In the big picture, NC State’s Basketball program desperately needs more strategic spacing of scholarships to insure balance in the program’s future. As you will see in a moment, the addition of a junior college player this season would play a major role in helping the Pack balance our roster for future seasons.
SFN discussed State’s thin roster for the 2006-2007 season in this entry, but we didn’t lay out the scholarship spacing picture as clearly as we could have. The 13 scholarships spots on next year’s roster are as follows:
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) Potentially Dan Werner (F)
(1o) N/A
(11) N/A
(12) N/A
(13) N/A
So, next^ year looks tough enough in its own right…but, consider that Andrew Brackman is most likely going to be a high draft pick in next year’s Major League Baseball draft and will not return his senior season. That will effectivly make him a senior next year and make his scholarship available a year prematurely. So, take a look at the projected roster spacing for 2007-2008:
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) Potentially Dan Werner (F)
Freshman Class
(7) Potentially Dan Werner’s scholarship
(8) N/A
(9) N/A
(10) N/A
(11) N/A
(12) N/A
(13) N/A