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TheRealEssad: Welcome to the Pack, Josh Hall!
JEOHankins2: very good news to see
PirateWolf:
Keatts has put together a heck of a recruiting class
TheRealEssad: Given the number of recruits, this has to be the best class in a generation
We’ve had some great classes, not trying to rank them, but there’s 5 guys in this class
JEOHankins2: One of the weird narratives people had begun to develop about Keatts was if he could recruit (despite landing Jalen Lecque)...glad this shuts that down for just a bit
I think the only class that compares this century is Purvis, TJW and Lewis
TheRealEssad: Yeah that’s the only other one that comes close
PirateWolf: Wasn’t the Scooter Sherrill class the 2000 class? But, yeah. Point taken
TheRealEssad: Current ranking
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TheRealEssad: Yeah, KK hasn’t yet gotten any McDonald’s All Americans
PirateWolf: Killin it
Back where we should be
(at least according to one point-in-time not-on-the-court ranking)
But still, top 5 class, wow. Then again, it shows just how well Duke and UNC have been recruiting that we need this to keep pace
JEOHankins2: What is beautiful is he did this with 4 in-state kids...that has been so much of a focus in football...but with basketball it’s so valuable to get in with the AAU programs that run through here
TheRealEssad: Yeah, I’m glad he’s putting a lot of focus locally
The rumors of the Hall/Shakeel Moore package deal ended up being true
I’m trying not to think about having 7 brand new players to integrate into the team next year. For now, just June
PirateWolf: Exactly. Worry about tomorrow’s problems tomorrow, just enjoy the possibilities for right now
JEOHankins2: Fortunately (barring something unexpected)...you’ll have 3 Sr leaders to guide in that...Bev, DD, DJF...Hellems will be a Jr, Bates will be in his 3rd year
Yeah, a good number of veteran leadership
Okay, turning back to the present
Since the football team has been disbanded for the remainder of 2019, nothing to discuss there
I’m feeling cautiously optimistic about the basketball team bouncing back from the GT loss
Primarily because of the rise of CJ Bryce, and actually not Markell Johnson
I know he’s still coming back from injury but I feel like we’ll have to live with him fading in and out of games
JEOHankins2: Bryce is playing at another level...as a veteran should...I now trust him with the ball in his hand at the end of the game
TheRealEssad: He’s taken over for Torin Dorn as the team’s leading scorer
He has a Demar Derozan midrange jumper
JEOHankins2: And he is much better offensively than Dorn
PirateWolf: But will he take over Steven’s title from Dorn as State’s “Cupcake King”
TheRealEssad: Yes
PirateWolf: Sorry. Gotta get after Steven about that one whenever possible, because it’s still funny to me how riled up that got people
JEOHankins2: HAHAHAHA
TheRealEssad: Haha, and I’m sure he enjoyed it
The one thing that has worried me consistently during the Keatts era so far remains: half court defense
When the game slows down, I do not yet have confidence the team can get consistent stops
That’s what I’ll be looking for them to improve during the fall
JEOHankins2: I am less worried about the half court defense than the transition D...they do a great job guarding the three...with healthy Bates and DJF, I think we will see better defense against 2s...
It was absolutely a problem in past years
TheRealEssad: As long as they can keep their hands to themselves
Need to avoid fouling
I was happy to see the Bates/DJ combo in the last game though
PirateWolf: I know we’re a few games in so far, but I just have such a hard time putting too much stock into early basketball games. So much can change from the early season by the time the calendar rolls over and things get serious
TheRealEssad: I agree with that, I’m not assuming the November team will be the March team
PirateWolf: Mainly because I end up getting way too excited this time of year every year and then have to be brought back down to earth
TheRealEssad: That being said, most of the team returns from last year
JEOHankins2: hahaha thats fair...as much as it sucks we lost to GT...that has allowed me to speculate much more
TheRealEssad: They aren’t rookies
Many of the habits we don’t like may have set in at this point
Daniels may just be that kind of high energy erratic player at this point
PirateWolf: Damn, dude. I’m trying to stay grounded, not get run over!
TheRealEssad: Haha, I’m not throwing poop on the team
I still think a good run through the ACC season is within reach
PirateWolf: haha. I agree
The injuries and the Seabron academic redshirt certainly haven’t helped, though
TheRealEssad: Just raising concerns for what I’m looking to see improvements on during the cupcake section of the schedule
With Memphis coming up
Speaking more positively, what are some good things you’ve liked so far?
PirateWolf: We’ve already touched on CJ’s emergence, and that’s one of the two big things for me with the other being Manny Bates
He’s been fantastic. Not sure he would have been the same player last year (redshirt years do help, even in basketball), but man this team could have used him last year
TheRealEssad: You mean Dikembe Jr?
PirateWolf: haha
TheRealEssad: That rim protection was the missing piece last year for sure
Having him back there helps backup the press
JEOHankins2: DJF has only played a couple of games...but he’s hitting that mid-range jumper, rebounding and staying out of foul trouble
PirateWolf: My chief concern right now, though, is that we’re running an 8-man squad. Really need at least a 9th guy to make it through ACC play where we want to be
TheRealEssad: Yes
JEOHankins2: Also, I think an announcer said Keatts noted that Manny’s defense as inspired DJF to play better d too...knowing he could very easily sit
Agreed on the rotation...my hope was Taylor would be healthy, but it looks bad...Dixon may be our 9th
TheRealEssad: Competition is a good motivator
PirateWolf: I know a lot of people were focusing on Taylor, but I was really hoping Dixon would produce a bit more to give us a solid 3rd big man
Man, when he first hit the floor in the GT game and hit that little hook I thought, “hot damn, we found him!”
JEOHankins2: HAHAHA me too
But to be fair man...he’s been hurt, we won’t know anything of what we’ll have
I don’t expect anything from him though
PirateWolf: Very true
TheRealEssad: The only other thing I wanted to talk about was how organic it feels like Keatts is recruiting. There doesn’t seem to be the need for some “June” to fall from the sky when we go into the summer with basically no class for the next year
He’s hitting the street, putting in a lot of work getting his name out there
JEOHankins2: And recruiting TO the system...not just grabbing guys by their ratings
PirateWolf: I think that goes with having a plan with regards to recruiting.
TheRealEssad: Exactly
PirateWolf: It’s good to see and points towards a more sustainable recruiting model
TheRealEssad: It seems like it’s taken some time to get here. All the transfers were tough to swallow, but this feels like a good vision for what a Keatts team will be
PirateWolf: Agreed
TheRealEssad: Just long, high energy athletes all over the court who can shoot
It’ll be fun to see
PirateWolf: That it will.
Have a good evening and - as always - GO PACK!
TheRealEssad: Go Pack!
Thanks for the time
JEOHankins2: Absolutely