NC State power forwards Greg Gantt and Ernest Ross were able to fly around, get some dunks and put behind some of the heartache of dealing with long rehabilitations.
Gantt last played in a real game March 10, 2021, against DePaul while playing for Providence in the Big East Tournament. He’s had a sports hernia injury, knee surgery and then a broken finger this past summer.
Few players will be looking forward to Monday’s season opener against Austin Peay like Gantt. He didn’t get to play on the Bahamas trip due to the finger, and was held out of the secret scrimmage against Davidson, but he got a pair of dunks en route to four points and a rebound in 10:28 minutes of action.
“It’s been a long time coming and just a sigh of relief,” Gantt said. “I felt I was a little bit too eager when I got in. Just my adrenaline started pumping.
“It was almost a dream come true again. A kid in a candy store.”
Ross didn’t have as long a wait as Gantt, but he last played Jan. 12, 2022, at Louisville, but he suffered a fractured right ankle. For nearly eight long months, he was in a walking boot with a scooter to get around, and there was nothing fun about that.
“I hate that,” Ross said. “That scooter and boot, it was just crazy. God works in mysterious ways.”
Ross shook off the rust and exploded for 13 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in just 11:56 of action.
“It was amazing and a great feeling honestly,” Ross said. “I go out there and do what I need to do for coach and my teammates.
“I get emotional because last year I was the underdog and then I broke my ankle. It took a lot from me.”
Rivals.com ranked Ross the No. 88 overall player in the class of 2021, coming out of Alachua (Fla.) Santa Fe High.
“When I get my opportunity, I’m going to show everybody that has forgotten about me,” Ross said. “They are going to remember who I am now. I just block out all the other negativity and just be positive going into games.”
NC State coach Kevin Keatts was glad to see what Gantt and Ross could do, and now the Wolfpack have six players at the two post spots.
“It was great, it really was,” Keatts said. “They have the ability to switch one-through-five and ability to play different positions. I was proud.”
Ross can only imagine how many hours he and Gantt have spent together rehabbing together.
“More than you can count, really,” Ross said. “Day-in and day-out, we’ve been working, just trying to get our bodies back together. Greg is a great dude, loving and caring dude. He’s encouraging.”
Gantt’s journey had several twists and turns. He was the No. 55 overall player in the class of 2019 by Rivals.com. He teamed with Joey Baker, who has played at Duke and Michigan while at Fayetteville (N.C.) Trinity Christian, which is where former NC State star Dennis Smith Jr. attended.
Gantt signed with Providence, but learned along the way that his knee needed surgery at some point. Gantt also had the devastating blow of losing his mother during his freshman year at Providence. He averaged 3.3 points and 2.7 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game for the Friars in two years, and wanted a change of scenery. Transferring back home to NC State was the logical move, and then the injuries piled up.
“My junior year [at Trinity Christian], I tore my meniscus partially, but it was such a big recruiting year,” Gantt said. “That was also my first two years of colleges. I never had a procedure on it. Lifting every day, my body stayed strong.”
Gantt then suffered a sports hernia injury and then it became clear he needed to address his knee while sitting out last year.
“I wasn’t on a consistent schedule lifting and I had a sports hernia to take care of,” Gantt said. “Then I realized how weak my knee had gotten. I got an MRI.”
The downtime led to gaining 30 points, which he’s slowly taken off.
“My family held me down for sure,” Gantt said. “I have five sisters and two brothers, and I’m in the middle. I have half-siblings. The things that you love, you can’t do it. You are just around it every day.
“It was like having a new bike but your parents won’t let you ride it [sitting out last year]. Today, I got to do what I love.”
Gantt figures he’s about 80-85 percent of where he wants to be on the court. Off the court, he’ll get his degree in business administration with a concentration in human resources management next May.
“I just want to stay healthy and get through a whole year,” Gantt said. “By the end of the year, I’ll have my athleticism back.”
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