Sidney Lowe's fourth team at N.C. State will be the first with his players.
The challenge of recovering from consecutive disappointing seasons with a young roster, filled with players he recruited, appeals to Lowe.
"I'm excited about seeing our young guys and seeing them grow," Lowe said before the Wolfpack Caravan stop in Raleigh on Wednesday night.
Ben McCauley, Courtney Fells and Brandon Costner made up the last class recruited by former coach Herb Sendek. Technically, Dennis Horner, who'll be a senior, was signed by Sendek. Horner was the only one of four recruits who decided to stay at N.C. State when Lowe replaced Sendek in April 2006.
Dealing with personnel turnover — from the absence of the first class, and star guard Chris Wright, to J.J. Hickson leaving for the NBA after one season in 2008 — has been a constant for Lowe, who's 51-46 in three seasons since returning to his alma mater.
The success of Lowe's fourth team might rest on two freshmen, power forward Richard Howell and combo guard Lorenzo Brown (pictured above), and how quickly they can make the adjustment from high school to the ACC.
"We need them," Lowe said. "The thing they bring to the table is they work hard. I don't have to ask them to play hard, I don't have to tell them to play hard, that's part of their game."
Lowe said Brown's ability to handle the ball will be a plus for a team that has struggled with turnovers.
"You have to have at least three guys on the floor who can handle the ball and make the right decisions and don't turn it over," Lowe said.
Of course, Raleigh phenom John Wall would help on that front, too. Lowe got in early on Wall, who has blown up into the top point guard recruit in the class of 2009.
Wall's recruitment is still wide open with N.C. State — the first school to offer him a scholarship — still on his long list of potential college stops to the NBA.
Vincent Williams, a 6-1 point guard from South Dade High School in Homestead, Fla. is another recruit Lowe is pursuing from the class of 2009.
With or without Wall or Williams, Lowe knows the team needs to show improvement, especially after missing the postseason the past two seasons.
"You always want to be better," the coach said. "I'm not where I want to be right now but I like the direction we're going in."
Photo by Jason Cole (Pack Pride)
Comments
Yes - If average is fine
Thu, 04/23/2009 - 12:31 — stevemichaelsNC State just has to recognize where they stand and what their caliber of talent is that they can recruit - A good season will have to be described as forth or fifth in the ACC and a NIT tourny bid with an occasional NCAA bid. We will watch our team beat up on the minors in the beginning of the season and think that maybe this is it - only to be discouraged by New Years. We will sit in the stands and dream of glory days from decades past and yell and scream for a new coach - but realize in the back of our minds that new coaches will not change things.
Optimism
Thu, 04/23/2009 - 11:45 — SurferI would say that optimism abounds. No where to go but up at this point. At Least Sid has an overall winning record. He does a good job coaching, he just needs the players. Athletic ones, with some skills, who will stay around for at least 3 years or so. (Ref. UNC)
No where to go but up
Fri, 04/24/2009 - 08:14 — melvinfurdSince NCS finished 10th in the ACC this year, they could go down to 11th or 12th in the ACC . . .
Could but won't.
Fri, 04/24/2009 - 09:10 — JPDOhioThe Pack certainly has it's deficiencies, especially in the frontcourt where there is no depth at all. And a lot of things have to go right (meaning guys who have shown flashes have to be consistently good) for the Pack to have a good year.
I think the Pack will be better than expected next year, though certainly not good enough to contend for the title. There is good, young talent on this team and a promising recruiting class. Javi and Julius will be fine at point. The lack of size bothers me, but there is enough athleticism at the 3 to help out on the boards. Sid can, in fact, coach and he will design a system that takes advantage of what he has.
Sid's job is to be positive and encourage his team to give all they have got. If he is not optimistic, who will be? Certainly not part of Wolfpack Nation that relishes the opportunity to call for his head on a platter. Let them eat cake!