North Carolina State University Athletics
Men's Hoops Begins Preseason Practice
10/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 14, 2005
By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C. - When the NC State men's basketball team begins preseason practice tonight, there will be two noticeable differences: Julius Hodge won't be there and Ilian Evtimov will. Hodge, the 2004 ACC Player of the Year, was a dynamic force over the last four years, a time during which the Wolfpack program qualified for the NCAA Tournament every season of his career. With Hodge now in the NBA, the Pack hopes to replace its departed superstar with a collective effort that will be led by seniors Evtimov, Cam Bennerman and Tony Bethel.
Having the versatile Evtimov at NC State's first practice will be a welcome sight for 10th year head coach Herb Sendek. For the first time since what was going to be his sophomore campaign, the 6-7 Evtimov opens preseason workouts with stronger knees and a slimmer physique.
"Ilian has had a great deal to overcome," Sendek said. "Outside of his freshman year, I think this is the first time he's really gone through a complete fall practice season in terms of skill sessions, weight lifting and conditioning. We've had to cut back his fall practice time dramatically the last few seasons with his knee surgeries. The year before that, he missed the entire season when he hurt himself in the first exhibition game. I think he's really benefited from being able to work out over the off-season. The one noticeable difference is that he's really trimmed down. He's much more mobile and agile than he's been in the past. I think his ability to have a regular workout regiment has really helped him with that."
After putting together an often brilliant freshman season, Evtimov sat out all of 2002-03 after tearing a knee ligament in the first exhibition game prior to that season. Since then he's had to deal with nagging knee problems that have usually been more of a hindrance in October, November and December.
Now 20 pounds lighter, Evtimov is brimming with confidence knowing that he'll actually start the preseason running with his teammates instead of watching them from the sidelines.
"That's new," Evtimov said. "I've been here for five years but that certainly hasn't happened in a while. Last year I couldn't practice the first day, and two years ago, I don't remember but I know I wasn't full go."
And the weight loss?
"For one, it's going to make me feel a lot lighter out there and put a lot less strain on my knees," said Evtimov. "It feels much better to be lighter. Two, hopefully it's going to make me feel a lot quicker because my future is on the perimeter, not on the inside."
Although he's just 6-7, Evtimov was still NC State's most effective post defender last year. This season, he thinks the emergence of sophomores Cedric Simmons and Andrew Brackman will get him out of the post.
"I think the guy that's going to surprise people this year is Cedric," Evtimov said of the 6-9 Simmons. "He's improved a lot since last year. His body has gotten much stronger and he's much bigger and more athletic. Andrew Brackman is much bigger and stronger than he was. I feel good because Cedric and Andrew are both about 235."
But while Evtimov is healthy, Bethel is not. The senior guard is still suffering from the affects of the severe groin pull he sustained in last year's ACC Tournament against Florida State.
"The one guy that won't start with us in practice tonight is Tony Bethel," Sendek said. "We do expect him to be able to play this year; he just needs some additional time. It's been a challenging year and a half for Tony. We're still optimistic that he's going to get well and be an instrumental part of our team this year. He didn't have surgery but it was really a severe injury. It's just one of those things that just takes time."
While Bethel has not participated in off-season pick-up games, he has done some skill work this fall.
With a strong nucleus of returning players combined with talented freshmen Brandon Costner, Courtney Fells and Ben McCauley, Sendek has a deep team that could have enough weapons to reach that goal of collectively overcoming the loss of Hodge.
"We're going to miss Julius, obviously," said Sendek. "He was a special player for us and someone who had a lot of charisma. But our guys have been working to become a team since we started school in August. It's not like tonight will be the first time we've been together without him. One of the great things about college basketball is that you do have a new beginning."
That new beginning starts this weekend.
