The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/672211
46 ■ THE WOLFPACKER NC State could return three starters from last year's 16‑17 squad, which finished 5‑13 in the ACC, but even that number could be deceiving. Three starters return, but another three players also have previous starting experi‑ ence on the Division I level. A few key recruiting additions this spring or summer should also bolster the returning nucleus. Rising junior power forward Abdul‑Malik Abu will be a crucial building block, but the Wolfpack will have to patiently wait until May 25 to see if he will remain in the NBA Draft or return to Raleigh. Rising senior center BeeJay Anya also entered the draft but has said that he will likely return to NC State. The 6‑8, 240‑pound Abu made significant strides from his freshman to sophomore seasons. He increased his numbers from 6.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game as a rookie to 12.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per contest this past year. The Boston native became a double‑double machine, with 14 of them for points and rebounds. Abu tallied a season‑high 22 points (plus 11 rebounds) in the 90‑83 loss versus Georgia Tech Jan. 27. He also grabbed a season‑high 17 rebounds to go along with 16 points during the 88‑80 loss at Duke Feb. 6. Abu also proved consistent during the 18‑game ACC schedule. He scored at least 11 points in all but three conference games. The combination of Abu and star freshman point guard Dennis Smith, a former five‑star prospect according to Rivals.com, should create plenty of exciting moments at PNC Arena next winter. Smith enrolled last January in order to rehabilitate his ACL injury suffered last August. Fifth‑year senior shooting guard Terry Henderson, a transfer from West Virginia, played just seven minutes in the 2015‑16 season opener before suffering a season‑ ending ligament tear in his ankle. Henderson will be joined by another transfer, red ‑ shirt sophomore guard Torin Dorn, who sat out last year after playing at Charlotte his freshman year. Both started at their previous schools. The departures of junior point guard Anthony Barber (NBA) and wings Caleb and Cody Martin — who both transferred with two years of eligibility remaining — will mean crucial roles for the three "newcomers" on the perimeter. The 6‑5, 195‑pound Henderson averaged 11.7 points per game and shot 37.6 per‑ cent from three‑point range at West Virginia in 2013‑14. The 6‑6, 205‑pound Dorn, who has the potential to play all three perimeter spots, averaged 12.0 points and 3.7 rebounds per contest while shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 34.2 percent on three‑pointers at Charlotte in 2014‑15. Sophomore wing Maverick Rowan, senior center Lennard Freeman and sophomore small forward Shaun Kirk also return from last year's team. The 6‑7, 215‑pound Rowan gave up his senior year of high school to enroll a year early at NC State, and he responded with 12.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game while shooting 36.0 percent from the field and 33.6 percent on three‑pointers. Rowan erupted for 27 points and went 4 of 7 on three‑pointers in a 99‑86 win over Bucknell Dec. 5, and he had an ACC‑best 24 points and went 6 of 13 from beyond the arc in the ACC Tournament win over Wake Forest March 8. Rowan's confidence never wavered and he has a shooter's mentality. He drained four or more three‑pointers in nine games and cracked 20 points in five contests. Anya and Freeman split time at center this past season, with Anya getting 17 of his 28 career starts and Freeman notching 15 of his 47 career starts. The 6‑9, 285‑pound Anya set the NC State career record with 210 blocks this year. He averaged 4.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game in 23.4 minutes of action. He had a season‑high 17 points, plus seven rebounds and five blocks in a 65‑46 win at South Florida Dec. 13. He also had four or more blocks in eight games. Anya's role could easily increase if Freeman is slowed again by his stress reaction in his lower right leg. The 6‑9, 250‑pound Freeman underwent surgery June 3, 2015, and had a titanium fixation rod inserted into his leg in response to having shin problems. His statistics might not have been altered much, but it was clear he was slowed a bit. Freeman averaged 3.2 points and 5.0 rebounds in 19.4 minutes per game, and he shot a career‑high 52.6 percent from the field. He had his lone double‑double with 10 points and 13 rebounds in the aforementioned win over Bucknell, and he grabbed at least 10 boards in four contests. The 6‑8, 195‑pound Kirk appeared in 14 games for 57 minutes last year. The high‑ flyer had 10 points and 12 rebounds in his limited role. — Jacey Zembal Wolfpack Aiming To Get Back Into NCAA Tournament Contention Rising junior power forward Abdul-Malik Abu declared for the NBA Draft, but did not sign with an agent and has until May 25 to determine whether or not he will return to NC State. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN