Wake Forest Athletics
Deacons Open Exhibition Play Thursday Night
11/2/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 2, 2005
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Exhibition No. 1
Wake Forest (0-0) vs.
Winston-Salem State (0-0)
Tip-Off: Approximately 7:15 p.m.
TV: None
Radio: None
Records: Both teams will play its first exhibition game.
Coaches: Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser (U.S. Merchant Marine Academy `72) is 94-35 (.729) in his fifth season with the Demon Deacons, 259-113 (.689) in his 13th season overall. Winston-Salem State coach Phillip Stitt (Brewton-Parker `91) is 55-33 in his fourth season with the Rams, 55-33 in four seasons overall.
Series: The two teams have never met in a regular season game. Wake Forest won the only previous exhibition meeting, 89-61, last season.
Officials: Announced on game day.
Deacons Kick Off Exhibition Season Thursday In Twin City Shootout
Wake Forest, with just five players with Division I experience, kicks off the 2005-06 exhibition season Thursday night against Winston-Salem State in the Twin City Shootout.
The game, which will not be televised or broadcast on radio, will follow the women's game between the two schools, which begins at 5 p.m. in Lawrence Joel Coliseum.
Thursday's contest marks the second year of the Twin City Shootout. Wake Forest won last year's battle between the two Winston-Salem schools, 89-61. Last year's meeting was the first ever official game between the two neighboring schools.
The game is sold out.
Three Walk-Ons Added To Roster
Three freshmen non-scholarship walk-on players, including two with local ties, have been added to the Wake Forest 2005-06 men's basketball roster.
Joining the Deacons are 6-7 forward Bobby Hoekstra (Lewisville, NC), 6-2 guard Matt Smith (Advance, NC) and 6-1 guard Mike Lepore (Flemington, NJ).
Hoekstra is a local product who enjoyed an outstanding prep career at Forsyth Country Day. A basketball and baseball standout for the Furies, Hoekstra averaged 15 points and 11 rebounds per game last season.
Smith played his prep basketball at Davie County High School, where he was all-conference and offensive team MVP.
Lepore played on the high school level at Lawrenceville Prep in New Jersey, where he lettered in both basketball and golf.
Kevin Swinton Sitting Out First Four
Wake Forest freshman forward Kevin Swinton will sit out four games as a suspension for violating University policy. Swinton's penalty, a probationary period of 30 days, includes both preseason exhibition games and the first two games of the regular season.
Swinton, 6-7, will continue to practice with the team. He did not participate in last Saturday's Black/Gold intrasquad scrimmage. His first game, should Wake Forest advance, will come Nov. 17 at the 2k Classic.
A Family Feud, Of Sorts
Wake Forest senior Trent Strickland has been taking some grief from his roommate this week. Strickland's roommate is his twin sister, Christie, who is a senior student at Winston-Salem State.
Happy Birthday, Skip
Wake Forest head coach Skip Prosser's birthday is today (born Nov. 3, 1950). Whether or not he celebrates depends on how his team performs this evening.
Four Fresh Faces
With the loss of seniors Vytas Danelius, Taron Downey and Jamaal Levy, plus the departure of sophomore Chris Paul to the NBA, head coach Skip Prosser had some serious holes to fill.
While it wouldn't be fair to expect Wake's four newcomers to replace the above-mentioned foursome, the Deacon freshmen class will play a vital role in 2005-06.
Forward Kevin Swinton, 6-7, will certainly contribute right away -- at least when he returns from suspension following the second regular season game. A strong presence in the paint, Swinton will compete for a starting role at small forward.
The Deacon coaching staff is hoping to get valuable minutes this season from both 6-1 Shamaine Dukes and 6-2 Harvey Hale. If either can emerge at point guard, it would be a big plus for Wake Forest as it tries to compensate for the loss of Paul.
David Weaver, an athletic 6-10 post player, has potential to be an outstanding player in the ACC. He will compete with and learn from Williams and Visser this season.
Williams Shines In Black/Gold Game
Wake Forest senior All-American candidate Eric Williams was nearly perfect in the second of two abbreviated Black/Gold intrasquad basketball scrimmages here last Saturday.
Williams, in 15 minutes of action, was 7-of-7 from the floor for 15 points and grabbed four rebounds and the Black and Gold teams played to a 24-24 tie. In both games combined, Williams scored 20 points and pulled down nine boards.
Junior Kyle Visser's eight points helped lead the Gold team to a 24-21 win in the first 15-minute scrimmage at Reynolds Gymnasium. In the two games combined, Visser had 14 points, seven rebounds and blocked two shots.
Senior Trent Strickland also enjoyed a productive night. He had seven rebounds to go with four points in the first game, then scored 12 points in the nightcap.
Deacon freshman guard Harvey Hale and Shamaine Dukes had six points each in the two games combined.
Four Seniors, One Junior Back
The bad news for Wake Forest is just five scholarship players return in 2005-06. The good news is that those five include four battle-tested seniors and a junior.
And it's no stretch to say that Wake Forest has two of the best players in college basketball on its roster. Senior guard Justin Gray and senior center Eric Williams, both second team All-ACC selections last season and both preseason candidates for the John Wooden Award, are back in the fold.
Also returning are senior swingman Trent Strickland, a part-time starter the last three seasons, and senior forward Chris Ellis, who is hoping to be healthy after recent foot surgery. Junior center Kyle Visser, who has shown flashes of great potential, is also back in 2005-06.
Not So New Newcomers
Much of the preseason talk is about Wake Forest's four-man freshman class, but two other "rookies" will play a key role in 2005-06.
Cameron Stanley, 6-6, redshirted last season. His once-injured knee is now completely healed and after a year of practicing with the Deacons, Stanley is raring to go.
There is also junior Michael Drum, who sat out last season after transferring from Presbyterian College. While Drum is a non-scholarship player, he is expected to compete for playing time this season.
Seniors Have Accomplished Much
Wake Forest's senior class has combined to go 73-22 over the last three years, including a 35-13 mark in the ACC. No team has won more ACC games during that stretch.
The seniors are 24 victories away from tying the school record for the most wins over a four-year period. That record of 97 wins was set from 1994 to 1997 when Tim Duncan played for the Deacons.
Celebrating 100 Seasons
Wake Forest is celebrating its 100th season of basketball in 2005-06 and festivities will go on throughout the year.
A commemorative 100-year logo (see top of box at right) is in place. On the agenda is a reunion of former players and coaches, a throwback (or turn-back-the-clock game) and more.
What Else Is New
Since you last visited Lawrence Joel Coliseum, there has been one very noticeable addition. A new video board, hanging from the rafters at center court, is in place and will be used for the first time at Thursday's Spurs-Wizards NBA exhibition game.
Season Tickets Almost Gone
As of Wednesday, only 60 or so season tickets remained for Wake Forest home basketball games. If all tickets are sold, it would mark the first time in school history that Wake has sold out its allotment of season tickets.
Deacon Basketball Calendar
November
3 - Head coach Skip Prosser's birthday (born in 1950)
3 - 7:00 p.m., Wake Forest vs. Winston-Salem State (exhibition)
4 - 3:00-6:00, practice at Miller Center
5 -- 9:00 a.m., walk-through at Joel Coliseum
5 -- 2:00, Wake Forest vs. Mars Hill (exhibition)
5 - San Antonio Spurs (Tim Duncan) at Dallas Mavericks (Josh Howard), 8:30
6 - No practice
7 - 3:00-6:00, practice at Miller Center
7 - San Antonio Spurs (Tim Duncan) at Chicago Bulls (Darius Songaila), 8:30
8 - 6:00-9:00, practice at Miller Center
9 - 6:00-9:00, practice at Miller Center
9 - Dallas Mavericks (Josh Howard) at Philadelphia 76ers (Rodney Rogers), 7:00
10 - 5:00, George Mason vs. UC-Irvine at Joel Coliseum (2k Classic)
10 - 7:30, Wake Forest vs. Mississippi Valley State at Joel Coliseum (2k Classic)
11 - 5:00, 2k Classic consolation game
11 - 7:30, 2k Classic second-round game
12 - 12-3:00, practice at Miller Center
12 - Dallas Mavericks (Josh Howard) at New Orleans Hornets (Chris Paul), 8:00
13 - No practice
14 - 3:00-6:00, practice at Miller Center
15 - 6:00-9:00, practice at Miller Center
16 - Potential travel day to New York
17 - Potential 2k Classic semifinals at Madison Square Garden
18 - Potential 2k Classic finals at Madison Square Garden
19 - 3:00-6:00, practice at Miller Center
20 - 12-3:00, practice at Miller Center
21 - 7:00, Wake Forest vs. UNC-Asheville at Joel Coliseum
21 - New Orleans Hornets (Chris Paul) at Philadelphia 76ers (Rodney Rogers), 7:00
22 - 6:00-9:00, practice at Miller Center
23 -12-3:00, practice at Miller Center
24 - 12-3:00, practice at Joel Coliseum
