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Position Preview: PG should be a strength for NC State

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6 years ago

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Position: Point Guard
Players: Markell Johnson, Lavar Batts Jr

Strengths: Pure speed. Ability to create chaos and find the open man. Aggressive and able to score when needed. Ability to play in-control at full throttle. Lock down defenders.

Weaknesses: Lack of experience. Both struggle shooting from long range.

A look at Gottfried’s shoot-first PG era
Cat Barber and Dennis Smith Jr were both elite level talents. Both were 5-star players and both led the Wolfpack in scoring. However, neither found team success when they were forced to put the load on their shoulders. That isn’t a knock on Barber or Smith Jr, it’s honestly just a combination of the times changing and a coach who mismanaged his talent. Let me explain.

Study great teams and they usually have one thing in common; a great PG. But, wait a second, ‘great PG’ means a lot of things to a lot of people. When I say great point guard, I mean it in the old-school way. A great point guard can score when they have to, but they are aware it’s not their priority.

They are on the floor to make everyone around them better. They should know their teammate’s strengths and help them get the ball in good position to be successful. They should understand the pace that the coach wants them playing and help dictate it on the court. A great PG is great at situational thinking, understanding what his team needs and when. He understands time management and is able to motivate and lead his teammates.

Cat Barber was basically an undersized 2 guard with a handle. Smith was more of a PG, but was a freshman and lacked experience. Both guys were laser-focused on putting the ball in the hoop and neither one made anyone around them better. That changes this season…

2017, the year of the playmaking PG
This year will be a lot different. This year you have Markell Johnson and Lavar Batts Jr. Two guys who are very similar in skillset. Both guys can score, but neither guy is a ‘scorer.’ These are guys who love to attack and are looking to make plays. Maybe it’s a dump off to a big in traffic, or maybe it’s a drive and kick to a shooter, or maybe the lane opens up and it’s a dunk. At the end of the day, this is the style of PG that keeps morale high, keeps teammates happy, puts wins in the win column.

Johnson and Batts are going to see a lot of floor time together and this is going to be a major strength for NC State.
These guys are both lightning quick, physical and able to operate at breakneck speeds without turning it over. This is going to allow NC State to really push the tempo and create havoc for opposing defenses. Not many teams in the ACC are going to have two guards who keep up with both of these guys.  So what’s the knock?

Keatts has been in the media letting everyone know that he is expecting a ton from Markell Johnson. Not just is he asking him to play full throttle for 30-35 minutes, he’s also asking him to learn how to lead. This is where the NC State point guards may struggle. Johnson is a sophomore and Batts if a freshman. Neither guy has any ACC floor time as a leader, but Keatts understands that if this team wants to win, they will need a floor leader.

The Takeaway:
NC State has lethal talent at the point. They will be fun to watch and will help everyone on this team reach their full potential, but the question remains if they have enough leadership to make waves in this league.

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NC State Forward Katie Peneueta Enters the Transfer Portal

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8 hours ago

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April 17, 2024

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NC State Forward Katie Peneueta is entering the Transfer Portal.

Peneueta transferred to NC State last offseason from Sacramento State, where she averaged 8.4 points, shooting 45.5% from three.

In her one year at NC State, Peneueta only played 8 games for the Wolfpack, battling injuries throughout the year. Peneueta has 1 year of eligibility.

With Peneueta entering the Portal, NC State now has 3 scholarships available heading into the 2024-25 season.

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Boston Center Caitlin Weimar is on an Official Visit to NC State

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14 hours ago

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April 17, 2024

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Boston Transfer Center Caitlin Weimar (6’4″) is currently on an Official Visit to NC State.

Weimar is the reigning Patriot League Player of the Year, and has been named Defensive Player of the Year the past two years. She has earned 1st Team Patriot League Honors the past two seasons.

This year, Weimar averaged 18.7 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks. As a Junior, she averaged 15.5 points and 10.0 rebounds. She shot 55.5% this year, and 59.7% last year.

With NC State not having River Baldwin at Center next year, adding Weimar is an extremely exciting possibility.

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What did an ACC Title & Final Four Mean to NC State Legend TJ Warren?

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17 hours ago

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April 17, 2024

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What did an ACC Title & Final Four mean to NC State Legend TJ Warren? I caught up with the man who won the ACC Player of the Year Award in 2014 to get his take.

What was it like for you watching NC State go from the #10 seed in the ACC Tournament, to winning the Championship, to going to the Final Four?

I’m a second generation Wolfpack basketball player. Wolf blood runs through my veins, so to be able to witness a ride like that was truly amazing.

What did this run say about Kevin Keatts and these players? In what ways did you see them adapt, change or persevere?

I think that is speaks to the heart that the players have. As a 10th seed in the ACC tournament, it’s easy to pack it in and look towards the offseason, but they did the opposite. They bonded together over adversity and that’s what made them so endearing. Hard work in the face of adversity, that’s something that Wolfpack fans can relate to.

As one of the best players to ever wear the Red & White, what did this run mean to you personally?

As I mentioned earlier, NCSU hoops has been in my family for a long time, so it meant a whole lot personally. This run definitely took me back to some of the fond memories I have of putting on the Red & White and playing in front of a packed house at the PNC.

What was the most memorable moment for you?

I think Mike’s shot to tie the game at the end of regulation. It just felt like destiny at that point. Anytime you get to beat UNC and Duke days apart is special too.

How do you think this run can change things for the NC State Basketball program going forward?

I think that it puts us back on the national radar where we belong. After a magical run like that, I think it makes players want to be a part of that. A run like that reinvigorates a program definitely.

_______

Warren is 1 of only 6 NC State players to ever be named the ACC Player of the Year. In his Sophomore season, Warren was named a 2nd Team All-American by Sporting News and the AP. He averaged 24.9 points per game, which is the 5th best mark in a single season in NC State history. Warren scored 871 points that year, which is the most points ever scored in a single season by a Wolfpack player.

TJ was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the 14th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

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NC State Forward Ernest Ross Enters the Transfer Portal

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2 days ago

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April 16, 2024

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NC State Forward Ernest Ross announced today that he is entering the Transfer Portal.

 

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Ross played in 14 games this year, averaging 3.4 minutes per contest. After playing in 34 games last season, averaging 11.4 minutes per contest, Ross saw his participation dip to a career low this season, but that didn’t for a second break his infectious personality. On the sideline, you could count on Ross every single game to be the heart and soul of the Wolfpack on the bench. To watch a player who played as little as he did, care as much as he did, makes me super proud that this young man represented NC State so well.

Ross was a consensus 4-star player in the 2021 recruiting class, with 247Sports ranking him as the #60 overall player nationally. ESPN ranked him as the #5 overall player in the state of Florida.

Ross has one more year of eligibility remaining.

NC State has 3 scholarships available now.

Best of luck Ernest!

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