Wake Forest Athletics
DuBose Ready for First Season with Demon Deacons
11/17/2020 12:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Wake Forest grad student transfer guard Ian DuBose has quickly become acclimated to Lawrence Joel Veteran's Memorial Coliseum.
As a junior for Houston Baptist early in the 2018-19 season, he scored 18, including a game-tying three-pointer in the waning seconds as the Huskies upset the Deacs.
In his first official scrimmage at LJVM as a Demon Deacon earlier this month, DuBose scored 28 points and was the leading rebounder.
"He can shoot the basketball and can score in the paint with strength," Wake Forest assistant coach BJ McKie said.
DuBose announced his transfer to Wake Forest in mid-April, in the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic and just a couple weeks before a coaching change that put Steve Forbes in charge of the program.
"It's definitely a challenge and has been different than any other year in my college career," DuBose said. "Everything is more restricted and limited. Building team chemistry off the court has been limited, but it makes the time with the team during practice and in the locker room more valuable. Making the most out of every moment like that has been good. We've been coming along.
"I've seen the progression from when we first got here in the summer to now. The team chemistry has gotten a lot better. Guys are more comfortable with each other and know each other's games. It's been an adjustment, but more focused on the court."
He averaged 19.0 points a game for Houston Baptist and is a career 37-percent shooter behind the arc. DuBose turned the ball over 261 times against 275 assists in three seasons at Houston Baptist.
"A lot of times, when you are the go-to guy all the time and are playing 30-plus minutes, you're going to have turnovers," McKie said. "You have to force some shots and force some plays that might not be there. You have to create for yourself and the other four players on the court. That and the fatigue can cause you to make mistakes.
"He's not overly athletic but does have a quick first step."
The Deacs have been stronger with the ball in recent weeks according to Forbes, and the competition for playing time at the guard spots is fierce. DuBose battles in practice frequently with returning sophomore Jahcobi Neath.
"He's a competitor," DuBose said. "He plays really hard and is a really good player. I watched some film coming in, just checking him out to see what he can do on the court. We push each other every day. It's good to compete against him. Iron sharpens iron, and we've been pushing each other."
Another change for the 2020-21 season is that there are no scheduled exhibitions or closed 'secret' scrimmages against other teams. To help the team get acclimated to the game day routine, Forbes scheduled some Saturday intrasquad scrimmages in LJVM, one of which was a full game day routine with film, a team meal, and a shoot around.
"Without exhibitions I would say everyday practice is so important," DuBose said. "You have to build each day, because the season is getting closer. The scrimmages will tell us a lot. We have to watch film and learn. Not being able to do exhibitions because of Covid makes things different."
The season tips off in just a little over a week, as the Deacs get started in the Mako Medical Wake Forest Classic on Wednesday, Nov. 25.
"It's starting to set in," DuBose said. "I'm excited. There are dates circled on my calendar and it's starting to set in. As soon as I get to the Joel and see my locker, I'll know it's that time of year. All this time with all the uncertainty, worried about not having a season — now we're going to have an opportunity to play, so I'm excited about that.
"I'm a patient guy and know Wake Forest is doing the best they can to make sure things are as safe as possible. We know Nov. 25 is the start date, so that's when it's going to go down."
With little time available to get to know each other off the court because of Covid restrictions, team chemistry has to be built during the long practice hours at the Mit Shah Basketball Complex.
"The biggest thing is being open to learn," DuBose said. "Chemistry is huge in terms of coming together as a unit. We have to help each other out and get everyone to where they understand what's going on. I've seen teams with great chemistry and teams with bad chemistry. I've been a part of both. I know that's where it starts.
"We have to compete as a unit, grow as a unit and work as a unit. We have to come with energy and effort, and that will carry over the practice and the games."
As a junior for Houston Baptist early in the 2018-19 season, he scored 18, including a game-tying three-pointer in the waning seconds as the Huskies upset the Deacs.
In his first official scrimmage at LJVM as a Demon Deacon earlier this month, DuBose scored 28 points and was the leading rebounder.
"He can shoot the basketball and can score in the paint with strength," Wake Forest assistant coach BJ McKie said.
DuBose announced his transfer to Wake Forest in mid-April, in the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic and just a couple weeks before a coaching change that put Steve Forbes in charge of the program.
"It's definitely a challenge and has been different than any other year in my college career," DuBose said. "Everything is more restricted and limited. Building team chemistry off the court has been limited, but it makes the time with the team during practice and in the locker room more valuable. Making the most out of every moment like that has been good. We've been coming along.
"I've seen the progression from when we first got here in the summer to now. The team chemistry has gotten a lot better. Guys are more comfortable with each other and know each other's games. It's been an adjustment, but more focused on the court."
He averaged 19.0 points a game for Houston Baptist and is a career 37-percent shooter behind the arc. DuBose turned the ball over 261 times against 275 assists in three seasons at Houston Baptist.
"A lot of times, when you are the go-to guy all the time and are playing 30-plus minutes, you're going to have turnovers," McKie said. "You have to force some shots and force some plays that might not be there. You have to create for yourself and the other four players on the court. That and the fatigue can cause you to make mistakes.
"He's not overly athletic but does have a quick first step."
The Deacs have been stronger with the ball in recent weeks according to Forbes, and the competition for playing time at the guard spots is fierce. DuBose battles in practice frequently with returning sophomore Jahcobi Neath.
"He's a competitor," DuBose said. "He plays really hard and is a really good player. I watched some film coming in, just checking him out to see what he can do on the court. We push each other every day. It's good to compete against him. Iron sharpens iron, and we've been pushing each other."
Another change for the 2020-21 season is that there are no scheduled exhibitions or closed 'secret' scrimmages against other teams. To help the team get acclimated to the game day routine, Forbes scheduled some Saturday intrasquad scrimmages in LJVM, one of which was a full game day routine with film, a team meal, and a shoot around.
"Without exhibitions I would say everyday practice is so important," DuBose said. "You have to build each day, because the season is getting closer. The scrimmages will tell us a lot. We have to watch film and learn. Not being able to do exhibitions because of Covid makes things different."
The season tips off in just a little over a week, as the Deacs get started in the Mako Medical Wake Forest Classic on Wednesday, Nov. 25.
"It's starting to set in," DuBose said. "I'm excited. There are dates circled on my calendar and it's starting to set in. As soon as I get to the Joel and see my locker, I'll know it's that time of year. All this time with all the uncertainty, worried about not having a season — now we're going to have an opportunity to play, so I'm excited about that.
"I'm a patient guy and know Wake Forest is doing the best they can to make sure things are as safe as possible. We know Nov. 25 is the start date, so that's when it's going to go down."
With little time available to get to know each other off the court because of Covid restrictions, team chemistry has to be built during the long practice hours at the Mit Shah Basketball Complex.
"The biggest thing is being open to learn," DuBose said. "Chemistry is huge in terms of coming together as a unit. We have to help each other out and get everyone to where they understand what's going on. I've seen teams with great chemistry and teams with bad chemistry. I've been a part of both. I know that's where it starts.
"We have to compete as a unit, grow as a unit and work as a unit. We have to come with energy and effort, and that will carry over the practice and the games."
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