The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/197085
Ba ketball Preview 2013-14 Freshman point guard Anthony "Cat" Barber was a McDonald's All-American, and he turned down Louisville and Kansas to ink with the Wolfpack. photo by ken martin "If those two happen to be my best players, they are going to play. I don't think there is a problem with those guys playing together. We'll see how it works out." Transfers Fill In The Wing The bigger unknown in NC State's backcourt is with the wing guard duo of redshirt junior Ralston Turner and junior Desmond Lee. Turner transferred into NC State from LSU, where he was a two-year starter. He led the Tigers in scoring as a freshman at 12.1 points per game, and finished his career at LSU averaging 10.5 points a contest. At the start of practice, Gottfried saw in Turner a 6-5, 205-pound wing that was prepared to play. "He's been a good player for LSU," Gottfried pointed out. "He sat out last year. He understands everything we're doing. He took advantage of a redshirt year. "Day one of practice this year, he knew everything that we were running offensively and defensively, so that's an advantage." It's not a surprise that Turner is ready to go. Gottfried said that Turner took advantage of his redshirt season better than anyone Gottfried has ever coached. During last season, Turner went out of his way to get workouts in with the assistant coaches and the strength staff. He also used his role as the gunslinger on the scout team effectively. "It's hard to be a redshirt when you're healthy because you know you aren't playing," Gottfried said. "He did as good as job as anybody I've ever had as far getting his workouts in every day, improving his body, firmed everything up, got stronger, he really did. Hopefully that'll translate into him having a good year." ■ 2013-14 NC State Backcourt No.Name 1 Trevor Lacey 2 Anthony "Cat" Barber 5 Desmond Lee 12 Tyler Lewis 20 Patrick Wallace 22 Ralston Turner 25 Chase Cannon 30 Staats Battle Pos. Ht. PG/SG 6-3 PG 6-2 SG 6-4 PG 5-11 PG 6-1 SG 6-5 SG 6-5 SG 6-6 * Lacey will redshirt this season Wt. 220 170 200 170 195 205 200 203 Cl. Jr. Fr. Jr. So. Fr. R-Jr. So. Jr. Hometown (Previous School) Huntsville, Ala. (Alabama)* Hampton,Va. (Hampton) Norfolk,Va. (New Mexico JC) Statesville, N.C. (Mouth of Wilson [Va.] Oak Hill Academy) Charlotte (Myers Park) Muscle Shoals, Ala. (LSU) Morehead City, N.C. (Crozet [Va.] The Miller School) Raleigh (Broughton) Lee may have some growing pains while he transitions from New Mexico Junior College in Roswell, N.M., where he averaged 20.3 points a game and was a secondteam junior college All-America selection, to the ACC. Gottfried, though, believes that Lee (6-4, 200 pounds) is talented. "Some days in practice it's like he's a freshman, and then there are parts of practice you go, 'Wow, there is an upperclassmen or older guy,'" Gottfried noted. "I think, typical at our level in my experience, the junior college guys there is usually a period of growth where they'll struggle some and then get more comfortable. "He may be that guy that struggles, we don't know. Some days he's really been good, some days he just looks a little lost, still. It's just part of that process." One area in which Gottfried does believe newcomers Lee and Barber will greatly improve the Wolfpack is perimeter on-theball defense, which some analysts contended was an issue at times for the Pack last season. "I think with Cat and Desmond, you've got two phenomenal on-the-ball defenders," Gottfried said. "They can go on the ball right now as good as anybody I've ever coached. If I just say go do that one thing, they're pretty advanced for guys that play at our level. "If I were playing against Cat Barber, I would never dribble it, ever." ■ 36 ■ the wolfpacker 34-36.Men's BKB Perimeter.indd 36 10/22/13 1:19 PM