As Wolfpack fans flooded McLendon-McDougald Gym on the campus of NC Central University, there was an obvious excitement in the air. It was a night many had waited on for months. What may be the best recruiting pull NC State has ever seen was about to be on showcase to the public for the very first time. NC State recruits Ryan Harrow, CJ Leslie, and Lorenzo Brown were slated to team up with star center Tracy Smith in the NC Pro-Am opener at 6pm. Unfortuntely, the masses of Wolfpack fans who trekked out to Durham on Thursday didn’t exactly get everything they wanted.
At about 5:30pm Ryan Harrow broadcasted over his Twitter account that he, in fact, would not be able to make the game due to orientation at NC State. As the news spread through the gym, the whispers started that none of the Pack players would show. Just then, the crowd’s emotion swung again as they erupted into cheer. Tracy Smith walked in alongside CJ Leslie who quickly flashed the Wolfpack sign to a few fans near the doorway.
Hendricks of Durham, the opposing team, was without their two stars in Kyrie Irving and Kyle Singler (both Duke players). On the floor for McGladrey was Smith and Leslie who were joined by 2011 NC State commit Joseph Uchebo.
The game started off slowly, as both teams looked rusty and out of rhythem, but that didn’t last long. Tracy Smith quickly connected on a three pointer from the corner, and for fear I’ll never get to say it again, I’ll repeat, Tracy Smith connected on a three pointer. The Wolfpack center has not even attempted a three in his three years with NC State, but that could be changing. Smith showcased a nice touch and seemed eager to showcase his new and improved face-up game.
As the game wore on, Smith got better and better. In the third quarter is when he really started to heat up. Smith went back to his bread and butter, using his size and his ability to alter his shot mid-air and still bring home the bucket. Tonight you got a good sense of just how much better Smith will look playing alongside a talent like CJ Leslie. Many times tonight Leslie pressured the defense off the dribble, causing help side to collapse in fear of their team being on the wrong end of a posterization. That’s when he was able to dish off to a wide open Tracy Smith. Wide open layups are something Smith rarely saw last season. As the leading scorer and rebounder for the Pack, Smith was a marked man and keyed upon in every matchup. With players like Leslie to lesson the weight, you can look for Smith to flourish in the paint this season. Smith finished up with 14 points.
Speaking of CJ Leslie, I’m guessing you’re wondering how he looked in his first public game appearance since his signing. Well, in a one word, he looked ‘great.’ With Smith manning the paint, Leslie was able to showcase his game off the bounce. He attacked from the wing, knocking down a pull up jumper and constantly putting keeping stress on the defense with is improved ball handling and quick first step. You can also bet that opposing coaches are going to have “Find CJ Leslie, box out CJ Leslie” as their #1 priority this season. Every shot that goes up, Leslie is crashing and crashing hard. You can see him salivating at the chance for a crowd erupting, game changing put back slam.
As a local star, most Pack fans had seen CJ up to this point, but many had never seen him this aggressive off the dribble. He was a real menace and will certainly help the Wolfpack pick up the pace and run this year. The one sour spot for CJ was his free throw shooting, which should be easily fixed. Watching him shoot, he has very decent form and a good release most of the time. It seems as if it’s just a matter of repetition and getting focused mentally at the line. CJ finished up the game with 16 points.
The other Wolfpack notable on the court was Joseph Uchebo. The 2011 6’9 commit started but played sparingly throughout thanks to the interior presence of Smith. Uchebo more than held his own, finishing up with 4 points and 4 boards. Uchebo is very physical and constantly fights for position, however tonight was the CJ Leslie and Tracy Smith show, which is why Joseph failed to get many touches.
Those who thought Rodney Purvis may have already peaked as a high school freshman are crazy. The kid gets better and better each time we see him. He’s big, physical, quick and loves to throw down in traffic. Purvis finished unofficially with 8 and was the primary ballhandler for McGlandrey with Harrow and Brown absent.
As for the game, it stayed pretty close throughout, staying tied through the final buzzer. However, the guard play of Hendricks was too much for McGlandrey as they took control in overtime and won by one.
NEXT UP FOR MCLANDREY: Tuesday, July 6 (9pm) vs. Navy
The Matchup: Navy
The McLandrey match-up against Navy really depends a lot on who shows up. If their big time players, such as Kevin Durant and Jawad Williams show up, then it’s going to be tough to stop them. Without Durant or Williams, they’ll probably rely most on Ryan Kelly(Duke) which could make a very long night. NC State fans would get quite the show in that case, with Harrow, Brown and Leslie most likely doing whatever they please. Tuesday night should be the first time all the players get to play together unless some unforseen obstacle gets in the way. Also look out for Torian Graham who is scheduled to play for Navy. He’s very close to a committable offer if he doesn’t already have one.
