The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/89497
PACK N Men's Basketball Lands Four Commits C State's strong finish last season, reaching the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, is starting to provide immediate dividends in recruiting for the classes of 2013 and 2014. NC State has landed Rivals.com No. 10-ranked senior point guard Anthony Barber of Hampton (Va.) High and No. 97-ranked senior power forward Kyle Washington of Wolfeboro (N.H.) Brew- ster Academy. LSU wing transfer Ralston Turner will also be eli- gible next year with two seasons remaining. NC State also received commitments from junior twin brothers Caleb and Cody Martin, who are wings from Mocksville (N.C.) Davie County. Rivals.com ranks Caleb No. 39 and Cody No. 41 in the junior class. The future appears bright for both this season and years down the road, just as Gottfried hoped when he got hired in April 2011. "You don't have to go to one of those other name schools," NC State head coach Mark Gottfried said about recruiting in general. "You can get everything that you want right here." Barber and Washington both decided during their official visits to NC State. The 6-2, 165-pound Barber picked the Wolfpack in a heated recruitment over Kansas, Alabama and Louisville Sept. 15. He had officially visited all but the Crimson Tide among his finalists. "The environment was just made for me, from the coaches, the school and the people around like the academic people," said Bar- ber, who Rivals.com ranks as the No. 3 point guard in the class of 2013. "It was the whole nine yards. Out of all the schools I've been to, this is the right school for me." Barber felt good about how he'd fit in Gottfried's UCLA up- tempo offense. "That's how I like to play," Barber said. "They like to run, get out, and I'll have good players around [me]." Barber will also get to play in front of NC State fans, with Hampton High invited scheduled to play in the prestigious High- SchoolOT.com Holiday Invitational at Raleigh Broughton High in late December. Washington selected NCSU over Ohio State, Washington and Iowa State Sept. 21, but the Pack was his first official visit. The 6-9, 215-pounder from Champlin, Minn., provides great flexibility by being able to play both power forward or center if called upon. "I didn't think I'd come down and become part of the Pack, and I wanted to go on all my visits," Washington said. "Just going down there, being in that environment, seeing the fan support, and the movement where the conference [ACC] is going and where coach Mark Gottfried is taking the team, it's going to be great." NC State has been actively recruiting post players with the im- pending loss of senior center Richard Howell. Junior power forward C.J. Leslie is also expected to be an NBA Draft candidate if he enjoys a good season. 12 ■ THE WOLFPACKER TRACKING THE Clockwise from top left: senior point guard Anthony Barber and senior power forward Kyle Washington, plus junior twin brothers Caleb Martin and Cody Martin have all given commitments to NC State. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM "I told myself that I didn't want to lose the opportunity. I wanted to come down here and be part of the Wolfpack," Washington said. "I want to work hard this year to get better, so I can make an impact right away." The Martin twins, who are both 6-6 wings, with Cody about 15 pounds heavier at 198 pounds, picked NC State over Tennessee, Virginia Commonwealth, Miami and Virginia Tech, among others, Oct. 10. "I felt like it was the right decision," Caleb Martin said. "That is the school that we are looking at and favoring. It felt like the right fit for us." Cody Martin is more of a natural small forward, while Caleb Martin has the flexibility of playing shooting guard and small for- ward. The twins had made it clear throughout the recruiting process they wanted to play together. "It's always a good feeling knowing you can go to a school and know that your family members aren't that far away and can actu- ally come to a game and support you," Cody Martin said. "It's been kind of hectic and a long process to go through." Barber and the Martin twins were able to attend Primetime With The Pack Oct. 12 at PNC Arena and get to know each other better. — Jacey Zembal