The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/976701
MAY 2018 ■ 75 ■ BASKETBALL RECRUITING Funderburk averaged 11.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for Northwest Florida State College, which went 31-3. He shot 51.1 percent from the field and 74.3 per- cent at the free throw line, earning first- team All-Panhandle Conference. DeMeo figured Funderburk, who goes by D.J., would have some rust after red- shirting his freshman year. "He went from being primarily an inside guy to a guy versatile enough to play on the perimeter, and still play well on the inside and post-up," DeMeo said. "He can shoot some jump hooks and score around the basket." Funderburk shot 16 of 68 (27.9 percent) from three-point land, and could perhaps stretch opposing defenses in the future. Funderburk, who will have three years of eligibility remaining, also had 59 assists. Jericole Hellems Has Strong Senior Year Hellems used the drive that helped him eventually sign with NC State to deliver a strong senior year. He was one of the breakout stars last July with Bradley Beal Elite, helping him earn an NC State offer and eventually crack the Ri- vals150. He signed with NCSU over South Carolina among others and proceeded to power St. Louis Chaminade Prep to a 25-5 mark and runner-up finish in the Group 5 state title game. Hellems earned first-team all-state honors from both USA Today and the Missouri Basketball Coaches Associa- tion, and was named the Metro Catholic Player of the Year. "He is a great young man, and I couldn't be any more proud of him," Chaminade Prep coach Frank Bennett said. "I'm very excited for the future for him." In the state title game, Webster Groves (Mo.) High held on for a 101-90 victory in Springfield, Mo., but Hellems put on a show. He had 32 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in the loss. Bennett knows Hellems has left his legacy on the program, which has produced recent NBA Draft picks Jayson Tatum (Boston Celt- ics) and Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards). "He is a competitor that will do anything he possibly can to win," said Bennett, who completed his fifth year as head coach. "I thought that really showed with the way he conducted himself. He did a good job of putting the team first." Hellems played with Tatum two years ago, before the latter was a one-and-done at Duke. Beal sponsored his traveling team in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League. "Jericole was very fortunate to be able to play with Jayson Tatum his first two years," Bennett said. "That was a guy that TEAM MARY EDNA WILLIAMS Helping Wolfpackers Move For Over 30 Years Mary Edna Williams Class of 1978 • Broker 919-880-0071 maryednaw@remax.net www.maryednawilliams.com Each office independently owned and operated Les Merritt CPA-CFP NCSU Graduate Certified Public Accountant Certified Financial Planner Your CPA! les@lesmerrittcpa-cfp.com (919) 269-8553 1014 N. Arendell Avenue Zebulon, NC 27597 You worked your way through NCSU, one of America's great universities. Why then, would you take your professional or personal taxes to someone who graduated from Taxmart U?