Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/420735
BY RYAN TICE S ophomore Anthony "Cat" Barber has always been the starting point guard of his basketball team and worn No. 12. Despite Barber start- ing half of NC State's games last year, Tyler Lewis was the one who played in crunch time, and he already had Barber's regular number when the youngster arrived on campus. This season — after the transfer of Lewis to Butler — his usual jersey number and starting gig are all Barber's once again. "When I'm the No. 1 point guard, I'm very comfortable," he said. "That's the spot I've always been in. I think it's going to build my confidence back up to where it was a long time ago." There is no question that the Wolfpack is Barber's team now. He is the only scholarship point guard on the roster and is hoping to make a freshman to sophomore year jump like he saw former teammate T.J. Warren make last year. Warren started 14 contests and averaged 27.0 minutes and 12.1 points per game in 2013-14 as the team's sixth man. He then started every game he played in and boosted his numbers to 35.4 minutes and 24.9 points per game last year en route to ACC Player of the Year honors and a spot in the NBA Draft lottery. As a freshman, Barber averaged 24.2 min- utes, 8.5 points and 3.5 assists per contest, and he picked Warren's brain about making the big jump from year one to two. "T.J. told me to just work a lot during the offseason," Barber said. "I worked a lot on my jumper, and I got better. Personally, I just wanted to work on that the most and be more of a leader on the court. If I get those two things down, we'll be good. "They always say your second year is your best. The first year, you have to adjust to ev- erything — school, basketball, being here. I've been here for a year now, and I think it will come easier." Barber won't have as much competition for the starting spot this year. However, he con- tends that having the job to himself has driven him all offseason and will continue to push him because he knows the Pack can only go as far READY TO POUNCE Sophomore Anthony "Cat" Barber Expects To Make A Big Jump In Leading Role