Position Preview: SG’s will have to fill it up for Pack to Flourish

Position: Shooting Guard

Players: Al Freeman, Sam Hunt

Strengths: Outside shooting, scoring, experience

Weaknesses: Elite athleticism, ability to score off the dribble, ACC experience.

It’s kind of hard to break NC State up by position, but we’ll continue to try. Yesterday we explored the PGs (Markell Johnson and Lavar Batts Jr.) and today we take a look at the SGs (Al Freeman and Sam Hunt). However, with Keatts 4 guard offense things won’t be this organized.

Al Freeman and Sam Hunt are new names to Wolfpack fans. Both come to Raleigh via graduate transfer. Al from Baylor and Sam from A&T. Freeman will likely see more minutes, as he is the more versatile and polished of the two.

Freeman could be State’s go-to scorer
Freeman comes from Baylor where he averaged 9 points a game in just 23 minutes per game. He did this by shooting a 43% from the floor and 39% from beyond the arc. There is no doubt that he’s going to be State’s go-to shooter and maybe their primary scorer.

If there is one thing that makes us nervous about this year’s Wolfpack, it’s the lack of proven scoring; particularly, outside shooting. Freeman is likely going to be State’s top option and he should get a ton of good looks. With the nature of Keatts’ offense and  Johnson and Batts ability to get into the lane to draw help-side,  there should be enough uncontested shots to go around. The question is, can they convert?

Hunt provides depth and experience
While Freeman is probably going to be logging more minutes, that isn’t to say Sam Hunt isn’t going to have a role with this team. In fact, teams are likely going to try to slow down Keatts and the Pack with a lot of zone, in which case you’ll see a lot more Hunt. He isn’t going to wow you with speed or athleticism, but he can shoot it and he gives Keatts another veteran guy who is going to work on both ends of the floor. He shot 35% last season from beyond the arc, a number that we think ticks up with less pressure on him as a scorer and more clean looks.

Knocking down 3s will unlock Keatts’ offense
These aren’t the most explosive SGs we’ve seen at NC State, but they actually compliment the PGs really well. Freeman can score off the dribble and attack if the defense presses up, but that isn’t his strength. He’s going to see most of his points come from spot-up shots off the kick-out (something Johnson and Batts excel at.)

Hunt made a living off creating his own shot at A&T, but State is going to need him more as a spot-up guy as well. All Freeman and Hunt have to do now is knock down open shots. Forcing the defense to respect them beyond the arc will create enough space in the lane for Keatts’ 4-out,, 1-in to create the havoc this team will thrive off of.