North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Off To Fast Start As Practice Gets Underway
10/6/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
NC State's journey to a fourth straight berth into the NCAA Tournament began Monday, Oct. 6 with the team's first official practice. The Wolfpack, which won 22 games in 2013-14, will field an extremely young team but it returns six players who saw significant minutes last season. Those six players, combined with three new freshmen and redshirt junior Trevor Lacey, gave head coach Mark Gottfried a good starting point for the first practice.
. @mark_gottfried addressing the team for the first time in practice. pic.twitter.com/Gslx868YgV
-- NC State MensBball (@PackMensBball) October 6, 2014"Even though we have a lot of young guys, we have a lot of guys who know what we're doing," Gottfried said. "We did have some time to work together in the summer and we were able to put a few things in already. That's why we're probably a little ahead of where we are normally."
Monday's opening practice saw point guard Cat Barber push the tempo as he takes an increased command of the offense this season. Lacey, Ralston Turner and Desmond Lee are joined by the freshmen Martin twins on the wings. Post players Kyle Washington, Lennard Freeman and BeeJay Anya each have improved moving into their second season. The sophomore trio is joined by explosive freshman Abdul-Malik Abu.
Gottfried also cited the team's defensive intensity and execution as positives on the first day.
"We spent a lot of time today on things defensively," Gottfried said. "Staying in your stance, rotations, hands up. Fundamental things we talk about a lot anyway. But we spent a lot of time on that and it was good."
End of a good first practice. #gopack pic.twitter.com/GqZFT7xfaS
-- NC State MensBball (@PackMensBball) October 6, 2014
