A look at the revamped 2012-13

Demon Deacon basketball teams

O L D G O L D & B L A C K

Graphic by Matt Poppe and Aaron Colston/Old Gold & Black

WAKE FOREST BASKETBALL PREVIEW

2012-13

All photos by Jeremy Hefter and John Turner/Old Gold & Black

� ere’s a new look, new goal and a new attitude for the 2012-13 men’s basketball team.

After two less than stellar seasons fi lled with disappoint-ment and unfulfi lled visions of success, the Demon Dea-cons are looking to turn things around and bring Wake basketball back to the top of the ACC.

After multiple transfers and dismissals last season, this year’s squad was in need of players to fi ll many holes in the roster. � e Deacs have attempted to fi ll these gaps with an impressive freshman class of seven standout players from across the country.

� e team will look on the newcomers to make in immedi-ate impact, particularly guards like Codi Miller-McIntyre and Madison Jones.

� e two were well known around the state of North Car-olina, as they were standouts at their respective high schools in Concord and Raleigh. � ey will boost the Deacon back-court, which will face tough challenges all season, particu-larly during conference play.

Wake will, however, return its two leading scorers from last season in senior C.J. Harris and junior Travis McKie.

Harris returns for his fi nal season at Wake after a stellar junior season in which he was fourth in the ACC in scoring at 16.7 points per game. � e Winston-Sa-lem native will bring not only his scoring ability to the fl oor, but his leadership and versatility that will be valuable on such a young team.

McKie will be one of the biggest keys to the Deacs’ success this season as he brings a scoring and rebounding presence that is

nearly unmatched in the ACC. McKie scored just over 16 point per game last season, and his athleticism and strength will cause many matchup problems for opponents in the coming year.

Another fundamental part of the Wake off ense will be sophomore Chase Fischer. � e 6-foot-3 guard is a pure shooter that showed glimpses of greatness during his fresh-man campaign.

� e Deacons will look for his shooting stroke to propel them this season. Fischer has worked on his shot release this off season and has bulked up a great deal since last year. He will be looking to exploit defenses with this quicker shot and his better ability to get to the rim.

Overall, the Deacons will bring a team to the fl oor that is leaps and bound ahead of that which took the fl oor last season, but the challenge will be to get the youthful team up to speed in one of the most competitive conferences in college basketball.

� e challenge will again be to compete with the power-houses like North Carolina and Duke, but with the athleti-cism of this team and the off ensive potential of the return-ing players, the Deacons bring an attitude that believes they could win against any opponent this season.

Head coach Jeff Bzdelik, in the fi nal year of his three-year contract, has worked diligently with the rest of the coach-ing staff to recruit a team that will perform on the court, as well as off the court, as the team has experienced issues with players in the past two seasons. But optimism is high this season as there is an evident change in team character and a group of players that seem much more focused and on the same page.

� e sky is the limit with this team if they can capitalize on their new talent and overcome youthful mistakes.

Old Gold & Black | Basketball PreviewPage 10 | Thursday, November 8, 2012

BY MATT POPPEOnline Managing Editorpoppmw9@wfu.edu

New look Deacons will rely heavily on youth

Senior C.J. Harris will look to lead the Demon Deacons on the court this season. The 6-foot-3 guard received third team All-ACC honors last season after scoring 16.7 points per game.

Photo courtesy of John TurnerMcKie

2012-2013 RosterCodi Miller-McIntyre — Guard —FR

Madison Jones — Guard —FRDevin Thomas — Forward —FRDaniel Green — Forward —SOChase Fischer — Guard — SO

C.J. Harris — Guard —SRTravis McKie — Forward — JR

Andre Washington — Center — FRAaron Rountree III — Forward — FRTyler Cavanaugh — Forward — FR

Dan Walsworth — Guard — FRDuke Antonelli — Guard — FR

Spencer Jennings — Guard — SRArnaud William Adala Moto — Forward — FR

Grant O’Brien — Forward — FRDoug Niedrich — Forward — SO

Quick Facts2011-12 record: 13-18

2011-12 ACC record/fi nish: 4-12/NinthReturning starters: 2

Years of basketball: 106Winning seasons: 64

All-time record: 1848-1358-22 (.576)ACC Championships: 4 (1961, 1962, 1995, 1996)

NCAA Tournament Appearances: 22

Basketball Preview | Old Gold & Black Thursday, November 8, 2012 | Page 11

Spencer JenningsGuard

Senior Spencer Jennings, a non-schol-arship player, has been with the Demon Deacons for three seasons now and has seen immense changes in the basketball problem.

However, this year he is more than opti-mistic about the squad and the changes it has undergone.

“There is definitely a big difference this year as compared to last year,” Jennings said.

“We’ve got a lot of new guys. Last year we only had three freshmen. I would say the biggest change I see is the team chemistry in the locker room.”

“Last year, on and off the court, you didn’t really see the camaraderie and guys getting along as well as they do this year. It’s definitely more of a family environ-ment this year.”

Jennings is one of just two seniors this season (besides C.J. Harris), and his expe-rience and knowledge will be invaluable to this young Deacon squad.

The Midland, Mich., native transferred to Wake in 2010 after formerly playing for Division III Albion College.

Now in his final year at the university, he is looking forward to a renewed passion from the fans and hopes to return to Wake Forest’s winning ways.

“I’m really hoping that this year we can get the students out there,” Jennings said.

“I know the last couple of years has been tough for everybody, not winning games and the students not coming out. I’m hop-ing we can get that fan support and get the Joel rocking again.”

Above all, the 6-1 guard looks to make the most of his opportunity here at Wake.

“With me being a senior, every game is a chance to really savor and enjoy the mo-ment,” he said.

BY MATT POPPEOnline Managing Editorpoppmw9@wfu.edu

Birthdate: 05/21/1991Class: SeniorHometown: Midland, Mich.Height: 6-1Weight: 180Major: Communication

C.J. Harris

Senior C.J. Harris is back and ready for the upcoming season. Last year’s leading scorer and leading three-point shooter is back for his final campaign with the Demon Deacons. Although questions emerged if Harris would leave for the NBA, he said the notion never crossed his mind.

“It’s just a school I committed to,” Harris said. “Coming out of high school, I wanted to play for Wake Forest. Since it was my dream to play for Wake Forest, I didn’t want to change it.”

Not only is Harris excited to be back on the court, but he wants to return to the success he was able to experience during the 2009-10 season.

“I’ve been wanting to get back to the winning circle since my freshman year,” Harris said.

During the that season, Wake posted a 20-10 record, defeating No. 8 seeded Texas in the first round before losing to No. 1 seed Kentucky in the second.

“I will always remember that. I tell the guys all the time that my freshman year was great. Being in the NCAA tournament is unreal,” he said.

With his experience, he knows how hard a team has to work in order to win games and make the tournament.

“[The seniors] knew what it took to fin-ish tough games,” Harris said. “That’s something I’ve kept with me throughout the years.”

Harris is ready to lead the team and the new freshman class in the right direction.

“They are just as anxious as I am to get back out on the court. We’re all excited.”

Wake fans should look forward to the upcoming season knowing that C.J. Harris will be giving his 100 percent on the court in bringing the Demon Deacons back to their past successes.

BY MAX WOHLMUTHSports Editorwohlmj11@wfu.edu

Guard

Birthdate: 02/19/1991Class: SeniorHometown: Winston-Salem, N.C.Height: 6-3Weight: 190Major: Communication

If there is one thing head coach Jeff Bzdelik is looking for, it is good basketball players.

However, Bzdelik’s interpretation of a “good” basketball player extends far beyond perfor-mance on the court and even reaches into the community.

It is no secret that Wake Forest has had a somewhat challenging past with basketball players finding trouble and being dismissed from the university, but Bzdelik has hope that this culture will change at Wake. He has reason to believe so.

With a top-tier recruiting class full of up-standing young men, the development of lead-ers such as senior C.J. Harris and junior Travis McKie, new uniforms, a new paint job at the Joel and time for Bzdelik to settle in his new home at Wake, the Deacs are headed in the right direction under “Buzz.”

“We have a lot of depth, renewed energy and talent,” Bzdelik said.

“We are very excited for where we are at right now. The practices are energetic and competi-tive, which brings the best from the kids.”

Bzdelik, now in his third year at the helm of the Deacons, owns a 21-42 record with the Deacons.

Previously, Bzdelik held head coaching jobs with the Denver Nuggets, the University of Colorado at Boulder and Air Force. But, while the record at Wake may appear a sign of re-building, what many do not realize is it takes time to break in a new philosophy and a new culture regarding the game.

“We are not going to compromise our values, but we will do the right thing and stay true to our principles,” Bzdelik said.

Yet while a clean-run program is a top-prior-ity for Bzdelik, he also understands the impor-tance of winning.

“We want a winning season, and we’ll see where it takes us,” he said.

BY TY KRANIAKSports Editorkrantr11@wfu.edu

Bzdelik leads young team

2012-13 Coaching StaffJeff BattleAssociate Head Coach12th season

Rusty LaRueAssistant CoachFourth Season

Walt CorbeanAssistant CoachSixth season

Jeff Bzdelik, the 21st coach in Wake Forest history, has accrued a 21-42 record in two seasons at the helm of the Demon Deacons.

Photo courtesy of John Turner

Old Gold & Black | Basketball PreviewPage 12 | Thursday, November 8, 2012

Travis McKie

After emerging as not only one of the top players on Wake Forest, but as one of the most athletic forwards in the ACC, junior Travis McKie has reason to believe he may improve further during his junior year with the Demon Deacons.

� e 6-foot-7 forward who weighs in at 200 pounds ranks 12th of all-time among all Demon Deacons in rebounds per game. His average, which includes his freshman and sophomore years, stands at 7.3 re-bounds per game.

McKie’s rebounding will continue to be a necessity for the Deacons as they are hop-ing to have a stronger presence inside the paint this season.

“Mentally, I know the game a lot better,” McKie said.

“As a team, we are young, but our goal is to be competitive and win every game.”

More so than just developing athletic skills on the court, McKie has emerged as one of the leaders on the team. Leaders will certainly be needed with the large number of freshmen on the team.

“Travis is a young man who was very pro-ductive in the past for us, and he is learn-

ing how to become a leader,” Bzdelik said about McKie.

It is very likely that McKie will be one of the Deacons’ top point scorers and with this experience, he will be a key to main-taining a stingy defense to shut down pow-erhouses such as Duke and Carolina.

Lately, Duke and North Carolina have had their way with Wake, but McKie and his teammates are hoping to return Wake Forest to its glory days when wins over North Carolina and Duke were common-place.

“We are reminded every day of the tra-dition here at Wake, and it is our goal to uphold it,” McKie said.

BY TY KRANIAKSports Editorkrantr11@wfu.edu

Forward

Birthdate: 10/23/1992Class: JuniorHometown: Richmond, Va.Height: 6-7Weight: 220Major: Communication

Daniel GreenForward

No player may have been looking for-ward to this season more than sophomore Daniel Green. Last year as a true freshman, Green was still able to average 1.4 points and 1.7 rebounds a game in limited action. Even with this young Demon Deacon team, which features seven freshmen, the forward still has high expectations for the team in what one would call a “rebuilding” year.

“I would think that my expectations for this team would be to make it to the NCAA tournament,” Green said.

Green also expects take on a much greater leadership role in the future, both on and off the court. With a very tough non-con-ference schedule this year, Green knows that his increased role will be important in helping this inexperienced team through the adversity they will face during the year.

“I expect to take on a much larger leader-ship role this year,” Green said. “� ere are a lot of players who can contribute diff erent pieces to the game, and it will be our job to show the new freshmen the ropes.”

With the graduation of last year’s seniors coupled with the transfers of key players,

Green motivated himself to work hard in the gym during the off season in order to add bulk. With this added weight, the for-ward hopes to improve his inside presence, something the team lost with the departure of four year letterman Ty Walker.

“� e main thing I had to work on this summer was getting stronger, that was one of the big keys the coaches wanted to see me improve in the months ahead,” Green said.

Green and the Demon Deacons are try-ing to forget a disappointing season, which saw the team fi nish with a 13-18 overall re-cord, and only claiming four wins in ACC play.

BY LUCAS SMITHContributing Writersmitlk11@wfu.edu

Birthdate: 10/20/1992Class: SophomoreHometown: Colleyville, TexasHeight: 6-10Weight: 220Major: Undeclared

Doug NiedrichForward

Sophomore forward Doug Niedrich is one of six returning players for the Demon Deacons. Niedrich was a walk-on to the basketball team last season and embraced his role as a scout team player.

Back in his hometown of Lincolnshire, Ill., Niedrich earned four varsity letters at Adlai E. Stevenson High School and a trip to the regional championship.

Niedrich only appeared in one game last season in the win at Boston College, but his role is more in the preparation for games. He is a key member of the scout team, which involves watching video of future opponents to mimic their games in practice.

“Duke is my favorite team to scout, be-cause I get to be Ryan Kelly and shoot threes all day,” Niedrich said.

“Being on the scout team is very time consuming, but is also very fun.”

During the off season, he worked mostly on cardio and strength, trying to adapt his body to the speed of the college game.

“I only gained 10 pounds of muscle but it will help me compete with my team-mates in practice better.”

� is season, Niedrich is looking forward most to the North Carolina game at UNC. “North Carolina was my favorite team growing up and I can’t wait to play in the Dean Dome,” Niedrich said.

Niedrich believes the team goals for this season are to continue to improve as their record last season was better than the year before. He believes the incoming talent will help the team cope with the losses from last season’s transfers.

While he may not get the most playing time, Niedrich’s role on the team is impor-tant in preparing the team to play against the grueling ACC schedule the team en-dures each year.

BY ROB SAWYERStaff Writersawyrs11@wfu.edu

Birthdate: 10/05/1992Class: SophomoreHometown: Kildeer, Ill.Height: 6-6Weight: 200Major: Undeclared

Chase Fischer

Great shooters have often been a part of Wake Forest’s basketball success, and soph-omore Chase Fischer looks to be the next in a long line of Deacons in that role.

� e 6-foot-3 guard played in all 31 games last season and gained precious experience during his freshman season.

“� ere is nothing like experience, and he gained that valuable experience playing al-most 24 minutes a game last season,” head coach Jeff Bzdelik said.

Fischer, however, used the off season to improve on his skills and bulk up.

“I’ve really tried to improve my foot speed and getting my shot off faster be-cause at this level I learned that you have to be able to get your shot off really quickly,” Fischer said.

“I also got in the weight room a lot and put on a lot of weight.”

Fischer’s off season work was also evident to the coaching staff .

“Chase has really worked hard this sum-mer,” Bzdelik said.

“You can defi nitely tell. He has gotten a heck of a lot stronger. � is along with his ability to shoot the basketball and pass

the ball makes him an intricate part of our plans.”

Despite being in just his second season at Wake, Fischer was named a team cap-tain and his leadership qualities show in his idea of what the team needs to do this season.

“� e fi rst thing we need to do is to de-fend,” Fischer said.

“� at’s the basis of any good basketball team. Also, we just need to come together as a team. We’ve got seven freshman and only four returning players so we’ve just got to gel. I think we have been doing that really well so far. We’ve got to come togeth-er and buy-in to a common goal: winning.”

BY MATT POPPEOnline Managing Editorpoppmw9@wfu.edu

Guard

Birthdate: 02/03/1993Class: SophomoreHometown: Ripley, W. Va.Height: 6-3Weight: 195Major: Undeclared

Basketball Preview | Old Gold & Black Thursday, November 8, 2012 | Page 13

Codi Miller-McIntyre

In an attempt to begin recreating the im-age of the Wake Forest basketball, six new faces have joined the team. At the helm of the recruiting class is point guard Codi Miller-McIntyre. The North Carolina native believes he

is ready to take on the challenges of the ACC. He explained that his older team-mates, such as C.J. Harris, have been fill-ing him in on what it’s like playing against Duke or UNC-Chapel Hill. “It’s a whole other ballgame,” Miller-Mc-

Intyre said. “I have to be ready for anything and prac-

tice hard. I have to get comfortable. The practices and workouts we have will only help me out in the future.”Miller-McIntyre sees his strengths in his

ability to get to the hoop, a strength that all teams want from their point guard. At 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, he has the size

and strength to find his way to basket and score. This is reminiscent of former Demon Deacon and current NBA point guard Chris Paul, who Miller-McIntyre sees as a player he both looks up to and compares himself to.

As a freshman, Mill-McIntyre also realizes that nothing will come easy as a freshman here at Wake Forest. “They told us nobody is going to take it

easy on us because we are freshman,” Mill-er-McIntyre said. “We have to play hard every time with a chip on our shoulders.” Miller-McIntyre has been working hard

and wants to ready to contribute on the floor from the day the season begins. Hopefully, this new face in the Atlantic

Coast Conference is on his way to becom-ing a rising star and leading Wake Forest in becoming an NCAA title contender once again. Hopefully, Miller-McIntyre and the rest of the freshman class can kickstart a new era of Demon Deacon basketball.

BY MAX WOHLMUTHSports Editorwohlmj11@wfu.edu

Guard

Birthdate: 06/01/1994Class: FreshmanHometown: Concord, N.C.Height: 6-3Weight: 195Major: Undeclared

Aaron Rountree III

Forward

In head coach Jeff Bzdelik’s third year at Wake Forest, the men’s basketball team is finally beginning to create an identity. The 2012-13 squad is young, featuring two se-niors, one junior and 10 underclassmen, including seven freshmen, who came to-gether to form the No. 21 recruiting class in the nation, according to ESPN.As a native of Wilson, N.C., freshman

forward Aaron Rountree understands that Wake Forest basketball represents some-thing more than the below-.500 team that has taken the court in the first two seasons of Bzdelik’s tenure.“I want to be a part of bringing [Wake

Forest] back to national prominence where it should be,” Rountree said.In order to return the Deacs to the ranks

of the basketball elite, Rountree and his fellow freshmen must re-shape the culture of Wake Forest hoops into one in which every player fills a defined role in the court.Rountree’s role is one of versatility.“I just try to be versatile and try to have

a positive impact in whatever way Coach [Bzdelik] asks me to,” the 6-foot-8, 190-pound freshman said. “I don’t really

see myself as a strict one position player. I just try to be positive and give my best every day.”The ACC presents a challenge for any

young team and the ‘Baby Deacs’ are no exception. However, through the forma-tion of chemistry and the understanding of roles, this Wake Forest team is primed for success, something that has been lack-ing since former head coach Dino Gaudio was handed a one-way ticket out of Win-ston Salem. When asked of his goals for the team this year, Rountree smiled.“Just to win,” Rountree said. “I try to keep

progressing and getting better every day as an individual and, most importantly, as a team.”

BY MIKE ZAVAGNOStaff Writerzavamd11@wfu.edu

Birthdate: 12/01/1993Class: FreshmanHometown: Wilson, N.C.Height: 6-8Weight: 190Major: Undeclared

Madison JonesGuard

Standing at 6-foot-1 and a nimble 165 pounds, freshman Madison Jones looks like a kid next to the towering presence of other recruits like Andre Washington (7’0’’) and Devin Thomas (6’9’’) as he jogs onto the court during the opening ceremo-ny of Black and Gold Madness. However, Jones will likely play some of

Wake’s most important minutes this sea-son, trading time with fellow freshman Codi Miller-McIntyre, the only other true point guard for the Demon Deacons this season.Jones is coming off a career year on the

court. While averaging 16.5 PPG, 6.5 APG and 3.4 SPG, he ended his senior year at Ravenscroft by taking them to the NCI-SAA championship and leading his team to a 64-52 win while scoring 22 points.In April, then ranked as the best point

guard still available among the 2012 NCAA recruits, he committed to Wake Forest along with six other players as part of a core of skilled freshman the team will need to have perform well all season.With only one junior and two seniors on

the 2012 roster, it’s no secret the Demon

Deacons will have to rely on a very young squad to deliver in the minutes they are given. Jones and his teammates seem to be well aware of this.“I’ll be playing a big role as a point guard

along with Codi [Miller-McIntyre], and we have to step up and play well as fresh-man,” Jones said when asked about his role this season.As the team puts on a scrimmage for the

students packed into Reynolds Gym, Jones is fearless, a smile on his face as he slashes into the lane and jumps passing routes on defense. “I’m just looking forward to playing with

these guys every day and getting better to-gether,” he said.

BY MILES LAYMANContributing Writerlaymmd12@wfu.edu

Birthdate: 10/20/1993Class: FreshmanHometown: Raleigh, N.C.Height: 6-1Weight: 165Major: Undeclared

Devin Thomas

There is a lot more to Devin Thomas’ game than the YouTube sensation, back-board breaking dunk that landed him the top spot on the Sportcenter’s Top Plays.

“I haven’t watched that video since March of last year,” Thomas said. “That dunk is not going to help me in the future.”

When asked what else besides athleticism he would bring to the team, Thomas said, “I have a low post presence, I have good footwork, been working on my right hand, a hook shot, knowing where to be at the right time, and rebounding; a true low post player.”

Last year, as a senior at Central Dauphin High School, Thomas led his team to the state semifinals, where they lost. Along the way, Thomas earned his second consecu-tive first team Class AAAA all-state selec-tion while averaging 23.8 points per game and 13.9 rebounds per game.

Thomas, known for the energy he brings to the court, has hopes of using his 6-foot-9, 235-pound frame to provide the Dea-cons with a spark.

When asked where that intensity comes from, Thomas said, “I know you want me

to say my sister, she beat me up a little bit.” His sister, Alyssa Thomas, is a member of the Maryland Women’s Basketball Team, and also the 2011-12 ACC Player of the Year.

However, before Thomas can take the court, he has to make sure his knee is com-pletely healed from arthroscopic surgery. Thomas, who feels “85-90” percent better, tweaked the knee during a workout but feels he should be “full go in two weeks.”

Thomas, though, is excited about the opportunity to play early. “It’s one of the main reasons I am here right now, because Coach Bzdelik told all of us that if we came in and worked hard, that we had a chance to play, not that it was promised,” he said.

BY MIKE McLAUGHLINStaff Writermclamj12@wfu.edu

Forward

Birthdate: 05/17/1994Class: FreshmanHometown: Harrisburg, Pa.Height: 6-9Weight: 240Major: Undeclared

Old Gold & Black | Basketball PreviewPage 14 | Thursday, November 8, 2012

Tyler Cavanaugh

Amidst a solid freshman class, 6-foot-9 power forward Tyler Cavanaugh hopes to bring new energy into Wake Forest basket-ball following a lackluster year, in which the school fi nished 4-12 in ACC play. “Our goal is to win ACC games,” Ca-

vanaugh said. “With the veterans we have like C.J. (Harris), Chase (Fischer) and Tra-vis (McKie), I believe we have the talent and leadership to make that happen.” Cavanaugh, hailing from Dewitt, N.Y.,

fi lls a similar role to his high school years. “I played the 4 (power forward), in high school, yet often Coach values versatility in games,” Cavanaugh said. “Our gameplay involves lots of play-

ers moving around in certain schemes, based around our off ensive and defensive strengths.” Cavanaugh believes that though the col-

lege game is “a defi nitely an adjustment due to the speed of the game,” he praises the coaches for making the process fairly smooth. “I am excited about playing in college, es-

pecially in the ACC,” Cavanaugh said. “I am ready to be out there on the court.”

As a member of the seven freshmen in the Demon Deacon lineup, Cavanaugh claims that they will fi gure heavily into the game plan this year. “Every freshman has diff erent talents, and

with seven of 11 scholarship athletes being freshmen, we are expected to make plays,” said Cavanaugh. “Our goal is to help out the other players.” Cavanaugh hopes to use his size, strength,

and impressive shooting ability to win games for the Demon Deacons in the up-coming season. “I want to do anything to win games, re-

bounding, scoring, defense and anything else I’m asked to do.”

BY CARR CODYStaff Writercodycc12@wfu.edu

Forward

Birthdate: 02/09/1994Class: FreshmanHometown: Dewitt, N.Y.Height: 6-9Weight: 230Major: Undeclared

Andre Washington

Center

� e only true 7-footer on the men’s bas-ketball team, freshman Andre Washington is primed and ready to play some big min-utes under the rim.

Washington, a graduate of Hargrave Mil-itary Academy in Chatham, Va., should see a good deal of playing time this season with the departure of the team’s top three big men from last year.

“� at’s defi nitely a positive thing about coming here,” Washington said. “I’m also looking to learn a lot from some of the older guys on the team.”

� e Roanoke, Va. native was ranked as a three star recruit by rivals.com, and as the No. 14 center in the state of Virginia. Af-ter averaging 14 points and 10 rebounds in 2010-11 for Roanoke Catholic, Wash-ington transferred to Hargrave where he led the Tigers to a 38-1 record and a No. 2 national ranking.

He is joined at Wake Forest by fellow Hargrave teammate Codi Miller-McIntyre, another freshman.

Washington is excited to bring some fresh energy to a team that lacked explosive play last year.

“I’m really looking forward to it all and having some fun with my teammates.”

� ough Wake Forest fi nished just 4-12 in the ACC last year, the team did play well against both Duke and North Carolina at the Joel Coliseum.

Washington is very excited to get out there and play against top ACC competi-tion.

“It’s going to be crazy playing those teams,” Washington said.

“Last year I was just watching the games at home on television, but now I have the chance to prove myself against them.”

In the talented ACC, Washington has plenty to prove in his fi rst year.

BY NICK WELDONStaff Writerweldnr11@wfu.edu

Birthdate: 06/02/1993Class: FreshmanHometown: Roanoke, Va.Height: 7-0Weight: 220Major: Undeclared

Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum

On University Parkway, the home of the women’s and men’s basketball teams houses more than 14,000 fans. Opening on August 28, 1989, the LJVM Coliseum has hosted events such as the fi rst and sec-ond rounds of the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship in 1993, 1997, 2000 and 2007.

Along with the many events that have occurred at the Joel, some amazing players have also graced the Joel’s fl oor as members of the Demon Deacons. Chris Paul, a now point guard for the Los Angeles Clippers, ran the off ense for the Deacs from 2003-05.

Likewise, current San Antonio Spurs for-ward and future NBA Hall-of-Famer Tim Duncan once roamed the paint for Wake Forest.

However, the Joel hosts far more than just basketball games for the Demon Dea-

cons. High school basketball tournaments are also held at the LJVM Coliseum, such as the North Carolina High School Ath-letic Association Western Regional Basket-ball Tournament. � e NCHSAA Western Regional has been held annually at the Joel beginning in 2003.

� e Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum has also held a number of con-certs as well as wrestling matches in it’s time in Winston-Salem.

Billy Joel, Elton John, and Jay-Z have all visited the LJVM Coliseum during their musical careers.

Even further, President Barack Obama stopped at the Joel as a campaign stop. Former president George W. Bush also stopped by to give a speech on Homeland Security at LJVM.

All in all, the Joel has seen some memo-rable events and a number of well-known fi gures in its 23 year history and shall con-tinue to bring excitement to Winston-Sa-lem. Stop by the Joel this year to catch a few games for the Deacs’ 2013 season.

BY MAX WOHLMUTHSports Editorwohlmj11@wfu.eduArnaud William

Adala Moto

Wake Forest’s fi rst basketball player out of Cameroon, 6-foot-6 freshman forward Ar-naud William Adala Moto could be one of the team’s most versatile players this year.Although his height is only average for

the Demon Deacons, Adala Moto’s wing-span is the third longest on the team. But that’s not what makes him a standout. Adala Moto grew up playing soccer in Cameroon, and brought this skill to Epis-copal High School in Alexandria, Virginia, where he earned two varsity letters.“I think [my soccer background] helps me

a lot,” Adala Moto said. “I have pretty de-cent footwork and soccer defi nitely helped me with that.”On top of his basketball and soccer ca-

reers, Adala Moto also lettered twice in track and fi eld at Episcopal, where he com-peted in the high jump.Despite such an impressive athletic back-

ground, the transition from high school to collegiate basketball was still demanding.“It’s been a lot of adjustment,” Adala

Moto said, referring to his change of pace at Wake Forest. “Now, even at practice, you can’t take a play off . It’s been great.”

Adala Moto arrived at Wake Forest as one of the seven freshmen to join the De-mon Deacons this year. First year players alone make up more than half of the team’s 2012-2013 lineup.“� e energy [the freshmen] bring on the

court is unbelievable,” Adala Moto said, who describes his experience as one of the “Spectacular Seven” freshman as “amaz-ing.”On top of the energy and athleticism

that Adala Moto brings to this Wake For-est team, his experience playing in Cam-eroon has also taught him the aggression that makes him successful around the rim, and the precision to step back and sink 3-pointers.

BY TYLER KUKLAStaff Writerkukltj12@wfu.edu

Forward

Birthdate: 06/24/1993Class: FreshmanHometown: Yaounde, CameroonHeight: 6-6Weight: 225Major: Undeclared

In her fi rst year at the helm of the Wake Forest women’s basketball team, head coach Jen Hoover will look to build off of her success at High Point where she lead the team to a 20-13 record and a spot in the Women’s Na-tional Invitational Tournament.

Before this, Hoover was a legend in Winston-Salem. As a member of Wake Forest’s class of 1991, she was the only Deacon to ever have 1,000 career points in addition to securing 1,000 rebounds. She is now a member of Wake Forest Athletic’s Hall of Fame.

Hoover replaces former Deacon coach Mike Petersen, who resigned as head coach of Wake Forest after last season. Petersen is now coaching at North Texas. Petersen compiled the most successful tenure ever with the Deacons,

which included an eight year stint and a 125-123 record. � is season, Hoover will still be working with a lot of Pe-

tersen’s former recruits who have fl ourished at Wake Forest.� e Deacons will be heavily reliant on talent from the

upperclassmen on the team with just one freshman and three sophomores.

Wake Forest will look to juniors Chelsea Douglas and Lindsy Wright and seniors Lakevia Boykin, Sandra Garcia and Asia Williams to lead the team.

With such stiff competition in their conference, Wake Forest was picked to fi nish ninth in the ACC.

� e Demon Deacons will have the challenge of facing a No. 3 Duke team twice this season (both at the Joel as well as at Cameron Indoor).

In addition to this, Wake Forest will face Big East opponent No. 2 Con-necticut in the U.S. Virgin Islands on � anksgiving evening, Nov. 22. � e Huskies are commandeered by one of the greatest coaches of all time, Geno Auriemma, who is in his 27th season at the helm of UConn.

To add to the diffi culty of schedule, Wake Forest has a date in College Park, Md., against a No. 5 Maryland Terrapins team. Are these tough games? Yes. But, the beauty of college basketball is that anyone can win at any given time.

While Wake Forest will need to play extremely well to remain competitive in a cutthroat conference, they certainly have the senior leadership that is needed for these sorts of runs.

� e Deacs already crushed Anderson by a score of 88-53 in an exhibition game Oct. 29 at the Joel. � e off ensive was explosive, and Wake Forest will need that moving forward as a key to success this year.

� e Deacons will begin their regular season campaign at 2 p.m. Nov. 11 at the Joel Coliseum when the Coppin State Eagles visit Winston-Salem.

Basketball Preview | Old Gold & Black Thursday, November 8, 2012 | Page 15

BY TY KRANIAKSports Editorkrantr11@wfu.edu

Women’s squad looks to build on last season

Senior Lakevia Boykin led the Deacons in scoring during the 2011-12 season with 12.2 points per game. She also earned honorable mention All-ACC honors.

Photo courtesy of John Turner

Douglas

2012-2013 Roster

Chelsea Douglas — Guard — JRPatrice Johnson — Guard — RS SRMykala Walker — Forward — SRSusie Webster — Forward — SOMillesa Calicott — Guard — SOSandra Garcia — Center — SRLakevia Boykin — Guard — SR

Christelle Shembo — Forward — FRDearica Hamby — Forward — SO

Lindsy Wright — Center — JRAsia Williams — Guard — SR

Kandice Ball — Forward — FR

Quick Facts2011-12 record: 20-14

2011-12 ACC record/fi nish: 7-9/SeventhReturning starters: 3

Years of basketball: 41Winning seasons: 11

All-time record: 477-608 (.440)NIT Appearances: 4

NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1

New women’s head coach Jen Hoover will look to bring success to the Demon Deacons after having a standout career for Wake over two decades ago

2012-13 Men’s Basketball Schedule

2012-13 Women’s Basketball Schedule

Date Opponent Nov. 9 RadfordNov. 16 at ConnecticutNov. 23 William & MaryNov. 27 NebraskaDec. 1 at RichmondDec. 5 High PointDec. 8 Seton HallDec. 18 FurmanDec. 22 at UNC-GreensboroJan. 2 XavierJan. 5 at DukeJan. 9 VirginiaJan. 12 Boston CollegeJan. 15 at Clemson

Date OpponentJan. 19 at Virginia TechJan. 22 North Carolina StateJan. 26 at Georgia TechJan. 30 DukeFeb. 2 at MarylandFeb. 5 at North CarolinaFeb. 9 Florida StateFeb. 13 at Boston CollegeFeb. 16 Georgia TechFeb. 23 Miami (Fla.)Feb. 26 at Florida StateMar. 2 MarylandMar. 6 at North Carolina StateMar. 10 Virginia Tech

Date Opponent Nov. 11 Coppin StateNov. 14 UNC-WilmingtonNov. 18 at KansasNov. 22 ConnecticutNov. 23 PurdueNov. 24 MaristNov. 29 at IllinoisDec. 1 Charleston SouthernDec. 4 Florida A&MDec. 8 Seton HallDec. 22 at Virginia TechDec. 29 CampbellDec. 31 NevadaJan. 6 at North Carolina StateJan. 10 at Florida State

Date OpponentJan. 13 DukeJan. 17 ClemsonJan. 20 at Boston CollegeJan. 24 MiamiJan. 27 VirginiaJan. 31 at Georgia TechFeb. 3 at North Carolina StateFeb. 8 MarylandFeb. 10 Boston CollegeFeb. 14 at North CarolinaFeb. 17 at DukeFeb. 21 Georgia TechFeb. 25 at VirginiaFeb. 28 Virginia TechMar. 3 at Maryland