game as a high school senior, Degand took his game to Iowa State, to embark on what he hoped would be a successful college career. That's when the road got bumpy. Upon arriving at Iowa State, Degand quickly realized that his 6'4", 165lbs frame wasn't going to hold up against the bigger, more physical guards in the college game. The Cyclone coaching staff decided it would be best for him to take a year, build up his body, and be ready to contribute as a redshirt freshman. Farnold took that year and worked hard on increasing his size and strength, adding a much needed 10 pounds of muscle in the off season. Unfortunately for Iowa State, they would never see the spoils of that hard work. Degand decided to take his game to the ACC, to a team in need of a lead guard, NC State.

He was looking for a new beginning with a team that was starting over fresh themselves. With new head coach Sidney Lowe at the helm, Degand saw an opportunity to compete for serious playing time at a school that was playing at the top level of college basketball. After sitting a season, due to transfer rules (and in effect, losing a year of eligibility), Farnold was ready to show the NC State fans exactly what he was capable of.

It had been two years since Farnold Degand played a competitive game of basketball, but it all came back quickly. It looked as though the Wolfpack had found their point guard, as he led them to a 7-3 record. Through the first ten games he was leading the team in assists (29) and three-point percentage (8-16, 50%). However, the feel good story came to an end soon after that. On December 23rd, playing against Cincinnati, Degand went down with a torn ACL, ending his season and forcing him to watch from the sidelines once again.

After an off-season of intense rehab, Degand returned to the team last season to help fill a point guard role that had haunted the Wolfpack the two years prior. Around mid-season there were reports being made that Farnold's knee was healed and that he was close to 100% again, however, you could tell by watching that he was not his old self. The down court speed was apparently there, but his lateral movement looked forced and awkward. As the season wore on, Degand saw less and less floor time, putting a damper on his confidence.

Fast forward to the present. Farnold Degand is entering his senior season and it has been two years since his surgery. With a healthy knee, and one more chance to make an impact, he feels good about his situation.

"Last year I wasn't necessarily in the best condition. I was going through a lot of pain with the knee and I was struggling with it at times, but this year I feel as confident as ever. My knee shouldn't give me any problems at all." he told us.

A healthy Degand is exactly what the Pack will need this season as they once again are looking for a player to emerge who will be able to handle the guard duties. Degand hopes he is that man, and is ready to take the reigns."This is probably the best I've felt since the injury. I feel real confident in my knee and real confident in my ability right now." he told us.

While Farnold has historically been used as the point guard, the coaches have moved him over to the 2 this season, in hopes to improve ball handling in the backcourt and to help alleviate some of the pressures that the point guard will face. Making this change in his senior season has been a transition Degand has met with a great attitude and a new mindset.

"I've definitely improved my focus. This year I've made sure to correct things that have been wrong in the past. I haven't necessarily had the best success doing it the old way, so I figured I should go about it a little different this year and I've decided to take that route."

A healthy knee is not the only thing that was keeping Farnold from reaching his potential. The perennial class clown and team jester was never one to miss a joke and was known for his quick wit and sharp sense of humor. However, this new increase in focus has him joking less, and working more.

"I think just being able to focus on any task I'm doing with the team. The last couple years I was a bit of a jokester which took away from the focus I had. This year I put an emphasis on focusing on whatever I'm doing. I think that is the biggest improvement in my game."

In a career that has been anything but smooth, Degand is making sure that he goes out knowing he gave all he could give. He is taking the lead, working hard and cutting out the cutting up, in hopes that this year, he gets the last laugh.

Update From Across The Pond: 10/28/09

2009-10-28T00:52:00.009-04:00

Brandon Costner led M. Hainaut (1-3) to a 84-72 win over Leuven on Saturday night, which was their first win of the season. Costner paced M. Hainaut with 20 points (6-11) and 9 rebounds.

Costner is averaging 15 points and 5.3 rebounds through 4 games.

Cameron Bennerman's Basket Crabs improved to 4-0 on Sunday night, defeating Aget IM 88-82. Bennerman had 11 points, 5 assists (a season high) and 3 steals in the contest.

Cam is averaging 18.8 points and 3 steals a game.

Simon Harris went crazy in Ireland as he dropped 33 points and hauled in 20 boards. I know Simon is a modest guy and doesn't mention his points per game in his "Simon Says" articles, so we will be mentioning them for him.

Since our last update, Clifford Crawford's Levice (5-3) crew has won one, and lost one. Last Wednesday, despite Crawford's worst shooting performance through 7 games (1-13), Levice came away with a victory over Bystrica 65-62. Despite Cliff's struggles, he finished the night with 10 points and 6 assists. On Saturday, Levice lost to Nova Ves 71-81. Levice may have lost, but fortunately Crawford was able to return to form, tallying 18 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds and 5 steals.

Crawford is averaging 17.0 points, 9.7 assists, 5 rebounds and 2.6 steals.

Carife lost to Vanoli on the road this past Sunday night, by the score of 82-91. Anthony Grundy had 21 points and 3 steals.

Grundy is averaging 21 points and 3 steals through 3 games.

Strasbourg (0-4) lost again this past Saturday night to Le Havre in a nail-biter, by the score of 80-81. Ben McCauley came off the bench to collect 12 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals.

McCauley is averaging 9.5 points and 4.8 rebounds.

Cavs Pick Up Third-Year Option On Hickson

2009-10-27T14:29:00.004-04:00

The Cleveland Cavaliers have picked up the third-year option on J.J. Hickson, that will keep him under contract through the 2010-11 season. The former NC State forward will earn $1.5 million in his third year (2010-11). Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry had this to say about Hickson:

“J.J. is a young, talented player who continues to work hard and still has a great deal of upside,” Ferry said to Cavs.com. “We are excited to keep him in our program and help him fulfill his potential.”

Hickson has also made two very important teammates believers as well. Hickson spent a majority of this summer training with Lebron James and has made a good first impression on the new 'big man' in town, Shaquille O'Neal. Here is how James described his summer with Hickson to CantonRep.com:

“I had J.J. with me all summer, for the most part, before I went overseas,” said James, who worked with Hickson at Cleveland Clinic Courts, in Akron and even in San Diego. “Everywhere I went, I had him with me working out with me because I knew the potential that he had. And he’s definitely implementing everything he learned this summer from myself and from himself, and doing it on the court.”

Shaq also had some lofty words of praise for the young Hickson, who is entering his second year as a professional.

"He's a young kid who has a lot of raw talent. The good thing about him is he's got a lot of good players to work with him," O'Neal said to Cleveland.com. "I was telling him you have to watch the so-called greats. You have to watch your so-called favorites and do what they do. Add a little bit of your own, then become the first J.J."

Hickson showed his coaches, teammates and the fans that he is ready for more during the 2009 preseason. He averaged 9.8 points (52.2% FG) and 3.5 rebounds in 20.2 minutes a game.

Congratulations J.J.!

SIMON SAYS: Issue #3: "Fully Acclimated"

2009-10-27T07:38:00.006-04:00

Dear Wolfpack Fans,

I'm not a fan of "moral victories." I just personally feel that a loss is a loss, and nothing else. With that being said, we lost a really close game in OT to one of the undefeated teams in the SuperLeague. I was so proud of our team this week. We played all out for the entire game. We maintained the lead pretty much throughout, but just couldn't pull it together in the extra period, and eventually lost by three.

Now if you know me, I am not a fan of losing at anything (cards, sports, rock paper scissors, etc.). So I've been doing a lot of soul searching lately, to see what it is that I can change in order for us to finally earn our first SuperLeague win. This last game was the first game that I felt fully acclimated to the style of play here. I had much better numbers than I had in the previous two games, but that all accounts for nothing, because we still lost.

That's enough negativity for today (Haha). The trip up to Belfast was AMAZING. We drove up the day before and stayed the night in Dublin out by the airport in a Travellodge, and didn't get to see much of the city (I was pretty upset about that, because I've always wanted to go back to Dublin since I was here in Ireland last). But, I cheered up quickly when I got to Belfast! It is a beautiful city. It has a great mix of modern and classic buildings, and it had a real American feel to it. Only thing that was weird about it was that they use British currency up there, and there is no border into Northern Ireland. The only way I knew I was in a different country was when I received a text from my mobile carrier telling me about the ridiculously high charges that I would receive if I used my phone (which I wasn't happy about because it woke me up from my pregame nap), so I just turned my phone off, because I didn't want to deal with that nonsense (Haha).

Next week we have a two game home stint, which is well deserved. We play two of the league leaders yet again, so hopefully we can carry this positive momentum from the game last night with us into this home stand and get a win. Hope all is well Wolfpack Nation. Talk to you soon.

Simon

ACC Media Day Press Conference: Coach Lowe

2009-10-26T08:10:00.004-04:00

Dennis Horner has been around a long time it seems like. Is he the guy you're going to look to for leadership and to take the reigns of this team?

Coach Lowe: I am, but Dennis is more of a leader by example. He's not very vocal so he's not going to be the one to pull guys together and talk to them. He does it by example. We'll need someone else to step up and take on that role. That leadership is such a fine line, because most of the time leaders are born, they're not made. You've got to just have it within you, and we'll see if one of our guys have that.

Do you feel like you have a guy now that can step up and run your offense the way you'd like to see it run?

Coach Lowe: Well, I still think it's going to be by committee. I think both of my point guards, Julius Mays and Javi Gonzalez both played well this summer, and have started camp playing well. Farnold Degand obviously is back as well. We're playing him more at the two position just to get another ball handler in the game, but I'm comfortable with Julius and Javi.

With the way outsiders are perceiving your ballclub, do you think it will be a sense of motivation for your team?

Coach Lowe: I think it could be. I think it should be, but I think the more important thing is that we expect more from ourselves and not so much how other people feel. You like the fact that they don't put much expectations on you, but at the same time it should be a motivating factor, and I think our guys just want to go out there and play as hard as we can, and as smart as we can, and then we'll see what happens.

Do you feel like there is a young guy that will come along quickly and be a big surprise for your team this year?

Coach Lowe: Well, we have a couple and that's what's exciting about it. You know, Scott Wood is definitely going to help us with his ability to shoot the basketball. So, if we go inside to Tracy and teams are double teaming him in the post, we have a pretty good shooter out there on the perimeter. Josh Davis, is a young man that really hasn't been talked about a lot. His talent is that he plays hard. That's his talent, and you know, he makes things happen. He's played extremely well for us. Our big man, our big 7 footer, Jordan Vandenberg. He's surprised me with the way he's come along. He still has a long way to go, but I didn't think he'd be as far as he is right now. He did a nice job. Seven feet tall, you can't teach that. As coaches you can take credit for a lot, but you can't take credit for that.

Have you seen a lot of improvement in Tracy Smith this offseason?

Coach Lowe: Absolutely, absolutely. Now, Tracy has been the one that has been more of the verbal leader. He's done a nice job, and Tracy is not a loud guy, he doesn't talk a lot, but he's certainly changed somewhat this summer in the way he communicates with the guys, especially the young guys. For himself, he's worked extremely hard this summer. I'm not going to say what his body fat was at the beginning of summer, but now he's down to single digits. So, I'm very proud of that and he's worked extremely hard and we're hoping he's going to have a great year for us.

In the commissioners meeting today they talked about how in the NBA they have the 'charge' line under the basket, but for the NCAA, instead of the line they will allow the officials to make judgement calls. How do you feel as a coach, knowing that?

Coach Lowe: It's going to be difficult because it's going to be hard to question an official since he's the one having to make judgement himself. There's no line there to say 'you're inside' or 'you're outside.' They have to make their judgement and there is not question that there could be some inconsistencies in the calls from the different officials. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes, because that's a tough thing. If there's a big play at the end of a game and you get a charge call or a block call , it's really just up to that official to call. I think it's a difficult thing, but as a coach you just have to be patient with it because that's a lot on that official. It's a lot.

HoopMixTape: Lorenzo Brown vs. Oak Hill

2009-10-24T13:58:00.006-04:00

V's Ride For Research

2009-10-24T11:33:00.002-04:00

This Sunday the 4th Annual Jimmy V Ride for Research will occur at Koka Booth Amphitheater (formerly known as Regency Park). There will be fun events set up for casual bicyclist, as well as the wanna be Lance Armstrong. Be sure to click of the above link to read the brochure of happenings throughout the day. All proceeds go towards the V Foundation which speaks for itself here in this community, as well as across the nation for their charitable and tireless work, seeking cures for all types of Cancer. The weather forecast is going to be great for riding – partly cloudy with a high of 67!

One of our own in the WPH community has signed up for the 100 mile ride. Here he goes by the handle Jose, but his Christian name is Joseph Paul Duprey of Cary, and your encouraged to look at his personal event page and read some of his thoughts on what is motivating him to do something many would deem a ridiculous length of time and energy on a bike. If you would like to donate any amount of funds toward this charity you may do so, following the secure and easy to navigate steps on Joe's event page.

Josh Davis Living A Dream

2009-10-23T15:38:00.017-04:00

Standing at 6’7" and weighing in at 210 pounds, freshman forward Josh Davis looks the part of an elite division one athlete. He even scores like one, averaging 25 points per game during his senior campaign at Raleigh’s Athens Drive High School. So why, you ask, was Josh Davis overlooked by almost every top program in the nation?

“I really don't understand . I guess kids at his position are usually good perimeter shooters. Earnest Ross and Garrius Adams (other local high major recruits) have a little bit better jump shot than Josh at this point. That is also partially due to the roll that we asked Josh to fill this past year. A jump shot is something that a kid can work on. He just turned 18 years old. He's a young 18 but this kid has so much upside.” Said Athens coach Robert Clemons.

NC State coach Sidney Lowe saw that upside and immediately knew that Josh was a good fit for the program. It was thought that the Wolfpack would not have an extra scholarship available for Josh in 2009, but Lowe and company hoped he would take the prep school route and enroll in 2010. That wasn’t necessary, as junior Trevor Ferguson announced he was leaving the program at the end of last season. Not long after the announcement, Josh Davis had a committable offer to NC State. An offer he couldn’t refuse.

Davis spent his childhood rooting for the Wolfpack, thanks to a mother who grew up watching the dominant Jim Valvano teams of the early 80’s. Her dream was to one day see her own son cloaked in the red and white, helping NC State return to the glory days that she once enjoyed. That dream became a reality when Josh signed on the dotted line, and cemented his commitment to the Wolfpack.

"I've waited for this day for a long time." She said, glowing with pride on her son’s signing day.

With his freshman season approaching, Josh takes on the task of proving his doubters wrong, and earning the attention that was once neglected by scouts and top tier programs.

“ I do feel like I came in under the radar, but I don’t let that get to me. I feel like I’ve been performing pretty well and I hope that translates into me being able to contribute a lot this season.” Josh told us during Media day.

Davis came in as a relative unknown, but has certainly turned the heads of those who have watched his progression this pre-season, most notably head coach Sidney Lowe.

“Josh is just fun, he’s just enjoyable to have. He doesn’t say much, he just works hard. That’s his talent, he works hard. He’s the type of player that you don’t have to call a play for, he just makes it happen. When I talked about the ball being on the floor, he’s the first one to go on the floor, the first. He’s going to be a guy that it’s going to be hard to not have him on the floor, because he does all the little things. He defends, he rebounds, he runs, he’s going to get those loose balls and he’s a finisher. He gets on the break, he’s gets the ball and he finishes. He’ll get the offensive rebound, go back up and get fouled. He’s been fun to coach. It’s been a short period of time but, it’s been fun.”

Nothing has been handed to Josh Davis. It’s been hard work, commitment and a dream shared with his mother that has gotten him where he is today. Surely, he wouldn’t want it any other way.

HOOPMIXTAPE: Zo Posterizes Two Oak Hill Defenders

2009-10-23T01:22:00.001-04:00

Brown Goes Bonkers Against Oak Hill

2009-10-21T22:19:00.007-04:00

Last night we were on location at Pulaski County High School in Dublin, Virginia to catch NC State (re-) commit Lorenzo Brown, and Hargrave, take on OaK Hill academy in a preseason scrimmage. This was only the second time we've been able to catch Lorenzo Brown in person, and it was a real treat. Brown was, in my opinion, better than advertised tonight as he dropped 26 points against a very talented Oak Hill team. When watching Lorenzo, the first word that crosses your mind is "smooth." It's remarkable the way he glides down the court. He truly makes the game look easy as he crosses over, spins and finishes in traffic.

Brown uses his smooth style to lull defenders to sleep before he kicks it into high gear and leaves them in the dust. He is much quicker than I had remembered, and uses hesitation and change of speed to create space. When he gets in the lane, Zo likes to punch it down. While Brown does possess a nifty and accurate floater, he doesn't hesitate to hammer down a highlight reel dunk. On the break tonight, he gave everyone in attendance an example. Brown threw the crowd into a frenzy when he rose up on, not one, but two Oak Hill defenders, putting them on the wrong end of a posterization. The kid can really fly and is more athletic than most give him credit for.

While both teams played extremely hard, there was not much attention paid to the score. Oak Hill won the first half, and after the score was set back to zero/zero, Hargrave won the second half. Lorenzo's shot looked nice and fluid. Zo drained two threes, however, most of his damage was done slashing.

In the end, we were very impressed with Lorenzo. If he is included in this class by the scouting outlets, there is no way he should drop below the top 25 mark based on what we've seen out of the 2010 class. He's that good. His speed, handles, athleticism and size make him nearly unstoppable at this level.

Lorenzo Brown Recommits to NC State

2009-10-21T17:24:00.008-04:00

Lorenzo Brown originally committed to NC State back in July of 2008. NC State's 2009 recruiting class was ranked as the 11th best one in the nation, with Lorenzo Brown as the gem of the class. Before graduating from Centennial High School (Alpharetta, GA) this past Spring, some complications arose in Brown's academic eligibility and Brown was forced to spend the 2009-10 season in prep school at Hargrave Military Academy. With Lorenzo not enrolling at NC State this fall, the original letter of intent that he had signed was washed away. In all reality, Brown was free to check out his options, commit or sign with another school. This alarmed many Wolfpack fans, who understood the commodity that Brown was, and that it was a guarantee that other schools would come knocking on his door.

While Brown will still have to sign his letter of intent,( he will do so in November) he gave NC State fans assurance tonight that he was still set on donning the Red and White, by recommitting to the Pack before tonight's scrimmage between Hargrave and Oak Hill.

"I'm coming back to NC State. I recommitted today," Brown told us. "I really came to Hargrave, because Coach Lowe said it was a good program that would give me structure, and that is what I needed in my life."

Over the past couple of months, Brown has learned a lot from his time at Hargrave, a school that prides itself in discipline and structure.

"It's been really good and it's been really tough," Brown told us. "It gives you a lot of structure, and it makes you really look forward to basketball. After all of the military stuff...you really look forward to basketball."

NC State's current 2010 recruiting class of Ryan Harrow, Lorenzo Brown and Luke Cothron is a consensus Top-10 class. We asked Lorenzo what he thought of his incoming teammates.

"I can't even tell you about this class. It's crazy," Brown told us. "I've played against Luke and I know he's real good. With Ryan being my god-brother, I know we'll just be able to do our thing back there in the backcourt."

With Brown solidifying his commitment to NC State today, the Wolfpack fans have reason to believe that things in Raleigh could be getting pretty exciting in the near future.

Jordan Vandenberg: 2009 Media Day Interview

2009-10-21T10:38:00.008-04:00

Jordan Vandenberg Talks With Wolfpack Hoops

WPH: Jordan, can you tell us how it's been making the transition from Australia to the State?

JV: It wasn't really that bad. The only thing that got me was the time difference and getting my sleep in and getting my body adjusted.

WPH: How's school been going so far?

JV: School is going really well. I'm getting my GPA up and I'm not failing any classes, so real good.

WPH: How have workouts been so far this off-season?

JV: Workouts have been good. I sat out a week due to an injury, but I'm all good now. The whole team is bonding well, so we're looking good.

WPH: We hear the strength and conditioning has been tough, how has it been working with S&C coach, Wright Wayne?

JV: It's been really good. I was surprised at how good he was because I met the strength and conditioning coach last year and I was excited to work with him and when I found out there was a new guy I was like "What's going on?" but Wright does a really good job. I've been really impressed at the way we've come along.

WPH: What can we expect to see from the 'bigs' this year?

JV: All the big men are fairly skilled, like me, DeShawn, Dennis and Tracy. Especially Tracy, because he's a junior this year and he had a really goo year last year. I reckon we'll all see some fairly good court time this year. How much, I don't know, that's up to coach. We're going along well, we're competing strong, and we bond really well.

WPH: What would you say the difference is from Australian basketball to basketball you've seen so far in the ACC?

JV: The main difference, and the one thing that really gets me, is (when the ball is) on the rim, we can go up and get it (while it's touching the rim). Here, there is the cylinder rule, where it can't be on the rim anywhere (when you touch it). That took me a couple of weeks to adjust to, but now I'm fine.

CJ Williams: 2009 Media Day Interview

2009-10-21T10:11:00.006-04:00

CJ WILLIAMS TALKS WITH WOLFPACK HOOPS

WPH: We've been hearing a lot about this new haircut you got. Apparently you drove to Fayetteville to get it done. Is this a new look for you?

CJ: Um, yeah it is. I plan on trying to keep it as long as I can, or as long as my mother will let me.

WPH: What would you call this cut?

CJ: Well, I've heard a lot of different names. I've heard "the mohawk," but probably one thing that I've heard, that kind of stuck with me, is "the FRO-hawk"

WPH: So can you explain why you drove all the way to Fayetteville to get it cut?

CJ: Yeah, my barber, he's good with my hair and he talks to me a lot. His step-son is Tank Tyler, who played football here. He knows a lot about the college ranks.

WPH: Can you talk about the difference from last years team to this years team?

CJ: I think we're going to play with a lot more emotion this year. We have a lot of guys that work hard and want to compete every night.

WPH: This summer you played in the Durham Pro-AM league, put on by Jerry Stackhouse. You played exceptionally well against some pretty stout competition. Do you feel that helped you a lot?

CJ: It definitely gave me a lot of confidence knowing that I can go out and compete against NBA guys, former NBA guys, and guys that never made it, but were good enough to make it.

WPH: Can you talk about what improvements you've seen in your game this off-season?

CJ: I've worked on my ability to get to the basket a lot more. I've worked on being able to set my other teammates up by seeing the entire floor as I'm going to the basket.

WPH: Last year you relied a lot on the jump shot. This year, you're saying we will see a different player?

CJ: Right, yea. I think I am a different player than I was last year. The experience was definitely good for me, and I learned a lot from Courtney Fells. He was like a big brother to me on the team, and he taught me a lot about what I needed to know in ACC basketball.

WPH: We've heard that the strength and conditioning this year has gotten a lot more intense. Your thoughts?

CJ: It is intense. It is very intense. Charles was definitely a good strength and conditioning coach and Wright knows what he's doing, so there is a difference, but you know.

Update From Across The Pond: 10/21/09

2009-10-21T08:27:00.001-04:00

Cameron Bennerman's Rimini Crabs improved to 3-0 on Sunday night, defeating Scafati Basket 89-84 at home. Bennerman led all scorers with 19 points (6-11 FG, 3-6 3PT) and also added 4 rebounds and 4 steals.

Cam is averaging 21.3 points and 3.0 steals through 3 games. He is also shooting a dead-eye 46.2% from deep range. Thanks to one of our loyal readers, J.SOL, we were able to come across a pretty good interview with Cam about his team and the role the fans play in their performance.

Clifford Crawford is continuing to make Levice thankful that they picked him up this off-season. On October 14th, Levice lost 1st place Pezinok 78-89. Cliff posted a balanced stat line of 18 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 blocked shots. On Saturday night, Crawford took charge and lead Levice to a 75-70 win over Handlova at home. Cliff finished the night with 14 points, 14 assists, 8 rebounds and 3 steals. This marks the third time in 5 games that Crawford has posted a double-double.

Cliff is averaging 18.0 points (49.2 FG%), 10.6 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 2.2 steals through 5 games. Levice is 4-2 and currently in third place.

Anthony Grundy's Carife squad lost on Sunday night to Armani 66-71. Grundy had 23 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals in the loss.

Grundy is averaging 21.0 points (60.0 FG%), 5 rebounds and 3 steals through 2 games. Carife is 1-1.

Brandon Costner picked up the slack last Wednesday night, scoring 16 points (he led his team in scoring) after scoring only 2 points in the previous game. He shot 5 for 9 from three-point land and is shooting 39% from deep through three games. Despite Costner's performance, M.Hainaut lost to Charleroi 60-66.

Costner is averaging 13.3 points and 4 rebounds through 3 games. M. Hainaut is 1-2.

Ben McCauley's Strasbourg team has had a rocky start to the 09-10 season, losing their first 3 games. In Ben's second game he scored 11 points and grabbed 6 boards. In Saturday's loss to ASVEL, Big Ben struggled mightily, scoring 1 point in 23 minutes of play.

Ben is averaging 8.7 points and 5.0 rebounds through 3 games. Strasbourg is 0-3.

2011 Guard Dezmine Wells Commits to Xavier

2009-10-20T17:45:00.008-04:00

We just wanted to let everyone know that 2011 combo guard, Dezmine Wells, has given his verbal commitment to Xavier. Dez was on the Pack's radar for 2011, but Xavier was one of his first offers and made him a top priority.

Wells is a 6'3", 210lbs combo guard from Word of God Christian Academy in Raleigh. He is a strong and physical player, however, it is hard to tell which position he'll play at the next level. Last season he played on the block for 'Word of God Academy,' but has lately been transitioning over to the guard position. Overall, we still think Dezmine is a quality player and will have nice career at Xavier.

The Pack is still heavily tracking Rodney Hood and Laquinton Ross for 2011, but it is still very early, so expect new names to keep popping up.

SIMON SAYS: Issue #2 : "Off-Week in Ireland"

2009-10-20T12:16:00.008-04:00

Dear Wolfpack Fans,

Well, we didn't have a game this week. So you know it goes without saying, we had an extremely tough past week of training (thanks Coach). With that being said, this past week I spent a lot of time icing and doing my best to familiarize myself with the area that I live in now. I live in a small village by the name of Moycullen (hometown of my club team), and we are about ten minutes outside of the town of Galway, which is the major city in this area of the country (To give you a mental picture Moycullen is like Apex and Galway would be Raleigh) and is where everything in the area really takes place.

Since I've had a free weekend I have been in and around town seeing the sights and getting to know the area. This place is beautiful, it has wonderful people and there is always something interesting going on. The culture here is so laid back and accepting of everything, which really is a beautiful thing. It's not like my hometown (Pittsburgh) at all, where it's like everyone you encounter is on a mission to get a certain task accomplished. Everyone here takes the time to speak to everyone and be cordial, and they're really genuine. People here just love other people regardless of their ethnicity, gender, etc. Maybe that's why I love it here so much. To be honest, everyone is literally treated as an equal. It's a great change of pace from the States.

But back to basketball, haha. We travel to Northern Ireland this upcoming Saturday to play another road game. Hopefully we get this first win. Our community really deserves it and I know they're really hungry for it. It's up to us to try to go get it now.

Wish us luck...,

Simon

Harrow To Sign November 11th in Raleigh

2009-10-19T22:43:00.004-04:00

2010 commit and star point guard, Ryan Harrow, has confirmed that he will in fact be signing his LOI (letter of intent) to NC State in the early signing period on Nov. 11th. Already a fan favorite, Harrow has decided to give the Wolfpack fans another treat. Ryan will be making it official here in Raleigh, right across the street from campus at Sammy's Tap and Grill.

The signing will be open to the public and will be held at 12 noon. If you are in the Raleigh area and looking for a different way to spend your lunch break on November 11th, simply head over to Sammy's to grab lunch and witness Ryan Harrow officially become a member of the NC State Wolfpack

Coach Lowe In The Spotlight

2009-10-19T10:56:00.002-04:00

'09 Red Rally At Reynolds: Dunk Contest

2009-10-19T08:15:00.003-04:00

2009 Red Rally At Reynolds Highlight Reel

2009-10-19T07:43:00.005-04:00

Johnny Thomas: Media Day Interview

2009-10-18T16:50:00.003-04:00

JOHNNY THOMAS TALKS WITH WOLFPACKHOOPS

WPH: What’s different about this year’s team compared to last year?

JT: I think the way we started last year is totally different from the way we started this year. It’s more up-tempo than it was last year. We’re doing a ton of conditioning compared to last year. We did a lot of conditioning last year but this is jut more intense. I think coach Lowe wants to prepare us for the season and wants us to last longer in games. I think we’re going to be really good this year.

WPH: How have you developed as leader this year?

JT: I’ve kind of taken on the role. I talked to Courtney and Brandon and it was more so telling me what I needed to do to improve my skills, then to improve my leadership skills also. I feel like talking with some of the other guys and about certain situation and making sure they get to class on time and everything. It helped me develop as a leader.

WPH: How much does it mean to you to come into the season feeling 100%? And are you ready to show State fans and the ACC who Johnny Thomas is and what you can really do?

JT: Oh yeah, I feel like the State fans haven’t seen anything yet. They’ve seen me play and maybe got a little glimpse of it but that’s probably 5%, there’s like 95% more coming at them. I’m just ready to show them what I got.

Dennis Horner: Media Day Interview

2009-10-18T16:49:00.001-04:00

DENNIS HORNER TALKS WITH WOLFPACKHOOPS

WPH: Can you talk about the transition for you in becoming a leader?

DH: These past couple years we’ve had seniors. We had three verbal guys who would step up and lead. This year its more of my turn and maybe some other guys too. I’ve always been a leader through my years playing basketball so it’s really not anything different.

WPH: You’re a guy that many said lead by example, have you shifted to being more verbal this season?

DH: I think so yeah. Maybe some guys are skipping some things and you’ve got to do this as a team, you’ve got to do that , so I think so.

WPH: How are things different from last year at this time?

DH: I think everyone works really hard on this team. Everyone wants to play well. Everyone has been in the gym working hard, so practices are more up-tempo. I guess that’s the style we’re going to be playing now, so it’s going to be good.

WPH: How are the coaches using you right now position wise?

DH: I’m at the four right now, but in Coach Lowe’s offense the four is still playing a little bit of ht wing too with the screen and pops, and the pick and pops. I might have the advantage of being on the outside with a guy that can’t move as quick as me or something.

WPH: What has been the biggest improvement in your game this off-season

DH: I’d like to think my physicality, since I put on weight and put on more muscle this year. I got rid of some bad body fat so I can get in there now and finish at the rim and get in there and bang around.

WPH: Coach keeps saying that you walk around with your shirt off more now. Any truth to that?

DH: Haha. No I don’t think so. He might just be noticing it more now cause I got a little bigger.

Scott Wood: 2009 Media Day Interview

2009-10-18T16:47:00.001-04:00

SCOTT WOOD TALKS TO WOLFPACKHOOPS

WPH: What’s it been like transitioning from high school ball to college ball?

SW: Just trying to get adjusted to the speed and the strength of the game. It’s definitely different from high school, but I actually expected it to be a lot worse, but it’s not too bad. I’m just trying to get acclimated to the college life and I think I’m transitioning well.

WPH: Is school going pretty well for you?

SW: So far, so good. My grades probably aren’t as good as my parents would want, but I’m keeping them up there and I’m doing a lot better this semester.

WPH: Your parents are going to see this online, so maybe you can let them know how hard your trying.

SW: Yeah, I’m definitely trying my hardest and that’s all that matters.

WPH: How is the team chemistry?

SW: I came in here and kind of thought it was going to be worse. Watching last year I didn’t think we’d have the greatest team chemistry but when I came in here it actually looked pretty good. I think the sophomores and freshman have a real good bond and the veterans are coming in here and putting in their bond and showing us some things. Everybody has a good bond. I’ve really hung out with everybody. Getting that bond and chemistry is real big.

WPH: What position have they been running you at in workouts?

SW: It seems like they’ve been running me at the 2 and 3. Maybe a little bit more three when CJ is in there it seems like I’ve been playing the three but guarding the two. Basically for us 2 and 3 are the same things. I’ll be one of those positions and the main thing is that I’m just getting up there and helping out on the offensive end a lot and trying to improve my defense.

WPH: Can you talk about the offense this year?

SW: Last year was a little bit slower pace, but Coach Lowe has stressed that he wants to get up and down. We’ve done a couple drills where the big men have to get under the basket and within a couple of seconds and take the ball out and we got to get up there and run and the wings have to be out. It’s definitely going to be a lot quicker pace and we definitely want to transition on people.

WPH: Do you think playing at point guard last season has helped you?

SW: I think it helped a lot. There are a couple of threes that can put it on the floor but not may that can put it on the floor pretty good. I think me playing point guard and getting pressured a lot last year is really going to help me, especially if a three guards me that might be a little bit slower. I think just having to handle pressure is going to help me a lot.

Julius Mays: 2009 Media Day Interview

2009-10-18T16:46:00.000-04:00

JULIUS MAYS TALKS TO WOLFPACKHOOPS

WPH: What is the difference between last year this time, and this year?

JM: I feel a lot more confident in myself and my teammates. We’re all on the same page this year. Every guy is about the team and nobody is about themselves. We all feel we have something to prove and nobody has confidence in us and every poll has us coming in last. We want to go out and compete and prove a lot of critics wrong.

WPH: What is it like to have Scott Wood here?

JM: It’s good having a high school teammate here. He knows how I play , I know how he plays, I know where he wants the ball , he knows where I want the ball. It’s also good to have a friend off the court. It’s not really homey, but it brings the ‘home’ feeling. I like it a lot.

WPH: Coach Lowe wants to push the ball up-tempo this yaer, do you see the ball moving a lot faster this year?

JM: Definitely. The stuff we did around this time is nothing like what we’re doing now. The way we conditioned last year is nothing like we’re doing now. Everything has changed, the way we play, the way we condition this year. I’ve never ran as much as I have in my life. Coach really wants to push the ball. He made sure we got in the shape we need to get in. That’s what we’re going to do, push the ball.

WPH: Talk about your game. Where have you improved this off-season?

JM: I think I’ve become more of a solid point guard. I make a play for somebody else before I make a play for myself. I’ve gotten a lot more confidence than I had coming into the season last year. No one thinks we have a point guard so I’m ready to show everyone that we do.

WPH:Do you feel like in this offense the 1 and 2 blend? Do you see yourself playing a little of both?

JM: I think as the season goes on you’ll see that a lot of people’s talents are going to come out and you could have me pushing the ball and CJ pushing the ball up to me, Scott pushing the ball up to me or Farnold pushing the ball to me, and me pushing the ball to Farnold. It’ll be a real interesting year, seeing as we changed our whole style of game., turning into a more up-tempo team.

Tracy Smith: 2009 Media Day Interview

2009-10-18T16:45:00.001-04:00

TRACY SMITH TALKS WITH WOLFPACKHOOPS

WPH: What’s been the biggest different from last season to this season?

TS: Just working hard. Last year, I noticed when I was watching my films I didn’t really run the floor as much as I’ll run the floor this year. This past off-season I worked on my 15 footer, my face-up game, my jumpshot, I just think everything is getting better right now.

WPH: So you’ve worked on your ballhandling? Are you going to face up and take people to the rim instead of banging?

TS: I’m trying to work on my face-up, one dribble, take’em to the basket, my spin move. I mean, I kind of mixed my game up this year.

WPH: Talk about the strength and conditioning from last year to this year?

TS: Ohh yeah. Last year I would say it was tough with Charles but Wright Wayne, he really put it on us. I’m in the best shape I’ve been in since I’ve been at NC State and I think it’s going to show in our stamina, the way we run the floor and everything.

WPH: Is there going to be a much more up-tempo style would you say?

TS: Definitely, we’re going to have more energy. Coach Lowe wants us to be more of a running team. We’re going to get out of the half court set and we’re just looking to run.

WPH: What are some goals you set for yourself?

TS: I want to be a leader of the team. Everyone was watching me, seeing what I was going to do. So I just came in the gym on my off time and worked hard to prove that I can be all that I can be.

WPH: Does the chemistry seem better this year?

TS: Yeah. We’re all on the same page, we all bonded collectively as one. Everyone just wants to win.

WPH: Talk about the battles that have gone on down low with the bigs early in practice.

TS: DeShawn and Jordan just battle at practice, they go at each other hard. There’s even a couple of times where people are about to fight, but it’s all just competing and everybody just goes hard at practice.

WPH: Any of the young players surprise you?

TS: DeShawn really stands out to me. Richard when he was healthy, he really stood out, Scott can shoot the ball, Josh Davis he’s very athletic and Jordan, he could use a little work on the post and stuff but his defense is good.

C.J. Leslie Pulls Out of Kentucky 'Big Blue Madness'

2009-10-18T11:23:00.005-04:00

There have been rumors flying around that top ranked 2010 NC State recruit C.J. Leslie, who was slated to be in Lexington, Kentucky for the Wildcat's 'Big Blue Madness' event, did not end up making the trip. Well, we can now confirm those rumors, but it is not yet known why Leslie decided against the visit.

This is a very interesting turn in C.J.'s recruitment, to say the least. With Leslie and UNC mutually parting ways this past week, many Kentucky fans felt as if they would receive a commitment this weekend. That does not appear to be the case. We do know for a fact that NC State and Kentucky were both, as of yesterday, still heavily in the mix. We are tracking this story very closely and will be reporting to you every step of the way. Stay tuned.

Luke Cothron Enjoys ‘Red Rally’

2009-10-18T01:44:00.005-04:00

Last week Luke Cothron made the announcement that he’ll be spending his college years at NC State. The 2010 commit is a highly touted 6’9 big man. His recent commitment solidified what was already a stellar recruiting class (Ryan Harrow, Lorenzo Brown) and he has been a fixture at NC State all year long. He’s taken in almost every home football game this season, but on Friday night he got to sit back and watch his future school open the 2009-10 season with the “Red Rally at Reynolds.” We checked in with Luke to see how he enjoyed his visit and what he thinks about this years team.

“It was real good, I had a good time. It was good to see the fans out there, and a lot of them were coming up to me and telling me how they can’t wait for 2010, saying that’s when NC State is going to turn the corner. I also thought it was pretty cool to hear some of the fans start chanting my name at the end. That meant a lot.”

While many are looking towards 2010 for the breakout season, this year’s Wolfpack team put on a very good showing, something Luke noticed and talked about.

“I thought Tracy looked real good and Scott (Wood) can really shoot it. I think they’re going to be good this year. I really do.”

Luke was on the court after the game talking to the coaches and was accompanied by another 2010 recruit, Tashawn Mabry. Mabry is a high energy player that is very athletic and very physical. He really broke out this summer at the Bob Gibbons AAU Tournament, which reignited his recruitment. The Pack is still hot on the heels of local superstar recruit CJ Leslie, who was scheduled to be at Kentucky’s Midnight Madness event Friday night.

Also attending the event was 2011 recruit Dezmine Wells who is high on the Pack’s radar and his fellow CP3 teammate, 2013 recruit Rodney Purvis. Purvis is only a freshman but is already starting to see his recruiting heat up. He has been in contact with the NC State staff and already holds an offer from VCU.

Javi Gonzalez: 2009 Media Day

2009-10-17T14:06:00.001-04:00

JAVI GONZALEZ TALKS WITH WOLFPACK HOOPS

WPH: What is the biggest difference in the team this year compared to last year?

JG: I think we are all more focused on winning and playing together and playing hard every single play. Everyone has the same focus this year and it’s like a new mentality. We want to win every single game.

WPH: Talk about the difference from this year to last year with strength and conditioning

JG: I think we’re running a lot more and I think physically, like me, I’ve been getting a lot stronger than last year and in better shape than last year. Coach Lowe wanted us to run a lot cause he plans on us to push the floor up and down the floor and we’ll need to be in good shape to do that.

WPH: How do you feel your experience will help you this off-season.

JG: It helps a lot especially when we have a lot of young guys coming in. Me talking with them and being vocal with them, they’ve been listening to me the last couple weeks of practice, so I think that’ll have a good impact on them.

WPH: How’s the chemistry between the three point guards?

JG: It’s fine, we come out and play hard. Coach Lowe plays me at the one or the two, he plays Julius as the one or two. He’s been playing us together so I think it’s fine.

WPH: Talk about how the point guards may also find themselves at the two this year.

JG: Exactly. Especially when we are trying to push the ball. If the rebounds on that side of the court and Julius is there. They can give it to him and I’ll run the wing and he pushes the ball. If it lands on my side, I push the ball so it’s a lot easier and push the ball and run the court.

DeShawn Painter: 2009 Media Day

2009-10-17T13:56:00.004-04:00

DeShawn Painter Talks with WolfpackHoops

WPH: Deshawn, what has it been like transitioning to college this first year?

DP: Pretty hard. Haha. You’ve got to work hard. You know, school and books, it’s been tough on and off the court. It’s been tough though.

WPH: How are you liking Raleigh?

DP: Love it. I love it here, it’s a nice place.

WPH: How’s it feel to be wearing the NC State jersey right now?

DP: Feels good. It feels real good. I was a youngers watching Julius Hodge. He was one of my favorite college players at that time period. So you know, I’m just surprise that I’m here.

WPH: How has the transition been basketball wise, from HS to the ACC?

DP: Everybody is good. You know, Hargrave really prepared me. At Hargrave everybody was good. It’s been kind of the same but the players are a little bit better, but you’ve got to come and compete every day.

WPH: How have the coaches been using you in workouts this year?

DP: Coming off shooting, playing inside-out. I play in the post and I’ll be stepping out some.

WPH: Is there any chance we could see you on the wing at all , with you ability to step out and face up?

DP: Haha. I don’t know, I’ll leave that to the coaches. I don’t’ really know, I can’t really speak on that.

WPH: What’s it been like battling with the other bigs on the team?

DP: Haha I can say one thing, me and Jordan are fighting/competing everyday. Me and Tracy, we’ll just be laid back competing, but me and Jordan, it’s high intensity. There’s just a lot of yelling and battling in there.

WPH: How has having an upperclassman like Tracy helped you make the transition to college ball?

DP: Little stuff. He’ll just say “Come here” and pull me to the side. He’ll tell me “Look man, this is what you do.” He talks to me and keeps me going and when I do big things he cheers me on.

Pack Provides Excitement at 'Red Rally'

2009-10-16T23:40:00.016-04:00

Basketball season is officially here and NC State fans got an early preview during the "Red Rally at Reynolds.' The night started off with a women's basketball practice which gave many their first chance to meet the new Wolfpack women's coach Kellie Harper. The women's team ran through a series of drills before making way for the games. First was a 'hot shot' shootout where the players from the men's and women's teams teamed up with a fan. Dennis Horner and Julius Mays' team got hot and won the competition rather handily.

THE DUNK CONTEST
Next up was the dunk contest. If there were odds on this contest, they surely would have heavily favored the high rising redshirt sophomore, Johnny Thomas. Thomas, known for his freak athleticism, took on Kaycee Obi-gwacham, Farnold Degand, and Jordan Vandenberg in what didn't look like much competition on paper. That wasn't the case. Although Degand was very impressive, throwing down a pump reverse slam, it was Thomas and freshman Jordan Vandenberg who got the crowd on their feet. Vandenberg, a 7'0 freshman who was virtually unknown when he signed with the Pack last season, didn't garner a lot of off-season hype. Maybe it was because NC State hasn't had the best of luck with 7 footers in the past few years. Jordan, however, took the crowd by surprise when he placed fellow freshman, Scott Wood in the upper deck to assist on his first dunk of the night. Wood lofted a perfect bounce pass from the rafters which Vandenberg caught near the rim and threw down with authority ( and surprisingly, some athleticism). Definitely a nice novelty dunk that drew some attention, but probably not enough to take down Thomas. Johnny Thomas was up next and threw down a nasty windmill, getting straight 8's and 9s from the judges. Vandenberg countered with a off the side of the backboard alley oop. He took off from outside the lane and put it down hard, showing off some aggressiveness and some real athleticism. Thomas came back with an impressive gliding slam that get him to the final round, where he met Vandenberg.

The crowd was already buzzing about the Australian, who many viewed as a project player coming into the season, when he pulled out the dunk of the night. Vandenberg took off from the right, elevated, went between his legs with the ball and threw down a dunk that sent the crowd into a frenzy. 10's across the board gave Jordan the victory, and gave NC State fans a very pleasant surprise.

THE SCRIMMAGE
There was something a little different about the Red/White game this year. There was a feeling on the court that this team was out to prove something. From the very get go, the competition was intense. Coaches shouting instruction from the sidelines, full court defense, and players getting on the floor for loose balls. The red team was comprised of Farnold Degand, Javi Gonzalez, Thomas Painter and Tracy Smith (Josh Davis was the sub). The white team came out with Julius Mays, CJ Williams, Scott Wood, Dennis Horner and Jordan Vandenberg. The tempo started fast and stayed fast throughout, and it really looked as if the players were starting to grasp the faster paced game. When the lanes were open and they had the numbers, the Pack attacked on the break, but when nothing was there, they attacked and then pulled back. It was obvious that they wanted to get out and run the way Degand, Mays and Gonzalez pushed the ball all night. Teams are going to need to be ready to get back on defense when they play the Wolfpack this season. Here is a breakdown of each player from the scrimmage:

Farnold Degand
Degand looked as healthy as he's ever looked. Last season he was deemed 'ready to play' but still had some visible struggles with his injured knee. Last night he was in attack mode and wow was he quick. For the most part he made good decision on the break and got the ball to the right person at the right time. He was also playing some good defense and knocked down an open three from the wing.

Julius Mays
Poised and calm like always, Mays looked a little more confidence tonight than he did last season. He was pushing the ball and trying to make plays, and while his shot wasn't on this night, he showed a lot of the same positives he did last season toward the end of the year. He took care of the ball, ran the offense and went 100% to entire time.

Javi Gonzalez
There has been a huge difference in the Javi Gonzalez we saw at the beginning of last year to the Javi we saw at the end of last season and tonight in the scrimmage. He's stronger with the ball, attacking the rim and looking to shoot off the dribble when he can free himself. Javi saw a few open shots and knocked them down. It seems as if it will be he and Degand fighting for that lead guard spot all season (although Degand seemed to play a lot of the '2' tonight)

CJ Williams
CJ is going to have to score this season for the Pack to be successful and he knows that. Williams, sporting what he calls a "fro-hawk" and a bulked up body did not disappoint. He played hard every minute he was on the court, constantly looking for his shot. He knocked down a few short jumpers in traffic and definitely will be a go-to guy for the Pack this year.

Scott Wood
Definitely one of my favorites out there last night, Wood was everywhere. He played with a confidence I haven't seen from a freshman since Julius Hodge stepped foot on campus years ago. Wood was always hustling and actually was very impressive on defense, staying in front of his man and providing help side defense when he was supposed to. On offense, you can tell, he just gets it. He knows where the ball is supposed to be and what is a good shot. For Scott, any time he's open it's a good shot. He showed off a very pretty, very soft shot that is Steph Curry-esque in terms of quick release. He also showed that he isn't scared of the big boys as he challenge Johnny Thomas one on one, on the break. Wood threw is body into Thomas for the layup attempt, and although he was blocked, he picked up the foul and the respect of all in attendance.

Josh Davis
"Josh Davis is going to be hard to keep off the floor this season" said Sidney Lowe in his press conference on Friday, and you could see why in the scrimmage. Davis never stops moving. He is definitely a defenders nightmare the way he is constantly cutting and screening. He is also a battler on the boards. He stands at 6'6 but rebounds like he's 6'8. The guy obviously cherishes the fact that he's wearing the red and white and is going to give you everything he's got, every time he steps on the floor. His defense is textbook and he even showed the fans a little of his offensive game when he caught a swing pass, drove baseline and finished over all the bigs with a little tear drop. Davis is that energy guy, or that glue guy that the team will look too when in a funk. Davis looks like he'll be seeing a lot of 6th man time this year if he keeps this up.

DeShawn Painter
For us, Painter was one of the more impressive guys out there in terms of upside. Now, he didn't shine in a way that makes you think that he'll be a star from day one, but at some point Painter is going to be a key piece to this Wolfpack team. With very long arms and some very quick springs, Painter is a real scrapper in the paint. If there's a rebound up for grabs, he's going to do whatever he can to bring it down. He also is a match up nightmare. At 6'9, Painter was banging in the post for position, and a lot of the time he got it. What makes him so dangerous though is his ability to swing out to the wing an attack. When he brings a 6'9 guy to the perimeter, they're toast. Painters' got a great first step for a big and very accurate jumper that looks very smooth. Don't be surprised if Painter becomes a real force once he gets acclimated to the ACC.

Johnny Thomas
The Pack fans finally got to see a healthy Johnny Thomas, and it was a sight for sore eyes. Thomas was aggressive as usual and looking to score. The staff were careful with him and gave him some him a lot of rest, but he looked good overall. He was hustling, locking down on defense and attacking the boards. Thomas showed off the jumpshot he's been talking about as he knocked down two long 2's. If he can stay healthy, Thomas will be a key part of this team.

Dennis Horner
Dennis has definitely added some weight this season, something that will do him good now that he's strictly a 4. Horner was going up against Painter a lot of the night and looked like the veteran that he is. He, for the most part, made the right plays at the right times throughout the game. While his three ball wasn't falling tonight, you can see how big of a mismatch he'll cause with big, lumbering forwards who can't guard the perimeter, as it seems he hasn't lost any quickness with the added muscle. All night, Dennis mixed it up in the paint showing the fans that he's not afraid to throw his body around. He has definitely bought into the fact that he is 4 now and will be looked to for rebounding.

Jordan Vandenberg
We won't lie. We were literally shocked with Vandenberg. We've heard that he's better than advertised but really? While Vandenberg still has some work to do, this kid has the skills to get paid at the next level if he can harness his skills. Any time a 7 footer goes through his legs for a dunk, I think you should take notice. The dunk contest gave the fans a taste of what Vandenberg can bring to the table. He is no project player, that's for sure. While he has a ton of potential, he showed in the scrimmage that there is still work to be done. He's obviously not used to the contact and the physicality of the ACC game on offense, but on defense Jordan is a terror. He altered shots, blocked a shot and came down with a bunch of boards. He showed that he loves to crash the offensive glass. His jumpshot was also pretty impressive. He has a soft touch and an accurate hook shot, that just wouldn't go down tonight.

Tracy Smith
Smith was as advertised. Big, strong and talented. This season he looks like he's in tip-top shape and that he has been working on his post game. Upon receiving his first entry pass, Smith (back to the basket) faked left, spun right and hit an acrobatic reverse layup. When Smith received the ball on the blocks, he had on goal. Punishment. He just backs himself in and goes up for the slam in aggressive fashion. It is nice to know you have a guy that really invites contact in the paint and can finish with the best of them. Smith is projected to have a breakout season and tonight he showed that the hype is certainly warranted.

Overall the 'Red Rally' was a success and there was a pretty decent turnout. The excitement around the basketball program is growing and a lot of people are starting to take notice. Tonight there were some big-time recruits in the house. 2010 commit, Luke Cothron was sitting court side and seemed to be having a great time. Down one section was another 2010 prospect Tashawn Mabry who has been in contact with NC State and maybe in the plans if the Pack misses on CJ Leslie. 2011 prospect Dezmine Wells was also in the house along with 2013 phenom, Rodney Purvis. We'll have more on the impact of this event later, along with some updates on how the recruits enjoyed themselves.

Stay tuned for video and more Red Rally coverage later on in the day...

Red Rally Tonight 9pm at Reynolds!

2009-10-16T18:01:00.004-04:00

At 9pm tonight, the Wolfpack basketball teams will take the floor for the "Red Rally at Reynolds" (fans must wear red to get in) to kick-off the 2009/10 season in fashion. Coach Lowe and Coach Harper will be on hand to talk to the fans about the upcoming season. Following the speeches, the teams will both take place in mini-scrimmages, three-point contests and a dunk contest. The Red Rally will give NC State basketball fans their first glimpse of freshmen Scott Wood, DeShawn Painter, Jordan Vandenberg, Richard Howell (not scheduled to dress out) and Josh Davis in the red and white. 2010 Commits Ryan Harrow, Luke Cothron and 2011 prospect Dez Wells will all be on hand to take in the event. We will also be on hand, and will be reporting back to you with video, pictures and game updates. (stay close to the basketball forum for in game updates)

Although the event will surely be a great excitement builder for the program, the real story here is that there will be donations collected to help a former Wolfpack walk-on. Brian Keeter was paralyzed from the waist down in December of 2008 when he was involved in a single car accident.

“This is a time when being a Wolfpack family is more important than it is at any other time – when we have the opportunity to come around one of our own and show support for Brian during his time of need,” said Bobby Purcell, executive director of NC State’s Wolfpack Club. “He means a lot to all of us here, and I hope that every member of the Wolfpack family will continue to keep Brian and his family in their thoughts and prayers.He’s one of us, a true Wolfpacker, and as a family, we need to be there for him."

Pack Alum Get Things Started Across The Pond (Part II)

2009-10-14T20:13:00.004-04:00

Ben McCauley got his professional career in France kicked off this past Saturday. Big Ben put up a stat line that we grew accustomed to seeing here in Raleigh. In 25 minutes, he an efficient output of 14 points (5-9 FG), 6 rebounds and 3 steals. Despite a solid debut, Ben's Stasbourg IG team lost the season opener to Nancy.

After playing one game in Bulgaria, Illian Evtimov decided it was time for a change. He played 9 minutes and had 3 points and 2 steals. We talked with former NC State player Jamie Knox who represents numerous former Wolfpack players, and he informed us that Illian was going to be moving to Cyprus to play on Courtney Fells Proteas EKA AEL Limassol team (Knox represents Fells). We'll have more on this in the near future.

SIMON SAYS: Issue #1: "Still Looking for the First Victory"

2009-10-14T09:24:00.008-04:00

Hey everyone. Today we're unveiling a new addition to our site. A few days ago we caught up with former NC State forward, Simon Harris, and he told us how much fun he's having playing ball over in Ireland. Basketball is really just starting to catch on over there and Simon and his team are holding clinics, camps and showing the country just how fun the game can be. We thought this sounded like a great story and offered Simon the chance to keep the Wolfpack Nation updated on a weekly basis about his team and his life overseas being, not only a player, but an ambassador of the game. He loved the idea and agreed, so without further ado, here's Simon!

Dear Wolfpack Fans,

Week two started off great. We had a bunch of really good practices, guys are starting to mesh together a lot more, and the confidence is beginning to rise. We went on the road for the first time to play a team down in Cork, the UCC Demons, who were the defending champions of the league we just moved into.

We started off really slow, I mean really really slow. Actually, at the beginning of the first quarter, but literally about midway through we all just started to pick it up and play much much better. Guys were hustling, pressing, diving on the floor, we really were poised to get our first win in team history in the Irish Superleague. We went into the half down one. We came out somewhat flat again at the beginning of the third, but yet again turned it around. We kept the game very competitive throughout the final quarter but (and I never complain about stuff like this) due to horrendous officiating we ended up losing the game by ten.

At one point in the final period, after I had been brutally mugged for three consecutive quarters, I asked the other teams American why we, as a team, weren't getting any calls. All he said was "Well first, you're an American, and second, officials here don't care for the road teams at all." HAHA, it's going to be interesting to see how the rest of our road games go... Hopefully I don't have to break too many noses.

But, we have a bye this week which I think is good for us right now. It'll give us ample time to correct our mistakes and get focused for our next game. I really think we made great strides this past game all of my teammates really busted their butts and had that look in their eyes that they were hungry for a win, and I'm excited to see how we respond in two weeks when we travel to Belfast.

Wish us luck...
Simon

C.J. Leslie Throws Down At The Elite 80

2009-10-13T10:03:00.001-04:00

Pack Alums Get Things Started Across The Pond (Part I)

2009-10-13T10:00:00.001-04:00

After playing for Kirchheim in Germany last season, former NC State guard Clifford Crawford has changed flags and is now playing for Levice in Slovakia. Cliff has started off his 2009 campaign with some explosive numbers. In the three games that he has played in he has averaged 19.3 points (54.3 %), 10.7 assists, 4 rebounds and 2.7 steals. Levice is off to a 3-1 (their one loss came in a game that Crawford didn't play) start and they play their next game tomorrow night against Pezinok.

Cameron Bennerman, another Wolfpack alum, also has started off the '09 season with a new squad. After playing in Spain and in the NBA D-League last season, Bennerman has singed on with the Basket Rimini Crabs this season, and has helped lead them to a 2-0 start. He averaged 22.5 points in the first two contests, and hit nearly 50% of the three pointers he shot (9-20). In Sunday's victory over Enel Brindisi, Bennerman had 27 points and drained 5 from deep range. The Crabs next game is on October 18th against Harem PC.

Sticking with the pattern that has been set, yet another former NC State basketball player has started off the '09 season in a new home. After playing in Greece last year, Anthony Grundy has now moved on to Italy and is playing for Carife Ferrara. They started the season off with a win, and Grundy was instrumental in the victory, scoring 19 points and collecting 4 steals.

Brandon Costner just played his first two games as a professional basketball player for Dexia Mons-Hainaut in Belgium. His Dexia squad is 1-1 and Brandon is averaging 12 points and 5 rebounds. Costner started off his professional career with a bang on October 3rd, putting up 22 points and 9 boards. Dexia plays again on October 20th.

VIDEO: Ryan Harrow Puts on Show at Elite 80

2009-10-12T10:12:00.004-04:00

Harrow and Leslie Team Up to Dominate at Elite 80

2009-10-11T11:57:00.014-04:00

Ryan Harrow (2010 NC State commit, PG) and CJ Leslie (2010 NC State recruit, SF/PF) are two players that, when they get going, are nearly impossible to stop. Put them together on the same team, and things can get downright silly. That was the case on Saturday morning as the two teamed up at the ScoutsFocus.com Elite 80 Showcase in Wilson, North Carolina.

Many of the top players in North Carolina were on hand to compete in the event that was sponsored by SLAM Magazine and HoopMixTape. Reggie Bullock, PJ Hairston, CJ Leslie, Dezmie Wells were all on hand along with Ryan Harrow who made the trip from Georgia to compete. The event was filled with media from all over the nation, as well as a few college coaches.

The first match-up got the showcase started off with a bang. Harrow and Leslie teamed up against two UNC commits in Reggie Bullock and PJ Hairston in what turned out to be a complete blowout. Harrow carved up whatever the defense threw at him, with an array of ankle buckling crossovers, acrobatic finishes and mind blowing passes, most of which ended up in CJ Leslie throwing down with authority. When the smoke cleared Harrow and Leslie had put a 30 point beat down on the opponents. The chemistry between Harrow and Leslie seemed to be clicking on all cylinders as pick and rolls and no look ally-oops were taking place at an alarming rate.

"We feed of each other real well. We both like playing with each other and we get along real good. We talk to each other a lot outside of basketball so I think it just carries over to the floor. I think it would be fun to play together in college." said Harrow when asked how he like playing with an elite player such as Leslie.

The 6'0 point guard has been working on getting top recruits to follow him to NC State since the day he committed, and isn't stopping until the 2010 class is full. The Wolfpack recently picked up a gigantic commitment when 2010 highly touted PF, Luke Cothron, verballed to Coach Sidney Lowe earlier in the week. Now, the staff's focus turns to Leslie, who at one time had committed to NC State only to pull his commitment last season. The question for Pack fans has become, 'where would CJ slot in with the addition of Cothron at PF?' That question seemed to be answered on Saturday morning when Leslie was matched up against UNC commit and #2 SG in the land, Reggie Bullock. Leslie was magnificent on defense, locking down Bullock and rarely allowing him to get to the lane. When he did get by CJ, the athletic Leslie was able to recover and either block or alter his shot. Bullock was held to under 10 points, with most of his offense coming off jump shots. This should open a lot of eyes for those who questioned Leslie's versatility. We also have seen CJ shut down LaQuinton Ross, a top SG in the class of 2011 at the Bob Gibbons earlier in the summer.

In the second game, Bishop Daniels (Word of God) joined CJ and Ryan for what was a dunk-fest from the opening minute to the final buzzer. Harrow caught an oop from Leslie and then returned the favor with an off the glass pass that CJ hammered down with authority. Numerous scouts on hand were buzzing about Harrow who seemed a bit taller and as athletic as ever. One scout told us, "He might be the best all-around guard in 2010. Seriously, he's that good." SLAM Magazine was on hand and working on a Harrow feature of their own. Even the guys from HoopMixTape were in awe of some of the moves Harrow was pulling off. "He definitely should be top 10. No doubt about it." Said Nils, the owner of HoopMixTape, who travels the nation covering the top prep players in the nation to get highlight footage.

Also on hand was Dezmine Wells (2011 NC State recruit), a big time combo guard who is starting to get the nations attention. Wells is big, strong, and possesses extreme athleticism that has college coaches beginning to line-up at his door. Wells was very impressive in the only game we got to see him play yesterday. We've seen Wells before and are very high on his potential, but on Saturday he showed a new wrinkle to his game. An accurate jumper that was keeping the defense honest. If Wells can keep improving his stroke, he will quickly move up the ranks. He finishes with crushing dunks and rebounds very good for a guy his size. We got to catch up with Dezmine after the showcase and will have the interview up later in the week.

We will have video up later tonight (or early tomorrow). We'll also be getting you interviews with Dezmine Wells and Ryan Harrow talking more about the Luke Cothron signing and playing alongside CJ Leslie.

Elite 80 Update Thread

2009-10-10T09:50:00.000-04:00

Looks like a great turnout so far at the Elite 80. So far Ryan Harrow, Dezmine Wells, Reggie Bullock, P.J. Hairston, Bishop Daniels, C.J. Leslie...

Wrap-up and video to follow.

WOLFPACK LANDS COTHRON!!

2009-10-09T07:38:00.009-04:00

Sidney Lowe does it again. Highly touted 2010 PF Luke Cothron informed the NC State staff that he has made his college decision and will be attending NC State in 2010. We reported last week that the 6'9 Cothron had named NC State his leader, however, it was believed that he would wait until November to make his final decision. Apparently Luke didn't need the extra month to think over his decision to commit to the Pack.

"I just was ready to commit. I have a real good bond with Coach Lowe and wanted to go ahead and do it." Cothron told us.

Although the staff was already very confident in their standing with the 4 star big man, there was still concern over the trip to Tennesee that he had scheduled for later in the month. Those concerns are long gone as Luke has already cancelled the visit after he informed Sidney Lowe of his college plans. Cothron joins Ryan Harrow (5 star PG) and Lorenzo Brown (4 star SG) in a class that may very well shape up to be the best in the ACC. So what was it about NC State that sold Luke on running with the Wolfpack?

"It was pretty much Coach Lowe. I felt comfortable and have a great bond with him. Also, the fact that they already have Ryan and Lorenzo coming in helped." he said

Say what you want about Wolfpack head coach Sidney Lowe, but he has shown the ability to land top of the line talent and beat out some pretty big name coaches and programs in the process.

The 6'9 Cothron is a player that was heavily recruited by Alabama, Arkansas, UCONN, Louisville, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Kansas, amongst many others, but felt the most comfortable in Raleigh with Coach Lowe. Luke is the type of player that should be able to step on campus and immediately help the Wolfpack frontcourt. He is tall, long and relentless on the boards. On offense, Cothron has a soft touch, an accurate short range game and is hard to stop with his back to the basket.

This is a huge pick-up for the Lowe and his Wolfpack, who needed to add a top ranked big man in order to complete a class that looks to put NC State back on the map. Harrow, Brown and now Cothron should make them a relevant contender in the ACC for years to come, and the staff may not be done just yet. We are hearing that even with the addition of big Luke, they are still actively recruiting local star CJ Leslie, who has shown an extreme increase in versatility this summer. Leslie is starting to show the ability to dominate from the wing and college coaches are starting to see the option of recruiting him as a small forward instead of a power forward. His recruitment will more than likely continue until the very end, but the talk that the Pack is still working on him is good news for State fans.

Right now however, the attention is on Cothron, and it very well should be. We cannot put into words how important it was for Lowe to land a player of his caliber before the season starts. This sures up the 2010 class and will make a lot of people realize that something special is on the horizon in Raleigh.

Luke has not yet set a signing day but was not closed to the option of signing in November. “I’m not sure. I might sign early but I haven’t made a decision on that yet” Cothron said. Regardless, Sidney Lowe has to be a happy man today knowing the kind of talent that is making it’s way to Raleigh next season.

__________

- Luke made this decision earlier in the week, but wanted to keep it quiet until he was ready. He gave the word this morning to make it public. We will have more on the Cothron commitment later, and will continue to follow him throughout the season with game footage, updates and interviews

- Last we heard, Luke was still planning on heading out to Wilson, NC this weekend for the Elite 80 at Barton College. Keep checking back here if you're planning on attending as we'll let you know if anyone pulls out last minute. The event starts at 9:30am and is scheduled to have Luke, Ryan, Dez Wells and others in attendance.

10-9-09

'CP3' Coach Tony Edwards on 2011 Recruit Dez Wells

2009-10-08T08:47:00.011-04:00

A few days ago we had the chance to speak with Tony Edwards, the head coach of CP3, one of the elite AAU teams in the nation. CP3 is also the summer team of Wolfpack recruit Dezmine Wells (2011) and future prospect Rodney Purvis (2013). In this segment, we talk to Coach Ewards about Dezmine Wells as a person, a player and a recruit and ask where the Wolfpack stands in their recruitment of the local star.

WPH: Tell us about Dezmine Wells.

TE: I've know Dez since he was 10 years old. He's always been extremely athletic, active, playing multiple sports. He's always loved the gym. He actually started playing with me as a PG, then hit a big growth spurt and moved to the forward spot. He's just a really well mannered kid. He loves to get better, he loves to compete. He's just really good to be around. He asks a lot of questions, he's not afraid to ask questions. He's just very inquisitive.

WPH: You said he started as PG and moved to the forward positions. Where do you see him playing this year, and how do you feel he projects at the next level?

TE: I see him as a combo. This year I played him at point, but offensively I think he's best suited for the wing positions, but he really surprised us at the point. We needed him to slot in at point for us and he did a great job. He's one of those hybrid players, but you just let him play and he'll put up great numbers for you.

WPH: We've had the opportunity to speak with and watch Dez on numerous occasions, and while he's well mannered and well spoken, one thing you really notice is how enthusiastic he is. Tell us how you feel his enthusiasm and passion pay off on the defensive side of the ball.

TE: Oh he definitely brings it. He steps right in and wants to guard the best guy on the other team. He loves a challenge. His energy 9 times out of 10 is what we fed off of this past year. He's very emotional and passionate on the floor. You'll hear him yelling, see him attacking the rim, urging guys on, you know, he's very aggressive on both sides of the ball.

WPH: His game has really developed a lot this last year. How do you feel Dez has improved the most over the past year?

TE: I'd say his discipline. He's added more discipline to his game. Before he used to try to force a lot of stuff but he's a lot more patient now. His basketball IQ has also jumped way up this past year.

WPH: You've seen and coached a lot of talented players (Reggie Bullock, John Wall, etc...) and I think as a coach you can see a player and say "he just has 'it'" and sometimes even when analysts and recruiting websites don't see it right away. One thing we saw happen this year was Dezmine go from a recruit that maybe 'has potential' to all of the sudden, its like the light bulb came on to a lot of these analysts and all of the sudden it hit them that Dezmine Wells was a force to be reckoned with. Is that something you saw from the beginning, and what do you feel it was about this summer that made Dez start getting more recognition?

TE: With Dez the lights been on. I feel like I have a really good eye for talent. Something I like to do, when I first get a kid, is run him through one of my workouts, which is very intense. Thye come back or they show certain things, I dont exactly know how to say it, but it's certain things they do on the floor and a certain attitude in a game that show me what kind of kid we're working with and what kind of player I think they can be. I feel Dez has always had 'it.' It's a fight, an aggressiveness and a competitiveness. I've coached all these kids when they were small, and I've known they had it. Reggie Bullock, Rodney Purvis, Mevlin Tabb...I just knew they had it. It's just something when I see someone like that...it's like "He's got it."

WPH: This summer was big for Dezmine, and I think it's because people got to see him handle the ball a lot more. At Word of God he was stuck down at the forward position, something Dez told us, and people didn't get to see what he could really do. This summer I think you got to see him at the guard more, handling the ball, and you got to see him create, which I think opened a lot of peoples eyes.

TE: Oh yeah, yeah, he's always had those skills and you would've seen it last year when he was a rising sophomore, but he broke his leg in the first play of the first tournament last year and no one saw him the rest of the summer. We had started putting the ball in his hands all spring, and no one saw him all summer. During his rehab when he came back to Word of God, they already had John (Wall) over there and he didn't really get to handle the ball a lot and nobody knew it. So when they saw him this summer it was like "Oh my God!", but that skill has always been there. Now, it really improved this past year with his IQ and making better decisions, but it's always been there but he broke his leg.

WPH: From watching him, I'll say that I'd want no part in guarding him. When you get a guard with that type of body and that type of physicality it's intimidating.

TE: Yeah, he's very strong. He's going to go up and finish against anybody and they'll bounce off him. Unless you're 6'10 and carrying some major weight, he'll go up and try you.

WPH: Now, this summer Coach Lowe and NC State took notice of Dezmine and started recruiting him a little bit. What have you heard from Coach Lowe and what type of interest is NC State expressing?

TE: He said he definitely wants Dez and he checks up on Dez through me. He does things the right way, and he's definitely a Dezmine Wells fan, a big one.

WPH: There's also been a lot of confusion and talk on whether Dez has actually been offered a scholarship. Is that something you can confirm or talk about?

TE: I know they said they are going to offer, that's if they haven't already, but I'm confidently saying that they have offered him.

WPH: When we spoke with Dez he said it made him feel good that a school right in his backyard was noticing him and recruiting him. Do you feel like NC State's recruitment really means a lot to Dezmine, to know a school right here in Raleigh wants him to play for them?

TE: It does, it does make him feel good. For him to know that an ACC school right here really wants him, it's good. A school that has tradition and a Coach that is really trying to get the program turned around. He's going to be watching State. He's been to a few games last year and he'll go to a few games this year. He'll be watching, but really he just wants to play. At practice if you're not going hard, he gets pissed. If you're not coming at him, making him better he's going to let you know, like "Stop wasting my time."

____________

We'd like to thank Coach Tony Edwards for taking time out of his day to talk with us in such great detail. We'll have more with Coach Edwards on 2013 guard Rodney Purvis later in the season, so stay tuned!

_____________

Here is a pretty insane Dez Wells mixtape by our friends over at ONE Entertainment, enjoy.

Harrow, Cothron Attending Elite 80 Showcase

2009-10-07T08:46:00.005-04:00

Date: Saturday, October 10, 2009

Time: 9:30am

Place: Wilson, NC (Barton College Gymnasium)

Event: Elite 80 Showcase Camp (NC State commit Ryan Harrow and recruit Luke Cothron)

Admission: $5

We mentioned earlier that NC State commit Ryan Harrow would be in attendance this weekend at the ScoutsFocus Elite 80 Showcase in Wilson, NC. We also wanted to let you know a few more details about the event.

Luke Cothron has confirmed that he too will be in attendance until 2pm, at which time he'll be heading back to Raleigh to take in yet another NC State football game. This is more good news for Pack fans who are hoping to land the highly touted big man from Flora MacDonald.

Schedule

The event will begin at 9:30am and the we have been told that the camp will be structured around the State football game, taking into consideration the State fans that want to see Ryan and Luke, but still want to make it back to Raleigh for the game. We are told that both Ryan and Luke will play two full games and they will also hold a dunk contest (not sure if any State targets will be participating) all before 2pm, giving everyone ample time to get back for anyone with tickets to the State/Duke football game at 3:30pm.

Elite 80

We were in attendance at the last Elite 80 in Wilson and got some great footage of Ryan. The camp is structured to have 80 elite players that are looking to be seen by college coaches. The last event was during a dead period, but this one is open to college coaches, so you may see a few familiar faces in the crowd. This event is also being attended by SLAM magazine, and HoopMixTape among others.

If you have some free time Saturday morning, we encourage you to get out to Wilson, NC (@the Barton College Gym) and get a glimpse of Ryan and Luke. You will also get to see other talent you may recognize such as Maryland commit Mychal Parker and others.

If you plan on attending let us know. We'll see you out there. Here are the highlights from the last Elite 80, in case you missed it.

Where Are They Now?: An Interview with Simon Harris

2009-10-06T07:43:00.006-04:00

Simon Harris, since he was nine years old, had always dreamed of putting on a Wolfpack jersey. That dream came true in 2006, when head coach Sidney Lowe offered him a spot on the team and the opportunity to play for the Wolfpack. After two seasons playing at Elon University, Simon decided to make the move and transfer to play under Coach Lowe and his father, assistant coach Larry Harris.

Donning the red and white was a true privilege to Harris and you could see it every time he stepped on the court. Standing at 6'5, Simon was a bit undersized for the forward position, but what he lacked in height, he made up for in heart. No one can deny the fact that every time Simon Harris stepped for on the floor he gave 100%. He dove for loose balls, recklessly crashed the boards, and never got down on a teammate. Harris graduated last season and took some time off to decide what was next and if he wanted to peruse a career in basketball. That answer came when he signed a contract to play overseas in Ireland, where he currently resides, preparing for the upcoming season. We had the opportunity to catch up with Simon and talk a little bit about his time at NC State, Ireland and what he thinks the future might hold for himself, and the Wolfpack basketball program. Enjoy.

WPH: Talk a little about your time at NC State and playing for Coach Lowe and your father, Larry Harris. Where do you see this program going?

Simon: I loved my time at NC State, I had always wanted to play there since I was 9 years old so it was really a dream come true. It was also very fun to play for my father because I didn't really get to be around him much as a child, so it was great making up for lost time on a nearly daily basis. It allowed he and I to become a lot closer which was great, because he'd always been on the road a bunch so it was cool being around one another in practice and at functions and such.

I think the team has a really bright future. I think we brought in a ridiculously talented and extremely under rated freshman class. I feel as if they are very mature for being younger guys and have a few solid seasons ahead of them.

WPH: Former Pack player and NBA agent Jamie Knox has kept us updated on your status these past few months. There was a time when you were contemplating working with Jamie and working your way up to being a sports agent. Tell us a little about why you decided against it for the time being and if it is something you might be interested in doing in the future.

Simon: I postponed going into the working world solely because I was blessed enough to have been given an opportunity to continue my playing career. I feel that I am very young and have been blessed with a solid amount of athletic ability that I felt I should still try and use to the best of my ability. It really was something that took me a while to come to a conclusion about, but after speaking with people that I feel are important in my life like: my mother, my dad, Jamie Knox, Courtney Fells, Brandon Costner, and Cedric Simmons thoroughly, I decided to continue my career on the court, and then doing the 9 to 5 thing later on down the line.

I really think (being a sports agent) is a great profession that really gives you an opportunity to stay around the game and also allows you to have a positive influence on young guys that want to do exactly what I'm doing currently, in order to better their situations. I especially feel this way when it is done for the love of the game and people, as in the case of Jamie Knox. The way he approaches the business is strictly for the two aforementioned reasons, and it is very inspiring to see how he goes about it. He's the main reason that I would love to get into that field one day, because he showed me the right way of going about representing players.

WPH: You've recently signed with a team in Ireland. How has it been over there so far and, if you could, tell us a little bit about what's different playing over there compared to the States. (atmosphere...playing style...fans...etc.)

Simon: Ireland is amazing!!!! The people here are so welcoming and are new to the game so it's cool to be, in a way, influential here. The game of basketball really isn't huge in Ireland yet, it kind of has a cult following, if you will, and is growing rapidly. Especially with the younger generations. The playing style is a lot slower, but based a lot more in the fundamentals. All together, every training session (practice) is a blast. The people in this area are really growing into basketball fanatics and there is a lot of hype here now that my team has moved up to the highest division. The major thing I will say about my club is that these people really do this for the love of the game. Our organization is 100% funded by the community in which our team is based. It's amazing to see the passion and pride of the people in this small community. Everything for our club is done internally and is funded by private donation or fundraiser.

WPH: What are some of your long term goals and where do you see yourself in the next couple of years?

Simon: Well, hopefully in the next couple of years I will still be playing some sport somewhere, but if that's not in God's plan for me I feel as if I would love to be on a collegiate sideline coaching, or joining the player representation aspect of the business. I just see myself being involved in sports in some way. I think sports are the best platform for young people to learn about life, be it from their coaches, teammates, or mentors inside their respective clubs. They gave me an outlet to do and become what I am today. I was always encouraged by my coaches and community members that I could go anywhere and see anything as long as I worked hard at it.

WPH: So you've thought of following your dad's footsteps and getting into coaching college?

Simon: I've wanted to be a collegiate or professional basketball coach ever since i was little. I can literally say that has been my number one aspiration since I can remember. I was the kid on the playground who would be analyzing things instead of the guy who wanted to score all of the points haha. I love interacting with people and love teaching as well. So I feel becoming a coach is a major possibility, and I have been blessed with very good contacts in the business, so I feel that it would be great to get into. I would really love it if I was afforded the opportunity to be on the staff at my Alma mater to be honest. i think that would be one of the biggest honors I could ever see myself attaining.

WPH: Speaking of your dad, he is continuously being mentioned as one of the top recruiters in the nation. What are his secrets? How has he been so successful for so long?

Simon: Dad is so successful on the recruiting trail because he loves the game of basketball, therefore he doesn't see it as work. You'll find a lot of guys in the business dread hitting the road and tend to shy away from it as much as possible. Dad isn't like that at all! He knows it's all about personal relationships and being present as much as possible with recruits. Plus, he keeps it 100% real with players. A lot of schools try to sell guys dreams about playing time, the NBA, etc. Dad tells it like it is to players and I feel that guys really respect that. On top of that, he relates really well with younger guys because he was once in their shoes. He's played on every possible level there is in basketball and the best way to lead is by example.

WPH: What are a few of your greatest memories and accomplishments while playing at State?

Simon: I will say my greatest memory while playing at State was finally putting on the white and red uniform after transferring to NC State. My biggest goal throughout my childhood was to one day wear that uniform. I was proud to be a part of a program with so much tradition especially when guys like David Thompson (who I consider to be the best college basketball player of all time) wore a jersey with the same school across that front that I now was wearing. NC State is more than a university to me, it's more like a second home, I spent the summers of my childhood in and around the campus. So, when I was on the floor here I took every second of it as a blessing.

WPH: We know that there has been a lot of ups and downs the past few years with the Wolfpack, and it has seemed to create a lot of media and fan backlash and some negativity surrounding the program at times. As a player can you talk about the influence of the fans, message boards, and media?

Simon: I think the message board 'FANS' were amazing, and when I say the word 'FAN' I mean the ladies and gentlemen that were consistently positive and supported us no matter what happened through the course of the season. The thing that people don't realize is that we (the players) are still children! Every single ounce of negativity guys hear or see affects us immensely internally, even if we didn't show it. So much so, that it is hard for me to even put into words to be honest. I couldn't tell you how many times I was ashamed of some of the things i would hear come out of the mouths of some of the people who followed our program.

WPH: Is there anything you'd like to say to the Wolfpack fans?

Simon: To the fans of the Wolfpack, I will forever be grateful for the love and support you have given this team throughout all these years, through the good times and the bad. Also I really want to say thank you for the way you have accepted not only me and my father, but the rest of our respective families as well. You guys really have made Raleigh a second home for all of us and I really want to show my appreciation to all of you. I feel our program is back on track and the times of '74 and '83, are around the corner.

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We'd like to thanks Simon for taking the time to talk with us and for the honesty and transparency in his words. We'd also like to thank him for the three years he gave to the Wolfpack basketball program and to all of the fans. It's people like Simon, with the passion, the heart and respect for the game, that make basketball a fun game to watch. We will certainly keep in contact and keep all of you updated on Simon's season in Ireland and beyond.

ESPN Ranks NC State #22 Basketball Program of All-Time

2009-10-05T15:03:00.004-04:00

There has always been a big debate on where the NC State program falls in the All-Time rankings. With 2 National Championships most would believe that this is one of the better programs in the history of college basketball, however, the last twenty years have dulled the memories of the championship teams that once took the floor in Raleigh. ESPN has released an encyclopedia that lists the rankings of every single D-1 program in the NCAA and NC State falls comfortably in the top 25. Here are the rankings.

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Wolfpack Recruiting Tidbits

2009-10-04T17:48:00.007-04:00

- 2010 Wolfpack commit Ryan Harrow is scheduled to be in Wilson, North Carolina (@ Barton College) this Saturday to participate in the ScoutsFocus.com Elite 80 Fall Showcase. This would be a good chance to catch a glimpse of Harrow if you haven't had the chance yet (and if you're not planning on attending the NC State vs. Duke football game). You have to give it to Ryan for constantly attending showcases and camps such as this one. He is never satisfied and has publically stated that he attends camps like these because it is his goal to be ranked as high as he can in the 2010 class and also play with other elite players and let them know why he chose NC State. (We've mentioned before, Harrow is certainly one of the Pack's best recruiters.) Luke Cothron is also scheduled to appear at the showcase, but we have not confirmed that yet. Dez Wells and Quincy Miller, were both on tap to attend, however, Wells has pulled out and Miller is getting over a small injury at the moment, so neither will be there this weekend. Stay tuned, because although Ryan is slated to be in attendence, things can always change and we wouldn't want you driving all the way to Wilson and missing the football game if no State recruits were there to watch. The event will get started at 9:30am.

- Speaking of Luke Cothron, the coaching staff visited with the 2010 PF today and it reportedly went really well. As we mentioned earlier, NC State is the leader right now in the Cothron sweepstakes and that has not changed. Things with Cothron are certainly heating up and we'll be there every step of the way to let you know the latest on Luke.

- We spoke with Tony Edwards, the coach of the CP3 all-stars about 2011 prospect Dez Wells and 2013's Rodney Purvis. We'll have an in-depth interview with Tony up here in the next week, but we did want to clear something up about the 2013 prospect, Purvis. In the article we reported that he was about to turn 16, which was what we were told, however, Edwards let us know that Rodney is in fact only 15 years old and will not turn 16 until February. There were a lot of questions about why he was so old for an incoming freshman. This should clear up all of that.