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Primetime with the Pack Recap: Funderburk wins dunk contest, Daniels wins 3pt shootout

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6 years ago

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Primetime with the Pack was a success in many ways for NC State.

The biggest success was the fact that they raised nearly $15,000 for Hurricane Florence disaster relief.

The event also allowed Pack fans to meet a roster filled with new players and see them compete in a skills competition, a 3pt shootout and a dunk contest. Here is what we learned…

-Kevin Keatts son can dance
Keatts didn’t repel down from the rafters or go shirtless for a boxing match (a la Mark Gottfried). In fact, Keatts left the entertainment of his entrance to his son who rattled off a bunch of 2018s viral dance moves, putting the crowd in a frenzy.

-Wyatt Walker’s entrace will never be forgotten
Pack fans really haven’t gotten to know Wyat Walker up until now, and man did the grad-transfer from Samford make an entrace. Walker came out to a little Guns n Roses, head-banging with his massive mane and shredding his air guitar.

-Devon Daniels’ (who won the 3pt shootout) shot is as good as advertised and Jericole Hellems has a better stroke than we thought
Devon Daniels is billed as the replacement to Al Freeman. The two battled daily in practice and two separate sources told us that Daniels often got the best of Freeman. He will be asked to shoulder a great deal of NC State’s scoring load since he can score at all 3 levels with ease. Today was his first time being able to show the public a preview of his offensive abilities. We also got to see freshman Jericole Hellems participate, and he’s actually a much better spot shooter than we expected.

– Sophomore transfer DJ Funderburk (who won the dunk contest) is 6’9 and freaky athletic. Missouri transfer Blake Harris can fly, and Ian Steere dunked over his bodybuilder dad.
Blake Harris was always billed as a kid who could really fly and finish above the rim while he was in high school at Word of God in Raleigh. Last night he got to show it at NC State. Meanwhile, the biggest takeaway from this dunk contest is that DJ Funderburk is a freak of nature. The guy is 6’9 and reeled off some spectacular dunks. He had a nice little cradle revers and then won the contest with a dunk from a foot inside the free throw line. Check out the dunks below.

Overall, the men’s basketball kickoff event went great. The fans enjoyed the festivities and the contests and it seemed like the players were amped up to get this season going.

While we used to like to see the red/white scrimmage that they used to host, it’s probably better that they don’t do it anymore. It sometimes got boring, you risk players getting hurt, and there is no defense. So while it gives a site like ours more to talk about an examine, doing it the way they did is probably the right call.

Next up for the basketball team is a closed door ‘secret-scrimmage’ against ECU on Sunday followed by the first open exhibition game that fans can attend. That takes place October 29th vs. Chowan at 7pm at the PNC Arena.

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NC State Basketball

Guard Mike O’Connell Announces He Will Play His Final Year of Eligibility at NC State

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12 hours ago

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May 1, 2024

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Guard Michael O’Connell announced today that he will be playing his final year of eligibility at NC State next season.

 

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Today was the final day graduate players could enter the Portal.

This past season, O’Connell averaged 5.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Wolfpack, starting 22 of the 41 games he played in.

O’Connell took over as NC State’s starting Point Guard on January 30th in a win against Miami.

He only scored in double figures in 9 of his 41 games this season, but 6 of those came in postseason play (5 in the ACC Tournament). O’Connell took things to another level in the ACC Tournament, playing aggressive on the offensive end, looking for his shot, and attacking the rim.

NC State played it’s best basketball of the season when O’Connell was running the show. He ranked 3rd in the ACC in Assist/Turnover Ratio (2.5).

Heading into next season, with a lineup filled with new faces, having the calming presence of a veteran leader like O’Connell is reassuring.

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NC State Basketball

ECU Transfer Forward Ezra Ausar to NC State is Trending Up

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24 hours ago

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May 1, 2024

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ECU Transfer Power Forward Ezra Ausar (6’9″/240) was on an Official Visit to NC State yesterday, and according to analysts at ON3 and 247Sports, things are trending in the right direction for the Wolfpack.

Jamie Shaw of ON3 submitted a prediction for Ausar to eventually commit to NC State yesterday morning.

Cory Smith of 247Sports submitted a crystal ball projection for Ausar to run with the Wolfpack this morning.

Ausar just wrapped up his Sophomore season in Greenville, averaging 11.4 points and 4.7 rebounds, shooting 51.4% from the field. As a Freshman, he was named to the AAC All-Freshman Team, averaging 9.8 points and 5.3 rebounds.

Ausar is a consensus 4-Star prospect in the Transfer Portal, and ON3 ranks him as the #60 overall player in the Portal and the #10 Power Forward.

Originally from Atlanta, Ausar played his Senior Season of High School at Liberty Heights Athletic Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina. ON3 ranked Ausar as a 4-Star prospect coming out of high school, the #94 overall player nationally, and the #2 player in the state of North Carolina.

Ausar has visited Seton Hall, Georgia Tech, met over Zoom with Georgetown, and had an in-home visit with Utah. John Calipari and his staff at Arkansas have been in touch with Ausar, as well as Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Arizona State, West Virginia, Iowa State and St. John’s. (Link)

At this point, it’s good news that Ausar has no visits scheduled after the visit to NC State.

Ausar has 2 years of eligibility remaining, and NC State currently has 1 scholarship remaining.

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NC State Basketball

NC State Signee Zamareya Jones Showed Out in the McDonald’s & Jordan All-American Games

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1 day ago

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May 1, 2024

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NC State 2024 signee Zamareya Jones has played in the McDonald’s All-American game and the Jordan Brand Classic over the past month.

In the McDonald’s game on April 2nd, Jones had 13 points, helping her East squad defeat the West.

 

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In the Jordan Brand Classic on April 21st, Jones had 15 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds. She also hit the game winner for Team Flight.

Jones is a 5-star prospect in the Wolfpack’s 2024 recruiting class, ranked 21st overall nationally by ESPN.

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NC State Basketball

NC State’s Kevin Keatts and DJ Burns Sounded the Siren at the Canes Game Tonight

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1 day ago

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April 30, 2024

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NC State Head Coach Kevin Keatts and the beloved DJ Burns were both Siren Sounders for the Canes this evening, with Carolina defeating the Islanders 6-3, winning the Round 1 series 4-1.

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