Wake Forest Athletics
Deacons Close Out Exhibition Play Saturday Afternoon
11/4/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 4, 2005
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Exhibition No. 2
Wake Forest (1-0) vs.
Mars Hill (0-1)
Tip-Off: 2:05 p.m.
TV: None
Radio: None
Records: Wake Forest is 1-0 in exhibition player after an 88-84 win over Winston-Salem State Thursday night. Mars Hill is 0-1 in exhibition play following an 87-73 loss at UNC-Asheville Thursday night.
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. Mars Hill coach Terry Rogers (Gardner-Webb `71) is 36-51 in his fourth season with the Lions, 36-51 in four seasons overall.
Series: The two teams will meet for the first time.
Officials: Announced on game day.
Wake Forest Closes Out Exhibition Play Saturday Against Mars Hill
Wake Forest, which had to hold on to beat Division II Winston-Salem State 88-84 Thursday night, plays it second and final exhibition game Saturday afternoon against Mars Hill in Lawrence Joel Coliseum (2:05 p.m./no TV).
Senior All-American candidate Eric Williams had 26 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Deacons past the Rams. Senior Justin Gray (15 points) and juniors Michael Drum (13 points) and Kyle Visser (12 points) also scored in double figures.
Mars Hill, 0-1 in exhibition games, fell at UNC-Asheville, 87-73, Thursday night. The Lions lost despite a 35-point effort from senior guard Walt Baxley, who was 9-of-14 from the field and 4-of-5 from three-point range.
Saturday's game will mark the first meeting ever between the two schools.
More From Thursday's 88-84 Win Over Winston-Salem State
- While it was not official because the contest was just an exhibition game, it is interesting to note that a non-scholarship player - Michael Drum - was in the starting lineup. The last non-scholarship player to start for the Deacons was Jim Fitzpatrick in the 1999-00 season.
- Drum is the first transfer to play for Wake Forest since Steve Lepore (Northwestern) in 2002-03.
- Eric Williams had a double-double. He will enter the season with the most career double-doubles (14) among active Demon Deacons.
- Williams was 11-of-12 from the field. In case you were curious, the school record for field goal percentage in a game, with a minimum of 10 made, is 92.3 percent (12-of-13) by Rod Griffin in 1977 and Ernie Wiggins in 1956.
- Justin Gray might receive mixed reviews for his debut as a starting point guard, but keep in mind that he would have had a career-high number of assists tonight (7). His career high is six assists, which he has reached four times in his career.
- Wake Forest's newcomers accounted for 25 points as a group Thursday.
Wake Forest-Mars Hill Connections
- Mars Hill guard Walt Baxley, who scored 35 points Thursday night, hails from Winston-Salem. Baxley and Deacon junior Michael Drum both played on the high school level at North Forsyth.
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.
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
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
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
