Schramm: Surging Wolfpack proving doubters wrong

Source: The Fayetteville Observer, N.迷你倉C.Dec. 26--Throughout the preseason, N.C. State's players said that they were being underestimated. Few were listening, however, because when you're picked to finish 10th in the league, what else are you supposed to say?There was plenty of reason to have doubts about this Wolfpack team. Of the three players returning from last season's NCAA tournament team, T.J. Warren was the only one to receive significant playing time on a consistent basis. Tyler Lewis was a back-up point guard and 7-foot center Jordan Vandenberg rarely saw the court in important moments.The rest of the roster was a collection of freshmen and transfers only one of which, freshman guard Cat Barber, was considered to be an immediate difference maker.So while the N.C. State players themselves felt they were being slighted, the circle of people agreeing with their line of reasoning was a small one.It got even smaller when Vandenberg hurt his ankle in the preseason and the Wolfpack started 2-2 with an overtime loss to N.C. Central at home.But as ACC play nears, those players' statements back in September are beginning to look prescient.N.C. State (9-2) has won seven straight, most notably a road win at Tennessee. The Wolfpack's roster has settled into what appears to be a capable and comfortable rotation and those same players who faced waves of doubt before the season can now talk about a growing confidence."I feel like we're a great team, we're getting better every day," Warren said after last week's 90-79 win against East Carolina. "Everybody's still learning the offense. We haven't reached our potential. I'm excited for the year."With conference play starting in a little over a week, N.C. State has fewer questions than many of their conference mates.Vandenberg has been impressive since returning from his injury while his backup,自存倉freshman BeeJay Anya, has shown the ability to wreak havoc on the defensive end. After moonlighting at power forward in Vandenberg's absence, Warren, the ACC's leading scorer, was able to slide back over to his natural small forward spot where he's continued to thrive.Meanwhile, Barber has shown chemistry with transfer guard Desmond Lee, giving the Wolfpack an athletic starting backcourt. Lewis and LSU transfer Ralston Turner add an element of experienced depth.And unlike last season's veteran team which was saddled with weighty expectations, this squad has little in the way of pressure."I do really like this team," Wolfpack coach Mark Gottfried said. "I like the energy every day. There's a real eagerness in practice every day. I like that. It's fun. But some of that is just youthful. They're youthful and anxious to learn, anxious to try things."Of course, there are issues as the Wolfpack is still short on reliable shooters that can crack the zone defenses that it's seen plenty of. And with the seven of its nine wins coming at home against non-power conference teams, it remains to be seen how sturdy this momentum is. Saturday night's game against No. 25 Missouri (10-1) will offer a good test.But should the Wolfpack score a win over the Tigers, it may be time to admit that those voices saying everyone was wrong about this team might have had a point."We're just confident in our abilities," Vandenberg said. "People were selling us short because we have a lot of new people coming in. . But we have a talented bunch. If people want to undersell us, that's fine."___Staff writer Stephen Schramm can be reached at schramms@fayobserver.com or at 486-3536.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Fayetteville Observer (Fayetteville, N.C.) Visit The Fayetteville Observer (Fayetteville, N.C.) at .fayobserver.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉