When Mady Traore arrived at Rock Hill (S.C.) Believe Prep, he need a boost to get his basketball path on track.

Little did anyone know that it would eventually lead to NC State, which is a little over 2 1/2 hours to the east. Coach Kevin Jackson knew the 6-foot-11, 210-pounder had potential, but the native of Bobigny, France, needed some fine-tuning. Jackson had just talked to NCSU coach Kevin Keatts on Wednesday about his stretch four.