The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1542201
34 ■ THE WOLFPACKER the most important leaders within the locker room to this point with his infec- tious enthusiasm. Although Wade has mentioned that the Wolfpack needs to make sure Co- peland stays in his lane since "he can get off the rails here quick" it seems as if the standout guard isn't worried about that. Instead, he's focused on do- ing what it takes to win. His passing has been pivotal in that effort — and so has his attitude. "He makes sure that everybody's high energy, and he's doing the best he can to make the team better — to make each and every one of us better," senior for- ward Ven-Allen Lubin said. "I think him being with us, it's a blessing. I really ap- preciate him." ■ NC State landed a pair of four-star prospects during the fall signing pe- riod, welcoming small forward Cole Cloer of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., and center Tevon Carter-Givens of SoCal Academy in Paso Robles, Ca- lif. Both players will join the Wolfpack next season. Rivals' scouts list Cloer as the No. 54 overall player and No. 19 small forward nationally, as well as the No. 7 player in Florida. He's rated even higher in the Rivals Industry Ranking, which averages the grades from the three major recruiting websites. Ac- cording to the Industry Ranking, he's No. 29 overall, No. 12 among small forwards and No. 4 in the Sunshine State. Listed at 6-foot-7, 185 pounds, Cloer chose NC State over Alabama, Florida, North Carolina and Connecti- cut. Wolfpack coach Will Wade said he will be able to "step in and make an immediate impact for us." "He can really shoot the ball," Wade said. "He's got great height, he's got great length and really shoots the ball at a high level. He's somebody that does a really good job getting his shot off, has a quick trigger, and every time he shoots it you think it's going in." Cloer averaged 18.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game as a junior at Greensboro (N.C.) Caldwell Academy last season. Before his time at Caldwell, he became the fastest player in program history to reach 1,000 points at Hillsborough (N.C.) Orange High, including 25.7 points per game as a sophomore. A native of Hillsborough, Cloer grew up a Wolfpack fan and is eager to return to his home state to begin his college career. "I can still achieve my dreams here," he said following his verbal com- mitment in October. "I can win a national championship here. I can win an ACC championship here. I can go to the NBA here. I can play in front of my family here. It's a no-brainer." Carter-Givens is Rivals' No. 99 overall player, No. 14 center and No. 11 California prospect. He has a four-star grade from Rivals' scouts, though he's a three-star prospect in the Industry Ranking, listed at No. 130 overall, No. 15 among centers and No. 17 in his home state. "I'm really excited about Trevon," Wade said. "The thing that jumps out about him is just his height, his length, his wingspan. He's somebody that blocks a ton of shots. He's one of the premier shot blockers in all of high school basketball, and that's a skill that translates from high school to college to pro. "I think he'll be able to make an immediate impact on the defensive end, and we're going to continue to develop his offensive game. He's been working really hard at SoCal Academy. He plays for great coaches there, and those guys have been working hard to expand his offensive game." Carter-Givens picked NC State over USC and San Diego State in September. He averaged 6.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game with Team Why Not on the Nike EYBL circuit. Before that, he was a force at Templeton (Calif.) High during the 2023-24 campaign, averaging 14.8 points, 12.1 rebounds, 3.1 blocks and 2.3 steals while shooting 60 percent from the field. On the heels of the November signing period, the Wolfpack stood at No. 24 in the Ri- vals Industry Team Rankings. NC State has the ACC's seventh-ranked class, trailing Duke (first overall), Miami (11th), Pitt (13th), North Carolina (17th), Wake Forest (18th) and Florida State (20th). — Noah Fleischman Wolfpack Inks Top-100 Duo During Early Signing Period Listed by Rivals as the No. 54 overall prospect nationally, small forward Cole Cloer chose the Pack over Alabama, Florida, North Carolina and Connecticut. PHOTO COURTESY COLE CLOER Copeland's enthusiastic demeanor has rubbed off on his teammates at NC State. "The energy is through the roof," freshman guard Matt Able said. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS