Live Blogging the Red/White Game

07-08 Basketball36

What to watch today:

1) Forty Minute Farnold. Naturally, this is obvious. He should matched up opposite Marques Johnson, which will be doubly interesting.

2) Will Sid break up the troika of Hickson, McCauley, and Costner? I still expect all 3 to start, but maybe not at the outset. In the scrimmage format, it might make things a bit mismatched. We would be able to see how they would defend a smaller, quicker lineup (very interesting to me).

3) Simon Harris. We keep hearing whispers that he could see meaningful action. I work with a guy who played (very well, too), and he met Simon during homecoming weekend. Raved about what a great kid he is, and tough as nails. Could he be the invaluable “glue guy” that all great teams have?

4) Fells and Grant on the wing. We really need 1 of these guys to step up. Both would be even better.

5) JJ Hickson. Will we see the jaw-dropping flashes that have created so much pre-season buzz? How does he hold up defensively, if guarding Big Ben or Costner.

11:50 – It’s great to be sitting in seats usually off limits to us common folk. Too bad nobody is selling food, my daughter and I are starving! The band is here, as is the Costner family.

11:57 – Simon Harris arrives, gives Pack Laddie the “black guy handshake/backslap combo.” It must be cool to be black. Or Pack Laddie.

12:01 – Grant looks even stronger this year. I wouldn’t recommend saying anything bad about his mother.

12:06 – Big Ben and Fells are on the “white” squad. Interesting.

12:13 – Costner on white, too. The demarcation must just be random.

12:42 – Larry Harris got the second biggest ovation (after Sid). Our fans kick ass.

12:45 – Horner is playing the 2 for red squad.

12;51 – Degand looks very good. Twice, he sped down court and found Horner for wide open 3s (made 1). Hickson is very strong in the post. Harris gives a great hard foul.

1:11 – Good Lord, Hickson is fantastic. He just swished an 18-footer, and is 3-3 at the foul line. He looks unstoppable.

Overall: Hickson and Degand looked really good. Degand is super fast, strong with the ball, and a “talker” running the offense. His build is slighter than optimal, but that’s all. Hickson is strong in all areas. McCauley has great mid-range game and Grant a great passer. Smith was a bit sloppy with the ball, and the offense overall was sloppy. Costner was like a bull in a china shop (good and bad).

Due to lack of food, had to leave after Fuller ceremony.

About BJD95

1995 NC State graduate, sufferer of Les and MOC during my entire student tenure. An equal-opportunity objective critic and analyst of Wolfpack sports.

07-08 Basketball

36 Responses to Live Blogging the Red/White Game

  1. mafpack 10/27/2007 at 6:35 PM #

    Few things,

    1. Degand was absolutely awesome, talk about a speedster! I was incredibly impressed with his speed and ball control, obviously his shot will take a bit of work. At one point, Degand rocketed down court after an opposing basket, made the bucket and was was fouled before 3/4s of the players on either team had even made it to the 3-point line. I love his willingness to be loud and direct traffic and felt very confident when he has the ball in his hands, a good thing indeed.

    2. Hickson was as good as advertised; strong and smooth under the basket, he went up hard several times and blocked a few shots with authority. I was definitely impressed at his consistency from the charity strip and his smooth release from 10 feet plus was something you don’t often find in a big man.

    3. Where did Simon Harris come from? Strong, aggressive and always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. I do believe he could be our glue man this year that just out-works everyone else on the floor – man i love role players.

    All in all I was really really excited to see the team perform and play so well together (at times).

    As a final thought, perhaps our all knowing AD should consider assigning halves of the stadium to cheer for a specific team. Part of the reason for the odd quietness in the stadium was from the fan’s indecision about who to cheer for when a play was made (both good and bad) so instead they just said nothing. Perhaps just assigning half the stadium to cheer for white while the other half cheers for red could make the game more enjoyable for everyone involved 🙂

  2. TTandB74 10/27/2007 at 7:58 PM #

    Is the moving screen the “point of emphasis” this year for the officials? I think they called about 20 of them.

    If they call moving screens by the rule book, UNC won’t score 40 points a game.

  3. packk 10/27/2007 at 11:06 PM #

    I agree with xphoenix87 statements about Ben . . I think he is an awesome player who has maximized his potential. He knows the game and how to deliver. Wish I could have made the game . . was too busy tailgaiting for the NCSU/VA game.
    GO PACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Not trying to go against another blog- but shit – we won against VA! They were ranked 15 on ESPNU but 20 something on the n&o. . . . regardless – I am believing TOB when he said the second season would be better. A much deserved pack ACC first win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  4. statered 10/27/2007 at 11:23 PM #

    “Tracy Smith was completely over his head trying to guard Costner. Brandon just abused him on the low block for a few plays. Smith’s going to have to get stronger in order to bang in the low post. ”

    I have to disagree here. I think Tracy is plenty strong and Costner probably had three charges called on him trying to bull his way in. Tracy played better toward the end of the scrimmage too. TS is well developed for a freshman and is ready to play now. Also while listed as 6’7″ he has long arms and good hops. He can definately handle the PF spot.

  5. StateFans 10/28/2007 at 1:57 PM #

    All of this excitement is crazy. Don’t you know that it takes six years to build before you should even begin to think about being good?

  6. ShootingGuard 10/28/2007 at 4:05 PM #

    I never put too much into a team scrimmage, BUT…

    Despite the typical scrimmage sloppiness, this was VERY encouraging—if for no other reason than we had proven ACC players like Ben and BC going up against guys like Hickson who proved they were MEN ready to go up against the ACC’s best. This stands in stark contrast to past scrimmages where our ACC calibre players looked great partially because they were going up against non-ACC level players.

    IF we avoid key injuries, get halfway decent pg play, and avoid chemistry/jealousy issues…we could have a GREAT season.

    Speaking of chemistry, fans are wasting their time trying to pencil in season starters or implying that somehow Ben, BC, and JJ are going to start EVERY game together. There is simply no way Fells or Grant are going to come off of the bench EVERY game UNLESS one of them puts himself in the dog house on or off the court. The only other exception to this would be that our pg options turn out bad, and Sid goes with the 5 best players with Fells and Grant in the backcourt.

    For everyone to excel at what they do best and for the team to win big, we need a pg to direct things. Add that pg person + 4 returning warrior starters who did well all things considered last year + an all world freshman you can’t keep off of the floor…and you have SIX starters. UNLESS someone takes themselves out of the top 6 due to their own stupidity, you are going to see Sid start guys based on the match-ups he sees to start the game, and you will see Sid rotate guys during the game based on the match-ups that present themselves during the game.

    For example, if we were playing a team like BC was last year with a really big guy at the 3, you would see BC on him and Ben and JJ down low to start the game. If we are playing a 3 guard line-up, you are not going to see BC at the 3. 2 of BC, Ben, & JJ would line-up at the 4 & 5.

    Some of Sid’s best coaching this year will be managing egos and minutes on this team. As tough as that may be sometimes, I am confident Sid will prove successful at that—and I like having to worry about that “problem” versus the problem we had last year when Sid wanted to pull someone for making a bonehead play, looked down the bench, saw no one of ACC calibre, then simply turned back and kept coaching what he had on the floor…

  7. TNCSU 10/28/2007 at 10:13 PM #

    Good stuff, ShootingGuard. I think there is alot to be optimistic about.

  8. yannes 10/29/2007 at 1:14 PM #

    Speaking of egos…there is a starter on this team that needs to check his at the door. There is no reason to be blaming teammates for any mistakes because it is up to the coaches to decide who to call out and how to correct mistakes. You either take the responsibility yourself (Simon Harris is great at this) or let it slide (Big Ben is great at this).

  9. packgrad93 10/29/2007 at 2:46 PM #

    ^ I see nothing wrong with an upperclassmen player correcting something a underclassman player did wrong. Looks like leadership to me.

  10. yannes 10/30/2007 at 11:43 AM #

    I think that you are missing the point. This “leader” was blaming his teammates for mistakes that he made.

    Leadership is setting a good example. Leadership is taking responsibility for your mistakes. Leadership is not berating your teammates.

  11. packgrad93 10/30/2007 at 1:16 PM #

    Sometimes leadership requires getting into a teamates’ face if he does something wrong or doesn’t do something he should have.

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