NC State sophomore forward Jericole Hellems suffered a concussion last Saturday against Wake Forest, but he has passed a couple of tests that have cleared him.
Hellems, who hasn’t practiced this week, will likely be a game-time decision Sunday at North Carolina Greensboro. The good news is that Hellems doesn’t have any back issues from the fall with Wake Forest junior center Olivier Sarr. Hellems was taken off the court on a stretcher as a precautionary measure, but he tweeted out later that he’d be OK.
His teammates are ready to welcome him back, whatever game it might take place.
“He is looking good and feeling good, and he’s ready to get back on the court,” NCSU junior guard Braxton Beverly said.
NCSU coach Kevin Keatts will talk to Hellems and the doctors and will need to “feel good about it” in order for him to play against the Spartans.
If Hellems is unable to play the Wolfpack will be down to eight healthy scholarship players, along with two walk-ons. Fifth-year senior center Danny Dixon was able to practice this week, and if Dixon plays, that allows redshirt junior D.J. Funderburk to play some at power forward.
The ACC Tournament is at the Greensboro Coliseum on March 10-14 this season, which usually benefits the Spartans schedule. However, the Wolfpack are the lone ACC team to play at UNCG this winter.
“The tables have turned a little bit in that instead of coming to the PNC, we have to go to their place,” Keatts said.
Keatts was referring a little bit to the last meeting between the program. UNCG shocked NC State with a 81-76 victory Dec. 16, 2017, at PNC Arena. The Spartans shot a lights out 12 of 24 on three-pointers in the victory for coach Wes Miller. Beverly is the lone Wolfpack player remaining who played in that game, scoring 16 points, hitting 4 of 9 three-pointers and dishing out eight assists while filling in for suspended point guard Markell Johnson.
“I know that is something that I remember,” Beverly said. “I’m the only one that carries that burden around. I remember how upsetting that was.”
UNCG has played a pair of high profile games, losing 74-62 at Kansas on Nov. 8, and topping Georgetown 65-61 on Nov. 30.
“They shoot the basketball from four different positions and shoot a lot of three-pointers,” Keatts said. “They do a good job of mixing the defense up with the 1-2-2 press, back to a man-to-man and sometimes zone.”
The Hoyas win proved costly because the Spartans lost sophomore wing Kaleb Hunter to injury after nine minutes. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound Hunter is averaging 12.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, and is shooting 60.7 percent from the field. Hunter had 17 points and 12 rebounds against the Jayhawks, but Keatts thinks the Spartans have the depth to absorb it.
“I think he changes them a little bit, but it’s tough because they’ve inserted some shooters into there,” Keatts said. “I don’t think it changes what they do. In some respects, it makes them a little more dangerous even though he has played well.”
Keatts’ first win as a head coach at North Carolina Wilmington was at UNCG on Nov. 18, 2014. The Seahawks opened the season with a loss at Old Dominion, but Craig Ponder went bonkers with 26 points and 4 of 4 on three-pointers to lead UNCW to a 84-72 victory in the second game of the season.
“I give Wes credit and it’s a program on the rise,” Keatts said. “They remind me of my Wilmington teams.”
The 7-2 Wolfpack have four non-conference games remaining, including a tilt at No. 12-ranked Auburn on Dec. 19. Parity seems to be the them in the ACC and college basketball overall going into 2020. Keatts is in favor of having rankings released in late December to avoid the appearance of so many upsets are occurring. He hasn’t shown the players the ACC standings so far.
“Everyone says it is a little different, but I don’t look at it that way,” Keatts said. “I think it’s very similar to the past years.
“I don’t think anybody knows at the beginning of the year who are the top 10 teams in the country. It has to figure itself out.”
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