Here are 5 bold predictions for the 2015-16 NC State Men’s Basketball team.
1. Cat Barber 1st Team All-ACC:
At times last season Cat showed that he is capable of producing at a 1st team All-ACC level, but at other times he struggled. This season Cat will be given every opportunity to take the offense in the direction he sees fit. He has the experience and will be a leader for the team as he heads into his junior campaign. One thing that will likely determine if Cat reaches his full potential will be his ability to consistently make three pointers. He doesn’t have to shoot a lot, but he needs to shoot a high clip in order to make defenses respect him from beyond the arc. If he proves to make a high clip then it really caters to his real strength which is probing the paint and making pull-up jumpers. I also expect that he should see a rise in his assists as he should have an even higher usage this season in the pick and roll. Lastly Cat must show that he is capable of keeping the turnovers down as he will be called upon to make more reads this season. I expect Barber to have a huge season, the tools are there it is just a matter of him letting the game come to him.
2. Mark Gottfried will win ACC Coach of The Year:
Expectations are tempered this season as the majority of media outlets have pegged the Wolfpack to finish in the 8-10 range in the ACC. Don’t be shocked if this years team is the one that changes the public’s perspective about Coach Gottfried and his ability to roll out a defensive minded team. NC State has all the tools needed to be a juggernaut on the defensive end, and it will be critical to the Wolfpack’s success more so than ever as they lost both Trevor Lacey and Ralston Turner. If Gottfried can get his team to buy into defense then they could easily over exceed expectations once again and put him into the conversation for coach of the year.
3. Beejay Anya will be named ACC defensive player of the year:
In a vacuum this is not a bold prediction, but in reality it is. In order for Anya to win defensive player of the year award he has to be in great shape to play the required minutes. Anya has immense potential on the defensive end and has shown his talent in bursts, but hasn’t been able to play enough minutes to qualify for such an award. Last season he won the 6th man award and I see no reason why he cannot build upon his experience last season and play major minutes this season. His weight has always grabbed the headlines, but in my opinion his play will be the main headline this season. Look for Anya to step up and be the force the Wolfpack need in the middle.
4. NC State will have the top ranked recruiting class in 2016:
Mark Gottfried and company have done an excellent job on the recruiting trail as they have already gained the commitment of Dennis Smith Jr, the #4 rated prospect in the 2016 class, but I don’t think they are finished just yet. NC State is the clubhouse leader for Bam Adebayo the #6 rated player on the ESPN Top 100 and fellow teammate of Dennis Smith Jr’s AAU team. If State can cap off the package of Smith and Adebayo don’t be surprised if Rawle Alkins (#15) teams up with the Pack to form an incredible trio. But that’s not all, as NC State has made a great pitch to big man Udoka Azubuike (22nd on Top 100) who was in town a couple of weeks ago. He could cap off what would be the best recruiting class in NC State history! I don’t think any other school could come close to this recruiting class in terms of talent and balance.
5. Terry Henderson will become a fan favorite:
Henderson was solid at WVU, he played well and was respected by his teammates as well as coach Bob Huggins. His leadership and experience will be valuable this season for the Pack. Not only does Henderson have all the tools needed to be a big time player in the ACC, but he has the work ethic and unselfish demeanor that helps a team mesh. Coach Gottfried must be excited that he can finally roll Henderson out this season as the Junior guard will provide many big plays on both ends of the court. I expect Terry will guard the opposing teams best perimeter player on most nights and will use his athletic ability to attack the rim. He should draw a ton of fouls if he is aggressive in hunting the paint. I am excited about Henderson and can’t wait to see him in action.
Not sure about the #1 recruiting prediction or the coach-of-the-year, but the others don’t seem that far off. It’s not as if you are predicting a 9-3 season for football after a year when we were the youngest team in the ACC (as so many fans from the lunatic fringe predicted – the same ones who blasted Doeren after 2 losses). Realism… it’s the consequence of experience:)
wulfpacker wolfpack74 I haven’t seen Henderson play. Hope he can replace Lacey. I don’t think we have enough bigs to be a good defensive squad. Foul trouble may be our undoing. We have a lot of four stars, just hope they can find their role and prosper. Had Lacey and Washington stayed, I would expect greater things. Just have to wait and see.
wolfpack74 You are not high on Terry Henderson? You don’t think this will be a good defensive squad? What are your expectations for this season?
Bold predictions. Too bad none of these will happen.
Bold predictions indeed… Best class by far even IF we get Bam, Azubuike, and Alkins… not so sure… Duke already has Tatum, and if they get Giles, as many think they will, plus another top player or 2, that would rival our class as the best. And there is always Kentucky. But just to be mentioned in the same breath as those 2 pgms in recruiting is an amazing accomplishment. Hopefully it will happen, but there are a lot of ifs in this equation