North Carolina State University Athletics
Men's Hoops Opens Exhibition Schedule on Tuesday
11/3/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 3, 2003
By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C.-For a little more than two weeks now, the NC State basketball team has been taking a crash course, cramming for a season that opens in just 18 days. Like all of his coaching counterparts, the Wolfpack's Herb Sendek often wonders if the relatively short period of practice time allotted to all teams is enough to get in everything he would like to work on before game one. Along with getting reps in the tightly choreographed movements of the offense, the players have work to do on defenses, out of bounds plays and various game situations. On Tuesday, the Pack will find out just where it stands when it opens a two-game exhibition schedule against the EA Sports Southeast All-Stars at the RBC Center.
EA Sports, a compilation of former college players, will be no pushover. On Sunday night, they shot 50 percent from the field in the second half and defeated Penn State 87-86. The All-Stars were led by ex-University of Central Florida standout Mark Jones, who tallied 26 points on 9-of-18 shooting. The 6-6 forward also hit 4-of-6 from 3-point range. The most familiar face on the EA Sports roster belongs to Broderick Hicks, a former Wake Forest guard who had 9 points in 21 minutes against the Nittany Lions. Hicks will return to his alma mater on Monday when the all-stars meet the Deacons in Winston-Salem.
NC State made its first public appearance in Saturday's Red&White game. In a scrimmage that saw the teams switched up at halftime, forward Levi Watkins scored 13 of his game-high 15 points in the first half. The 6-8 junior knocked down all three of his 3-point attempts in the first 12-minute period.
The fans in attendance also came away with a positive impression after seeing freshmen guards Mike O'Donnell (6 points) and Engin Atsur (8 points) for the first time.
As will be the case through the early stages of the regular season, the Wolfpack will be a little shorthanded in its two exhibition games. While center Jordan Collins won't be eligible to play until the first semester concludes, sophomore swingman Cameron Bennerman will be sidelined until the first of December with a broken right hand. And though he will be permitted to play in the exhibition contests, Atsur will be forced to sit out the first three regular season games due to a technicality involving his participation with a club team in his home country of Turkey.
Both of the Wolfpack's exhibition games will be broadcast on the Wolfpack Radio Network. Airtime on Tuesday night is 7 p.m.
