The good news continues for the Pack.
NC State received a huge commitment from point guard Tyler Lewis. Lewis, a local kid from Winston-Salem, is only a junior and will enter the program in what would be Ryan Harrow’s junior season. As a freshman, Lewis will be expected to either back up a veteran Ryan Harrow or would be there to fill the hole at that position if Harrow ends up being a 1 or 2 year college player. Based on Harrow’s wiry frame, there is probably a better chance that he stays for 3 years than he leaves after his freshman season. So the timing of Lewis’ arrival to NC State is almost perfect to ensure continuity at the point guard position in the future.
With one of the most highly rated classes in the history of NC State basketball in 2010, Lowe has positioned the program to make a significant leap forward this season. The team will have veteran experience in T. Smith, J. Gonzalez, and CJ Williams; a highly rated sophomore class that got significant minutes last year including Scott Wood and Richard Howell; and an all-everything trio of freshman in Harrow. Lorenzo Brown, and CJ Leslie.
However, with multiple transfers in the off-season and two more scholarships open with the upcoming departure of Tracy Smith and Javi Gonzalez questions still persist regarding the long-term health of the program. Getting a commitment early at the point guard position from a player like Tyler Lewis is a big step towards answering those questions and hopefully shows that Lowe has a clear plan for the future.
“Tyler has actually committed to NC State,” said Forsyth Country Day head coach Craig Dawson. “Going down there for his visit he felt like they were the leader and he wanted to see if it was a good fit. He wanted to talk with them about how he fit into the offense and wanted to get a feel for the other guys on the team. He was able to hang out with a bunch of their players like Ryan Harrow, and he just loved it. He loved everything about it.
“It’s not too far from home, and it’s ACC basketball. He has two coaches there in coach Lowe and coach Towe who aren’t that much bigger than him, coach Towe is actually smaller, and they understand his game and take him for how how he plays. They made him a priority and that really stood out to Tyler, and I couldn’t be happier for him.”
Pack Insider has some interesting comments from Lewis’ high school coach and former Wake Forest player Craig Dawson:
“Tyler is one of those guys who doesn’t really enjoy the recruiting process.†Said Tyler’s coach Craig Dawson. “He’s been through it for a long time now and he’s been scrutinized and he’s been praised and over the last month he’s just become very fond of NC State.â€
“He’s really felt a connection with Coach Lowe and Coach Towe.†Said Dawson “You know, those guys get him. They were both small point guards who played at the ACC level and won National Championship rings at that level. They get him for who he is. They don’t question his size. There is just a good relationship there. They can laugh with him and joke with him but still let him know what he needs to work on.â€
“In a perfect world Tyler would want to play behind a veteran guard for a year or so and then be handed the reigns. With NC State having Ryan Harrow and Tyler having a great respect and admiration for his Ryan’s game, it was a big plus for State. He liked the idea of playing with Ryan and even getting on the floor at the same time with him. It was a big plus.†said Dawson.
