Wake vs. NC Central: Post Game Report

So we won 75-58 but I don’t know much past that. Previously arranged Thanksgiving travel plans prohibited me from attending the game, and although I hope to watch the game on ACC select in the next 24 hours (assuming the camera angles are watchable) I’d rather give you a first hand report. So, without further ado I present to you newly anointed Old Gold & Blog correspondent, Stephen Edwards:

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After a 9 day layoff, it was great to see the Speed Demons back on the hardwood. Pretty sparse crowd with a little over half capacity and a low student turnout but that was expected. You can’t realistically expect the W-S community to come out for NC Central with a little pre Thanksgiving hangover. It’s just funny because the box office had SOLD OUT running across their screen.

I love pregame at the “Joel”. Not much gets me as fired up as seeing L.D. Williams smile at the student section and clap like he’s in his own driveway. I can’t wait for ACC games.

The starters are the same as the Fairfield game. Ish at PG, Harvey at the 2, L.D. slashing, leaping, and jamming from the shooting G spot, freshman phenom J.J. at shooting forward, and Jamie at center. Props to Jamie on committing to what the team needed this season and filling a role that may not be his best position for success on the hardwood. He has done a very efficient job of filling the middle for the Deacs so far this year.

The Deacs started off the first half with a LOT of defensive intensity and pressure, especially on the perimeter which lead to easy fast break buckets and two monstrous two hand dunks by the leapers L.D. and J.J. I love the way that Gaudio has the Deacs playing so far in two games. They really get after it on the defensive side of the floor.

First timeout at 15:42 Deacs 11 Eagles 6---J.J. leads the Deacs with 5 points.

Simply put, great ball movement and offensive rebounding have lead to easy buckets.

11:20 Deacs 23 Eagles 8---J.J. leads the Deacs with 8 points.

We have forced 12 turnovers and are shooting over 50 percent so far.

(On a side note, I got a chance to see some highlights of Kyle Singler, freshman sensation for Dook last night from the Maui Invitational and he is everything he’s been advertised as. As much as I’d love to see J.J. prove the critics and publications wrong and make a run at ACC Freshman of the year, he really has his work cut out for him.)

The biggest thing I have liked so far about the 2007-2008 Deacs is the protection of the basketball. That was something that really hurt us last year, and Ish and Co. have been doing a really impressive job so far of holding onto the rock and using ball fakes and movement to a real advantage, instead of forcing Ish to do everything by dribbling, or us hoisting up 3 pointer after 3 pointer. We are still a very streaky three point shooting squad and hopefully will realize early on in the season how dangerous it can be to fall in love with the trey. Early on in the season is the perfect time to work on our weaknesses especially against lesser players, which in this case means HELP Chas and David become more polished back to the basket players, because they have both struggled.

The defensive rebounding has looked much better than the Fairfield game which I know is something Coach G stressed a lot in practice leading up to game number 2. As Coach G and his staff are aware of I am sure, a lot of bloody noses in practice are paying off.

L.D. Williams really loves to play the game and it shows every night. He could become one of the best perimeter defenders in the ACC, and a real bigtime ACC player of the year candidate if anyone ever sits him down and tells him how good he really could be. He feeds off of emotion and adrenaline and I love it, but he can’t let it control his game.

He also shoots a very high percentage which is rare for a guard. Why you ask? Well that would be because he dunks about every time he touches the ball.

In my humble opinion I feel like the first half was well played and that they accomplished and have addressed the issues that were most glaring after the Fairfield game. We did a much better job hitting the defensive glass even though it was obvious that NCCU is not on the same level as Fairfield, as it is their first year as a Division 1 program. Our perimeter play outside of the 3 point shooting has really improved since last year. I really enjoy watching multiple pump fakes around the perimeter until we make a great interior pass, but our bigs have GOT to finish. David Weaver has got to get something figured out with his back to the basket, especially considering this is his third year in an ACC program. We forced 17 turnovers in the first half and had a 9-5 turnover to assist ratio ourselves.

At the Half: 46-23 DEACS

I’m not going to lie, the second half was pretty hard to watch. The Deacs lead by 27 at the 19 minute mark but it was all down hill from there. The play of the game was really sloppy and NCCU actually OUTSCORED(35-29) and outplayed us in the second half. I would say the biggest bright spot of this game was watching Ish run the show tonight. He seems like a different player this year when it comes to decision making. He is still as fast as ever and can make some really amazing passes. 5 assists to 1 turnover for the evening.

Our sloppy play in the second half is kinda disappointing. Youd love to see the Deacs be able to play at a high level of play even when it is a lousy NCCU team and you are up by more than 20 at the half. Worries me that a young team that loves too shoot, might fall in love with the 3 a little too much at times. We shot just 4-21 from behind the arc.

Our free throw shooting just like last year still leaves very much to be desired, especially from the guards. I love the pace that Teague and Ish can play at though.

This has always been a personal preference of mine, especially being a proud Deacon since before the Tim Duncan era… I feel as though Wake should press… and press… and press. Especially this year. We have sooo much depth and no true superstars that we have to have in the game at all times. And our starting lineups so far this year have consisted of personnel that can all play guard and get up and down the floor. Its how Odom won ACC championships in the nineties sometimes with no All ACC players.

Really poor second half by the Deacs but not something that Wake Forest fans should get too terribly upset for. I did not think we were going to play well after the long layoff and the difficulty to get up for a lesser opponent. Coach G and the staff will address all of these issues in practice. I think he is a REAL winner.

Final Score: 75-58 DEACS

L.D. led the way with 14 points and Jamie and James added 13 and 12 respectively. We forced 27 turnovers which is the real bright spot. The fluidity of the team will come with time. Pretty scary for the ACC that we have no seniors with AT&T coming to town in 08.

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Quite the thorough report from Steve and his services are greatly appreciated. I know he enjoyed doing it and I'll definitely look to him in the future if I can't make a game.

Also, I'm on vacation with the family in California this week for Thanksgiving, so while I'll try to post a few times through the week, I don't expect the volume of posts to be quite as great this week. More unfortunate is the lack of TV for the Vandy game, so I'm basically going to be relying on text messages from my Vandy friends at the game. Needless to say I won't have much of a report from that. If there's anyone who will be at the game who'd like to write a post game report, get in touch with me ASAP.