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PLAYER PREVIEW: Torin Dorn ready to emerge as leader of the Pack

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6 years ago

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It’s amazing to think that Torin Dorn has been at NC State longer than anyone else on this year’s roster. It seems like just yesterday Dorn was transferring from UNC Charlotte to NC State, touting a conference rookie of the year award, and possibly slotting in as a shooting guard or a stretch forward.

A lot has changed since then.

Not only did he get a new coach in Kevin Keatts, but he also has found success playing at the 4.

It’s not like Dorn has turned into some back to the basket big. He’s still just 6’5, 210lbs, but he’s been plugged into a system where a guy with his skill set can become a matchup nightmare.Last year Dorn went from averaging 9.5 points and 4.6 boards two years ago to 14 points and 6.4 boards last year. While his stats took a big jump, he also started to emerge as a leader. His physicality and tenacity were contagious. When he was on the floor, NC State was a tougher, more gritty basketball team.

Now a senior, Dorn is being looked to as a guy who can not only lead by example but also mentor the younger guys and let them know what NC State basketball under Kevin Keatts is all about.

“This is my 4th year here, 5th year in college. I definitely feel like a vet, but still feel young and rejuvenated.” Said Dorn. “Being the guy that has been at State the longest. Being able to show these guys what it takes to play in the ACC, especially some of the younger guys. Using the things that I’ve learned, to help them is the biggest thing for me.”

Part of that mentoring will be trying to get them up to speed on how much faster and more physical the ACC is. He’ll also have to get them used to playing for Keatts, which means being expected to be in the best shape of their lives.

Having seniors that can take underclassmen under their wing is a foundational pillar of building a great program and so far Keatts smees to have his veterans evangelizing for him.

“With Coach Keatts, you have to be prepared to run,” Dorn told us. “Play an up-tempo style of game. I think he’s a coach that prides himself on hard work and we pride our team on hard work.”

Dorn has always been talented, but the level of success he reached last year was partly a product of Keatts system. The idea that basketball has changed and playing small, fast, versatile and positionless is the hallmark of this new-look Wolfpack gameplan. Last year Keatts and company gave NC State fans a taste of what the future may look like, but according to Dorn, this year they’re taking that to the next level.

“We’ve got a lot of interchangeable pieces. A lot of guys who can play multiple positions,” said Dorn. “I think it will make us hard to scout, I think it will make us a versatile team. A team that can do a lot of different things. We might be able to put a big line up out, or a small lineup. You’ll never know what you’re going to see with us.”

Making this possible a stable of guys who have wide-ranging skill sets, Dorn being one of them. Some of them are freshmen, but most of them have played college basketball before and have even gotten a year to mature while sitting out and watching. Two of those are guys that Dorn thinks could make big impacts this season.

“Both our transfers that sat out last season are really good players. CJ Bryce and Devon Daniels are both are hungry and itching. I remember those days when I was sitting out. I see that same fire in them and how they work, so it should be really good for us this year.”

While a lot of talk has been surrounding these transfers, the incoming freshmen, and Kevin Keatts, Torin Dorn remains as one of the most important pieces of this NC State team. He may not be flashy. He may not be the most athletic or most skilled guy on the court, but Dorn is exactly the type of player that Kevin Keatts wants and needs as he builds this program into a contender.

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NC State Basketball

NC State Forward Katie Peneueta Enters the Transfer Portal

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19 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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NC State Basketball

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

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1 day 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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1 day 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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