Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University
Elon
Demon Deacons Dominate Elon, 97-55
11/22/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov 22, 2003
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By JENNA FRYER
AP Sports Writer
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - With a trio of young talented guards, Wake Forest wants to play a high-tempo game. The Demon Deacons also want to make 6-foot-9 center Eric Williams a focal point of the offense.
Finding a balance might not be that difficult.
Williams scored 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting to lead the No. 19 Deacons past overwhelmed Elon 97-55 Saturday.
Williams scored six of Wake Forest's (2-0) first 11 points and proved to be too big of an inside presence for Elon (0-3) to overcome.
"For us to be good, Eric Williams has to be good," coach Skip Prosser said. "We want to rush the ball down the court and have a layup as our first option, with Eric being the second. Eric can run down the court well. He's not a woolly mammoth."
Jamaal Levy and Justin Gray added 13 points each for the Deacons and freshman Kyle Visser scored 12 as Wake Forest won its 15th consecutive home opener.
Jackson Atoyebi scored 11 for Elon and Carlos Moeira added 10.
It was a homecoming of sorts for the Elon staff. Head coach Ernie Nestor spent 14 seasons as an assistant at Wake Forest. Two of his assistants, Tim Fuller and Jim Fitzpatrick, played for the Demon Deacons.
But their return got off to a rocky start when the Phoenix missed 10 of their first 11 shots and committed 10 turnovers while falling behind 16-2.
Nestor's team couldn't handle Wake Forest's up-tempo style and finished with 29 turnovers.
"We did do some good things, but we are still a work in progress," Nestor said. "We are still at the point where people are allowed to kick us around. It will stay that way until we stand up and do something about it."
 Eric Williams shoots over Elon's Rasmi Gamble (5) for two of his game-high 16 points.  | |
Wake Forest was without junior forward Vytas Danelius, who sprained his ankle in practice Friday. His absence allowed the Deacons to play Gray, Taron Downey and Chris Paul, their trio of talented guards, at the same time.
They deferred to the inside game early when Elon clearly couldn't defend Levy and Williams, who combined for Wake Forest's first 11 points.
Williams said once the Deacons rattled Elon early, it was easy to maintain the pressure.
"Deny, deny, deny - that was our goal," he said. "The intensity picked up with every denial and turnover. That will be a focal point for us all season."
The guards eventually got involved, especially Paul, a highly touted freshman.
Although he had just six points and four rebounds, he led the Demon Deacons with five assists. Paul also contributed two blocks and two steals, plus he forced many of Elon's turnovers.
Downey scored eight points and had two assists, and Gray finished with three assists.
"I think the sky is the limit for out backcourt," Paul said. "We are already playing so well together, and we can be as good as we want to be. Our goal is the Final Four and we're trying hard to get there."
