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NC State Basketball

BeeJay Anya: The Enforcer

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8 years ago

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Last night BeeJay was outstanding as he played with an edge for 32 minutes. He was the main reason why the Wolfpack was able to hold UNC to an all-time low score at the Dean E. Smith Center. It was obvious that Anya enjoys the challenge of playing against Kennedy Meeks, these two players will always be compared to each other as they are similar in size as well as products of the 2013 recruiting class. These two giants clashed last night and while Meeks out scored and out rebounded Anya, BeeJay found a way to make enough plays to seal the deal for the Pack. A key statistic for BeeJay last night was his ability to defend without fouling as he did an excellent job of moving his feet and going straight up to challenge UNC, as they attacked the paint. There were a couple of blocks that Anya displayed amazing body control to avoid getting called for a foul. At the end of the night Anya finished the game with 6 blocks and 6 rebounds.

Going forward State needs Anya to play up to his potential. He must stay locked in and not commit any dumb fouls. His presence is required for the Wolfpack to make a run in the NCAA. The reason Anya is so important is because he affects the game both physically and mentally. When an opposing guard tries to turn the corner and they see BeeJay they immediately must think twice about trying to get all the way to the rim. This hesitation allows for the original defender to recover which in return allows our defense to stay solid and protect the opposite side kick-out three. Even though BeeJay hasn’t yet developed a low post game offensively; more than makes up for his offensive limitations on the other end. Physically Anya is a giant as he stands 6 feet 9 inches tall and weighs roughly 275 pounds. When you factor in a wingspan of 7-9 and a reach of 9-3 you can start to understand why he is capable of blocking so many shots.

Another important aspect BeeJay brings to the Pack is his ability to absorb contact and stand his ground. Opposing big men rarely catch the ball at their preferred position on the block and that is due to Anya’s ability to move players without using his hands. This is why UNC big man Brice Johnson was unable to have an impact last night. Johnson is long but could not gather any ground as he played off balance the entire evening. Let’s hope BeeJay can continue to anchor our defense, if he continues to play at a high level then the Wolfpack will be a tough out for any team they face.

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wolfpack74
wolfpack74
8 years ago

Wolfer96 Is it true that the conference will make more money the more teams that we have in the NCAA tourney?  I hate to say it, but the game appeared to be fix in favor of the Pack.  Just an opinion, no whining.

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wolfpack74
wolfpack74
8 years ago

Wolfer96 PackInsider Staff I also think that having half of the old big east in our conference now makes a difference.  It’s not just Puke and the Holes anymore.

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wolfpack74
wolfpack74
8 years ago

shaverlb73 Wolfer96 We need to get Stone and Newman.  Gott needs to offer Stone a scholarship and see if both will come here together.  Newman has made it public that he wants to play with Stone in college.  Give it a try Gott.

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Wolfer96
Wolfer96
8 years ago

PackInsider Staff Wolfer96 Proof positive is when King Karl gets suspended and other refs at an NC State game have KH written on their shoes. I don’t need to see more than that to know there was bias. These ACC refs made it personal and could not be relied upon to be impartial. I still cringe every time I think about the ACC tourney a few years ago when the same block/charge call went for unc and against State costing us the game. That’s 2 possessions in a tight game so YES bad calls can determine the outcome of a close… Read more »

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PackInsider Staff
PackInsider Staff
8 years ago

Wolfer96 Yes huge difference. We will have an article on reffing at some point here when it’s relevant. Not sure if it was Karl Hess’ firing (making refs realize they’re not invincible) or just an overall sweeping change). I’m not sure, but it’s different.  I think there is a lot less bias and a lot less put on tendencies. This means Duke and UNC are getting reffed like every other team in the league. If you have paid attention in the past the difference bw UNC and Duke and the rest of the ACC were their huge, game changing runs.… Read more »

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shaverlb73
shaverlb73
8 years ago

Wolfer96   Once Kyle gets it all together, he will be a nightmare for other teams to guard, which will make us even better.

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shaverlb73
shaverlb73
8 years ago

Wolfer96 I noticed that too.  I’m so used to seeing someone drive in, not score, and the whistle blow, that it took me awhile to adjust to us making defensive stops.  If Duke’s Okafur is going to be allowed to aggressively back his defender under the goal every time (like he did to Meeks) for an easy shot, then the defense should be allowed some freedom of their own to protect the rim.  I’m all for it.

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Wolfer96
Wolfer96
8 years ago

Does anyone else notice the difference is refereeing this season? Particularly the 2nd half of the season. The ACC is much more physical than years past. Like last night for instance, unc got away with tons of holding, hand checking, and bumping. But it was on both sides. Anya on several occasions brought his arms down on a block instead of having his arms straight up and did not get called for a foul. In seasons past, those would have been whistled every time. We also body checked several unc players as they drove to the basket and no whistle.… Read more »

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NC State Basketball

D.J. Burns is OFFICIALLY BACK!

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1 month ago

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April 27, 2023

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Well, it’s OFFICIAL. D.J Burns will be returning to NC State for his final year of collegiate eligibility!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by DJ Burns / BIG 30♨️ (@dj.b30)

This confirms everything I’d been hearing about the return of Burns. Burns was the key to the Wolfpack offense running effectively this past year. He averaged 12.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in 2022-23, but he elevated his game in ACC play, averaging 16.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in conference games.

Burns is celebrating his return to run with the Wolfpack by dropping his own Big 30 merch. Go over and snag something.

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NC State Basketball

Isaiah Miranda is an Early Entry Candidate for the 2023 NBA Draft

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1 month ago

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April 26, 2023

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The NBA released the names of the 242 players that have filed as early entry candidates for NBA Draft 2023 last night, and NC State’s Isaiah Miranda’s name was on the list.

Miranda (7’1″/225) joined the Wolfpack back in December, deciding to forgo the remainder of his prep season. Miranda didn’t see the court for NC State, resulting in a redshirt season.

ON3 ranked Miranda as the #16 overall player in the 2023 recruiting class.

It makes perfect sense for a player like Miranda, with his height and athleticism, to go through the draft process to be evaluated on what he needs to continue to work on. As an early entrant, Miranda has the ability to pull his name out of the draft and remain a collegiate athlete.

I don’t expect Miranda to keep his name in the hat when the time comes. From what I hear his game has tons of potential, but he still needs to fine tune his craft. Also, Miranda shared this on social media, implying he will be back in the Red and White next year.

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NC State Basketball

Missouri Transfer Mohamed Diarra Commits to NC State

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1 month ago

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April 24, 2023

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NC State picked up their 5th transfer today. Mohamed Diarra (6’10″/215) committed to run with the Wolfpack today while in Raleigh on an Official Visit.

Diarra originally spent his first two seasons at Garden City Community College, averaging 17.8 points and 12.6 rebounds per game in his second season. He landed at Missouri last year, after being rated as the #1 JUCO prospect in the 2022 class according to JucoRecruiting.com.

In his only season at Missouri, Diarra averaged 11.7 minutes per game in 25 games played (6 starts), averaging 3.3 points and 3.2 rebounds. Because of the extra year due to Covid, Diarra has 2 years of eligibility remaining.

With news breaking today that Dusan Mahorcic entered the Transfer Portal, the Wolfpack found his replacement. NC State’s frontcourt in 2023-24 currently will be made up of D.J. Burns, Ben Middlebrooks, Mohamed Diarra and Ernest Ross.

Check out these highlights of Diarra.

There is a lot to like in Diarra’s game. He is athletic, can hit a jump shot, put the ball on the floor, can play defense on the perimeter, block shots, and is an aggressive rebounder.

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NC State Basketball

Missouri Transfer Mohamed Diarra is On an Official Visit to NC State Today

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1 month ago

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April 24, 2023

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Missouri Transfer Mohamed Diarra (6’10″/215) is on an Official Visit to NC State today. Diarra originally spent his first two seasons at Garden City Community College, averaging 17.8 points and 12.6 rebounds per game in his second season. He landed at Missouri last year, after being rated as the #1 JUCO prospect in the 2022 class according to JucoRecruiting.com.

In his only season at Missouri, Diarra averaged 11.7 minutes per game in 25 games played (6 starts), averaging 3.3 points and 3.2 rebounds. Because of the extra year due to Covid, Diarra has 2 years of eligibility remaining.

Diarra entered the Transfer Portal on March 28th.

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