In the battle of the subscription websites, Pack Pride has scooped the The Wolfpacker today in important basketball recruiting news.
Pack Pride is reporting on their front page that Sidney Lowe has secured his first two basketball recruits in Farnold Degand (point guard) and
7-foot-3, 235-pound Polish center, Bartosz Lewandowski. More information on both players is available for premium subscribers of the site.
DeGand, a transfer from Iowa State, will have to sit out the 2006-2007 season due to NCAA rules. At almost 6-feet-4-inches, DeGand is discussed more as tall “point guard” but was listed as a combo guard coming out of high school in Boston, Mass. In the 2007-2008 season, he will be a 19-year-old redshirt sophomore with three years to play three seasons (because of a redshirt season at Iowa State used to get bigger and improve his game).
Jeff Goodman at Fox Sports is also in on the action of discussing the DeGand transfer nationally in this piece. Goodman also said…
Degand, who redshirted last season as a freshman at Iowa State, committed to N.C. State after taking visits to Oregon, UMass, Maryland and Rutgers. He will sit out this season and be eligible in the fall of 2007.
Degand wound up choosing Iowa State and the plan all along was for him to redshirt. According to former Cyclones guards Will Blalock and Curtis Stinson, whom Degand went up against each day in practice, he improved more than any other player in the program last season.
Degand will give the Wolfpack a guy who can really get the ball up the floor. He’s lightning quick and has toned down the flash in his game. The next year off will also allow Degand to add another 10 pounds to his frame.
Many Wolfpackers expressed heartburn when Larry Davis announced his intentions to attend Seton Hall. However, Degand’s age, physical presence, versatility and style of play may ultimately be a much better fit for Sidney Lowe’s NC State than Davis was. Considering that State isn’t expecting much in the 2006-2007 campaign after the loss of Cedric Simmons, Davis’ eligibility this season (compared to Degand’s) isn’t really an issue in the analysis.
Don’t expect much from Lewandowski in his first couple of seasons. Anything more than a few fouls, a few altered shots, and a few rebounds will be gravy. As SFN has highlighted in multiple entries over the last few weeks, State was in desperate need of a big body to help on the front line as well as to help with some strategic scholarship spacing to allow the Pack to more effectively target key prospects in the class of 2007 and 2008. Lewandowski will be a freshman in 2006-2007.
Goodman’s piece stated:
Monty Towe recruited Lewandowski when he was the head coach at New Orleans. When Towe left UNO to return as an assistant at his alma mater, N.C. State, he continued to pursue the big man from Poland.
In addtion to these two commitments, StatefansNation has been led to believe that NC State feels very good about our position with rapidly-rising swing forward, Johnny Thomas from Greensboro. Thomas, who reminds some of Texas’ PJ Tucker, has quickly made a huge name for himself on this year’s summer camp circuit. The Greensboro News & Record ran a great article on Thomas’ emergence last week.
When Thomas stepped into the spotlight, he made the all-tournament team for the 17-and-under age group. He turned the most heads when he scored 19 points in leading his team, the N.C. Gaters, to an upset of the World Wide Renegades, a Georgia team that featured power forward J.J. Hickson, a top-25 recruit in the Class of 2007.
“I didn’t know who he was, then he comes out there and gets 19 points,” said Justin Young, a Rivals.com basketball recruiting analyst. “You’re like, ‘Man, who in the world is this kid?’ “
Thomas is the same 6-foot-4, 205 pound wing player who helped lead Greensboro Day to a NCISAA state title this year, averaging 18.7 points and 10.8 rebounds along the way. He’s also the same player who helped lead the Bengals to a convincing win over eventual 3-A state champion Dudley in the Little Four title game.
A quick look at the first comment below will show you the newly projected scholarship spacing for NC State’s Basketball program. After reviewing those numbers and taking into account size of the “project” that Lewandowski represents…one may draw a conclusion that NC State does not expect to ultimately land Dan Werner in this year’s class. I would be surprised if the new staff would choose to limit themselves to just four scholarships in the highly-talented 2007 class, which would be the case if Werner ultimately chooses State. The Lexington (KY) Herald supports this thought process in this article where they report that Werner is no longer considering NC State.
Loading ...
June 14th, 2006 at 2:42 pm
Updated for news that Dan Werner is not coming to State
Projected 2006-2007 NC State basketball Roster
Senior Class
(1) Engin Atsur (G)
Junior Class
(2) Andrew Brackman (probably playing his last season) (F/C)
(3) Gavin Grant (G/F)
Sophomore Class
(4) Courtney Fells (G)
(5) Ben McCauley (F/C)
Freshman Class
(6) Brandon Costner (hopefully gets redshirt) (F)
(7) Trevor Ferguson (eligible in spring) (G)
(8) Dennis Horner (F)
(9) Bartosz Lewandowski (C)
(10) Hold for Fernold DeGand (G)
(11) N/A
(12) N/A
(13) N/A
Projected 2007-2008 NC State basketball Roster
Senior Class
(1) Gavin Grant (G/F)
Junior Class
(2) Courtney Fells (G)
(3) Ben McCauley (F/C)
Sophomore Class
(4) Brandon Costner (hopefully gets redshirt) (F)
(5) Trevor Ferguson (G)
(6) Dennis Horner (F)
(7) Fernold Degand (G)
(8) Bartosz Lewandowski (C)
Freshman Class
(9) N/A
(10) N/A
(11) N/A
(12) N/A
(13) N/A
June 14th, 2006 at 2:53 pm
Good stuff.
I suspect Lowe will do work on the recruiting trail. I’m excited we brought in a project. His coach stated that he was a hard worker. And if you’re a hard worker and you’re tall, there’s a lot of potential.
This will be a welcome change from the media’s “NC State is falling off the basketball map because they ran off Sendek” that we’ve been hearing for a while.
June 14th, 2006 at 3:04 pm
I think that I see a light at the end of the tunnel – and I DO NOT hear an engine or a whistle!! Now if Foulup would just move on, I might regain some enthusiasm for Wolfpack athletics over all!
June 14th, 2006 at 3:19 pm
So the first two guys we land are a point guard and a center? I guess we aren’t running the “bucket of confetti” offense anymore.
June 14th, 2006 at 3:35 pm
GF – To be fair – Sendek took more than a couple of chances on big men and did sign 2 prospects to play the PG position.
None of the gambles payed off – and Crawford, while having solid junior and senior years, probably didn’t develop into the pure PG he was envisioned to become.
I’m excited about the transfer. The center should be viewed as a project, but it’s very encouraging to hear he’s a hard worker.
June 14th, 2006 at 3:36 pm
I back Sid 100% here. I want that said first.
But if this was any other coach, I’d be concerned about a two-star 7-2, rail thin guy taking a scholarship. I’d also be concerned about giving a scholarship to Degand for ‘07 class which is stacked with talent at guard.
Farnold Degand isnt eligible to play this year, right? So we give a scholarship to a PG that is basically in the same recruiting class as Chris Wright and Jamelle McMillian? Both of whom would be available for four years as opposed to Degand’s three. I know the word is that he is better than Davis. I’ll grant that point for argument’s sake. Given his eligibility, Larry Davis is not an applicable comparison. The comparison should be to those people who could have had that scholarship in ‘07. Is Farnold Degand better than what we can expect to get in the ‘07 class? Degand better be damn good.
Johnny Thomas most likely isnt done climbing any rankings either. But is a three star recruit going to be the standard at NC State? Dont get me wrong. BC has made a living out of spotting these guys. But, and you can quote me here, a team full of three star recruits will not compete for ACC championships. You need blue chippers.
My guess here is that the earlier article by SFN detailing the insane amount scholarships available this year and next is telling of the thought process at the Dail center. A great class in ‘07 with three or four big time recruits is still well under our scholarship cap. My concern is that the first class in which Lowe will not be starting with a huge handicap, 2008, will be what suffers as a result of giving “projects” like the big man a free ride. The 2008 class needs to be statement class seeing as its Lowe first real chance to shine without any Sendek baggage. I see no reason to take away a ’ship from the ‘08 class for a project 7′2″ guy.
June 14th, 2006 at 3:36 pm
I feel better already. In fact, to quote James Brown; “I feel good”.
Andrew and Big Ben will get a few minutes of rest and the pack will be on point for 07.
And even better a name that ends in “ski” that didn’t go to Duke. 7′ 3″ – Wow. He’ll be hard a hard one to push around. Tommy B may even show up and give him some pointers. Way to go Monte.
Thanks again for leaving Herb. It was very nice of you.
Hat’s off to all of our Assistant Coaches. You may be the best group around.
June 14th, 2006 at 3:41 pm
Did anyone refer to Neil Fingleton as a hardworker when he signed on at Orange County CC? I hope Bartosz has a more productive career than that. Can’t have much of a less productive career, I guess.
SFN: Even if Bartosz never does ANYTHING for us…why is it a bad thing to spend a scholarship on a 7′3 center with upside? What is wrong with this move? We get 13 scholarships. Would you rather have Justin Flatt or Mike O’Donnell transferring in a year or two on the end of the bench or a 7′3 center that may contribute? You reference Fingleton, but you could have just as easily referenced the improvement made by names like Serge Zwikker who won a national chamionship.
This move is more than worth a the little risk that exists.
June 14th, 2006 at 3:47 pm
He’s 7′ 3″. He will have a very productive role. To stand in the lane and give Andrew and Big Ben some rest THIS COMING YEAR. That was an absolute must fill need after Cedric left. It is the middle of June. School starts in two and 1/2 months.
June 14th, 2006 at 3:48 pm
Is Lowe allowed to talk to recruits yet? Does this mean he has passed his recruting test and has received his degree? July 1 was the deadline for these thinks to happen.
SFN: Lowe can speak to recruits ON CAMPIS regardless of if he passes the test. As of right now, there is no indication that he has passed the test yet.
June 14th, 2006 at 3:49 pm
7-foot-3, 235-pound Polish center, Bartosz Lewandowski
Sounds like a slug to me. And we want to be a team that gets out on the break? Let’s hope we never have to see him on the floor, unless it’s mop up time. Degand sounds like a good steal, though I, like Dan, am unsure of how his signing will affect future classes. He will have a year to adjust to the new system.
June 14th, 2006 at 4:43 pm
I for one think the moves are very good. A 7′-3″ 235 lbs Polish slug beats no one in the paint anyday. I’m not sure where these comments about wasting scholarships comes from. What is the alternative exactly? Play with eight players and wait two years for blue chippers? We play ball in November guys. We need players now. Not in 2007.
I hope no one here is suggesting we just coast a couple of years with what we have and wait on Coach Lowe’s first true recruiting class to spend the scholy’s.
We can be competitive next season. As in 20 or so weeks from now.
June 14th, 2006 at 5:05 pm
Good college teams have good cumulative height. And I can’t remember the last time State was big- maybe during the Inge, Thornton, Kelley era? But even then, there wasn’t a 7′+ project. And 7′+ projects can be very important. They may not translate to the pros, but with a little skill, a 7 footer in college can be very helpful. Look at UNC- Salvadori, Zwikker- those guys were very productive at that level. And it’s fantastic that we have a point coming in 2007 already. 2nd guessing what is for what might be or have been serves no purpose.
June 14th, 2006 at 5:05 pm
^ The alternative is a four year contributor in ‘07 or ‘08. Lew will be rising junior then might still be using a ’ship. That’s one less ’ship for Sid’s first real class of ‘08.
If the plan is to bring in Lew for ‘06 just as a body, and then let him transfer a la Adam Simons, Justin Flatt, Mike (Frodo) O’donnel then that is fine with me. I see getting use out of him this year. But if he is a “project” then he wont help in 2006. Which means he is no different than a ‘07 or ‘08 recruit. I cant imagine Sid couldnt do better than Big Lew in ‘07 or ‘08. In fact, we are all hoping and praying exactly that Sid can do MUCH better in recruiting in ‘07 and ‘08.
I also cant imagine how much a project, no matter how tall, will help a team compete in the ACC in his freshman year, and if NC State is a team in ‘06 that needs to bring in a guy whose only other school of interest is San Diego then ‘06-’07 might be a pretty tough year. Which I still think it doesnt need to be. Which is why this signing causes me to pause.
SFN: Why are you so focused on the short term of next season? Next season IS going to suck. Everybody understands and accepts that. Big deal.
Your past comments were vehemently against recruiting a JUCO player to help us in the post. Yet, now, you criticize the program from accepting a commitment from one of the only big guys that remain in the tiny pool of players that you define as acceptable? I guess if cloning were an option then the staff could come up with a big man that fit your criteria. Have you got any suggestions on a post player that we should have gotten to help us out next year
But Sid has college experience on his bench, so I trust he knows what he doing here. One thing for sure, we are all going to learn a lot this yera.
June 14th, 2006 at 5:08 pm
Anyone remember the name Gugs? Gugs was a project, given a scholarship by V as a favor. Look what happened to him. I am not suggesting giving scholarships to projects, but look what can happen. It is better than nothing. The old adage, you cant teach height applies. Its not like he is taking a spot from someone else, because at this stage he is not.
As for Degand, what I read is also wing. No guarantee for Wright or McMillian, so take this guy if he can help. Maybe he can move to the wing for Wright.
June 14th, 2006 at 5:27 pm
None of us has seen the big ski, so let’s just hold the criticism on him for awhile. Burleson was seen as a project by many when he began and he turned out just fine as I recall. As my friend Lefty once said you can’t coach height, either you have it or you don’t.
Degand can play either guard spot according to the scouts so it was a good move to bring him on now. We definitely need some speed added to our lineup.
June 14th, 2006 at 5:50 pm
Dan continues to perplex the hell out of me.
Something tells me that Dan was all for recruiting Adam Simons and Kristian Jensen as “potential upsides” with the 13th scholarship when Herb was on staff.
You can only play five guys at once.
You usually only play 8 to 10 guys in a rotation.
Why NOT have a smart guy who is 7′3 with tons of upside since he is still learning the game as one of your 2 or 3 guys that isn’t expected to play?
There is NO other big player available to help in this year’s class since the University (and Dan) are significantly against recruiting JUCO players.
We will have at least five scholarships available next season. So, the alternative is NOT NECESSARILY to land a guy in next year’s class that can contribute…since recruiting SIX very talented freshmen to a team that already has Costner Fells and some other talent.
June 14th, 2006 at 6:11 pm
“Don’t expect much from Lewandowski in his first couple of seasons. Anything more than a few fouls, a few altered shots, and a few rebounds will be gravy.”
And this helps us in the short term how? I’m not sure a guy that was recruited to UNO can really help a contender in the ACC. I understand we need size, but we also need players that can play today b/c there are huge holes to fill. Maybe Sid knows something that we don’t. And I also don’t see how he’s going to help us establish an up-tempo game, as Sid has said he’d like to implement. Granted I’ve never seen him play, but I’ve just never been a fan of these types of players.
June 14th, 2006 at 6:19 pm
So what. So what that we take a 7′3″ project. I’d much rather have that project with a group of talented coaches that can get the best out of him, than to take blue-chippers with a coach that can’t get kids to their potential. Breathe easy guys. We’re going to be fine. I, for one, trust the judgement of our coaches on this one completely. No one will have anything to say if this kid is an instrumental part of future championships. One never knows.
June 14th, 2006 at 6:56 pm
I didn’t mean to sound like I was dogging the guy with the Fingleton comment earlier. I hope he turns out useful, and until we see him there’s no reason to believe he won’t. What I was getting at was I don’t buy the notion that he’ll be good just because someone referred to him as a “hard worker.” Sid could sign me up and I’d work my ass off. But I’d still suck. I trust Bartosz has more game than I do.
I like that they found a 2006-07 addition. We need some help next year, even if it’s just some height and a guy to give us five minutes and/or five fouls a game. That can be a useful role player, if used right. It would have been great to have Ced back, but it’s kind of unfair to the rest of the guys on the team to just round up the wagons for a season because he left.
June 14th, 2006 at 6:59 pm
“I guess we aren’t running the “bucket of confettiâ€? offense anymore.”
I love that.
T Burleson wasn’t exacly “polished” or even just plain Polish, when he arrived either. A few pointers from the now welcomed and very interested former big man in the middle, might be of some value to the “already dreaded by many who haven’t a clue,” freshman 7′3″ “project.”
Let’s not start knocking recruits before we even know who they are. One reporter says he’s not too good, AND IT IS THE ABSOLUTE GOSPEL, there is no doubt about it! It happens every time, on every topic, on every thread.
June 14th, 2006 at 7:01 pm
RE:As for Degand, what I read is also wing. No guarantee for Wright or McMillian, so take this guy if he can help. Maybe he can move to the wing for Wright.
I agree with both those comments, Mike. When thinking about project centers, remember Todd Fuller. I’d also like to see the guy play before saying he’s not going to contribute this year. Just being 7′3″ he’ll likely improve our horrid rebounding margins from recent years. Maybe he’s the center version of Atsur, a heady player no one knows anything about, who does the most with what he has. The 7 Footer doesn’t need to run to support transition, he can just block shots and start breaks.
I’m betting as well that Degand takes a swing spot in the rotation with Grant (Sr.) and Fells (Jr.) next year. This with the pursuit of Thomas means, Sid wants atheletes. Best players in the class? Certainly not. Best available players at this point in time to stabilize the program’s depth? Very likely.
June 14th, 2006 at 8:14 pm
“I’d much rather have that project with a group of talented coaches that can get the best out of him, than to take blue-chippers with a coach that can’t get kids to their potential.”
Sorry to call bluff here, but in my estimation this coaching staff has proved absolutely nothing of significance that they can take personal responsibility for at this stage. Another blanket comment made with little to back it up. Perhaps we will have some evidence to back up such a claim in the years ahead…but this is clearly an unproven coaching staff, though one with a huge upside. We have no idea what to expect from them as these two signings will attest to.
June 14th, 2006 at 8:23 pm
According to his coach, the big man can run the floor. If he is on the hardwood to give McCauley and Brack a breather for 5 minutes a game, then I think that he will have earned his keep.
Towe seems really high on him, and his other school of choice (SDSU) isn’t exactly at the bottom of the mid-majors. He played in Polish leagues, and at an elite boarding school in Maine. He never saw much time in either situation, but it is hard to say what he can do without giving him a chance. So be positive and give him a chance.
I wouldn’t worry about the scholarship issue. We will have plenty for 2007 and 2008 even if we bring in one guy that people deem a project. Most teams are really only using 8 scholarship players in the regular season rotation, with the rest there for back-up. If Lewandowski works out, then great. If not, then we used a scholarship for a few years that would have probably sat vacant anyway. I cannot see how this is anything but a positive move.
Degand will have two years practicing against excellent guards (Blalock, Atsur, etc.). Lowe expects him to come in and start at PG in 2007, whether we have Wright, McMillan, or no one else. If you look at the the other offers that Degand was pulling in, then you can probably guess that there is something to this kid.
June 14th, 2006 at 9:26 pm
Is there any chance he was given a scholly for 1 year only? Maybe we are going to pull a Bunting and pull the scholly for a better player later.
I don’t have a problem with this, although I do remember seeing that 7′4″ guy on UVA’s bench for a few years and wondering why that guy never saw the court.
I’m just disappointed that we have to wait a year for DeGand. Hopefully he will contribute in practice and provide services similar to Bethel with more impact when he gets a chance to play in 07.