NC State redshirt junior wing Casey Morsell was part of one of the greatest traveling teams of the last 15 years.
Morsell and Team Takeover traveling team won the 2018 Nike Peach Jam. The loaded squad under coach Keith Stevens featured some players Morsell and the Wolfpack will be facing this month. Morsell and Duke junior point guard Jeremy Roach helped share the backcourt with Team Takeover. The Blue Devils are playing at NC State at 7 p.m. Wednesday at PNC Arena.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Morsell also played with North Carolina center Armando Bacot, who he’ll face at the Dean E. Smith Center on Jan. 21 in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Morsell and Roach were also prep rivals with Morsell playing at Washington (D.C.) St. John’s College and Roach at Fairfax (Va.) Paul VI.
“I’ve known Jeremy Roach since grassroots [basketball], coming up in the DMV and playing AAU together,” Morsell said. “I’ve seen his development to where he is now, leading that team. He is putting them in a position to be successful. It is great to see his growth.
“I hope we come out with the win though.”
Morsell is also close with Villanova wing Justin Moore, Michigan’s Hunter Dickinson and Terrance Williams, Towson’s Charles Thompson and Rhode Island wing Anthony Harris, who began at UNC.
Morsell is enjoying a breakout season for the Wolfpack. He’s averaging 13.5 points per game and shooting an impressive 47.7 percent from three-point land. It’s a far cry from when he shot 20.3 percent on three-pointers at Virginia his first two years (25 of 123).
“They [NCSU coaches] expect me to be a green light shooter,” Morsell said. “I also want to be aggressive and get to the paint and get a lot of paint touches. I want to take what the defense gives me.”
Morsell said he makes sure to stay in touch with his former Team Takeover teammates, some of whom are on the brink of playing professionally.
“We talk a little bit, and just talked to Justin [Moore] not long ago,” Morsell said. “We have a great relationship because we grew up in the same area and grew up together. We all stay in touch with each other for sure.
"We've all taken steps in our games and as people."
2018 Team Takeover roster
(2022-23 statistics)
• Armando Bacot, C, North Carolina — 18.5 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 1.3 bpg
• Hunter Dickinson, C, Michigan — 18.8 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.8 bpg
• Anthony Harris, SG, UNC/Rhode Island — Expected to join team for second semester.
• EJ Jarvis, PF, Yale — 10.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.2 bpg
• Justin Moore, SG, Villanova — Injured this season (14.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.3 apg in 2021-22)
• Casey Morsell, SF, Virginia/NC State — 13.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 0.9 apg
• Josh Odoro, PF, George Mason — 12.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.8 apg
• Jeremy Roach, PG, Duke — 12.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.4 apg
• Charles Thompson, PF, Towson — 12.9 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.6 bpg
• Terrance Williams, SF, Michigan — 7.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 0.8 apg
• Jahmir Young, PG, Charlotte/Maryland — 14.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.0 apg
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