In Journey’s 1981 smash hit ‘Don’t stop believing,’ lead singer Steve Perry urged teenage Americans, in all the glory of their acid wash jeans, mullets, and neon, to, as the song title implies, continue to believe. Although the only thing the chart-topping ballad has led me to believe, as it has for loads of other musically incompetent drunken buffoons, is that I have a somewhat capable singing voice. That, however, is not only entirely false, but also a completely different story.
Sure, right now, looking at results, 12-9 (2-5 in ACC), State is not a very good basketball team. There are no two ways about it. Good teams, whether they should or not, find ways to win games. This season, the Wolfpack has not managed to do that.
However, to describe N.C. State as a ‘bad basketball team’ is somewhat farfetched. But didn’t I just say they were not good? Yes. Am I contradicting myself? No. This team has the potential to be great, but as individuals and as a team, State has not arrived yet.
This past off-season brought the most excitement N.C. State basketball has seen since Julius Hodge was named ACC Player of the Year and earned consensus 2nd team All-America. The signing of highly touted recruits Lorenzo Brown, C.J. Leslie, and Ryan Harrow sent Pack fans into a tizzy, many of whom immediately flashed back to the days of David Thompson, the Cardiac Pack or even Hodge’s Sweet Sixteen squad, and assumed because State signed three great recruits, these young men would immediately lead the Pack to the promise land.
These expectations were both lofty and incredibly unfair. Coach Sidney Lowe tried to assuage the anticipation in Raleigh, but in true State fan fashion, nobody wanted to drink the ‘don’t get ahead of yourself’ Kool-Aid. Lowe reiterated the point he has been trying to get across for the last six months after the embarrassing loss at North Carolina.
“I said [in preseason] that these are talented young men, but they aren’t saviors,” Lowe said in the post-game press conference Saturday. “Freshmen have no idea what it’s like to play in this league.”
Making the jump from high school to college is certainly no small task, especially in the ACC. It was common knowledge coming into the season that Leslie and Harrow needed to get stronger. Scouts were highly impressed with the athleticism of Brown, Leslie and Harrow, but stated each one of them needed to improve on the defensive side of the ball, a work still in progress. That being said, each of the freshmen has already had a sizeable impact for the team, as well as in the league.
Currently, Harrow is one of just two freshmen in the top ten of the ACC in assists to turnover ratio and the only freshman in the top ten of free throw percentage.
Leslie ranks seventh in the ACC in rebounds per game at 7.4, with teammate sophomore Richard Howell just five spots below at 12th. Leslie is one of just two freshmen in the top-20 in the ACC in rebounding. Leslie is also the lone freshman to rank in the top-10 in the ACC in offensive rebounds.
Though the results may not be favorable, and a loss to Carolina always leaves a bad taste in the mouths of Wolfpack fans, these young players are playing quite well. There have certainly been flashes of brilliance, ala 50-point second half against Duke, but the complete game of brilliance still remains elusive.
The Wolfpack faithful is to not lose faith in this group of young athletes. It’s easy to be a good fan when things are going well. And sure, lately, State fans are used to mediocrity and tired of the lack of excellence. But for a young team that has shown sparks of brilliance, positive supporters that instill confidence just may be that feeling State basketball can hold on to.
