North Carolina State University Athletics
Thornton Reinstated
12/20/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The NC State basketball team received a big shot in the arm on Wednesday when head coach Herb Sendek announced that forward Damon Thornton had been cleared to play in Friday night's home game against UNC-Asheville.
Thornton, a 6-8, 240 pound redshirt senior from Norfolk, Va., will be returning from a first semester suspension that started when he pleaded guilty to a DWI charge in October.
"We really tried to evaluate it comprehensively; we didn't really look at any one aspect," Sendek said. "We used the feedback we got from the health professionals and the progress he's been able to make in that area. We looked at the fact that he'll need only four hours to graduate this spring. Clearly Damon's contrition and remorse have contributed to our feelings."
Sendek made the decision to reinstate Thornton following a meeting with NC State athletics director Lee Fowler on Wednesday morning.
Although he was prohibited from participating in any games during the first semester, Thornton did return to practice with his teammates on November 9th. His rare combination of strength and quickness will almost certainly give the Wolfpack (6-3) a more formidable look on the frontline. And two areas in which the Pack has struggled this season-defense and rebounding-are Thornton specialties.
"He's looked good [in practice]," said sophomore forward Damien Wilkins. "It doesn't look like he's missed much of a beat. He seems to be healthier than he's been in recent years. I'm happy to see him playing well. I think he's going to step right in and produce and pick up where he left off."
Sendek said Thornton would not start against UNC-Asheville.
Plagued by injuries throughout his checkered career, Thornton has always been a force on those occasions when his body has allowed him to put his impressive physical skills on display. Including the first nine games of this season, he has missed a total of 51 contests during his career. Thornton has been NC State's top rebounder in each of his three seasons, and his field goal accuracy (55.7 percent) is the third best in school history.
Thornton also has the reputation of being one of the ACC's most gifted defenders. Strong enough to guard big men in the post while also possessing enough quickness to defend smaller people away from the basket, Thornton offers up a unique versatility that NC State clearly missed in its first nine games.
"Damon has to make the adjustment from simply practicing to playing in games," Sendek said. "Another part is how he integrates with the other guys on the team because basketball is a team game. It requires timing and rhythm and all those types of things. But his return should really help us."
