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Freshman Class Has a lot For Keatts to Love

NC State basketball coach Kevin Keatts is excited about the potential of the six newcomers that will make up the bulk of the Wolfpack's roster for the rapidly approaching 2020-21 season

Brett Friedlander

The NC State basketball team returns four starters, three of whom are seniors. But even with all that experience, the bulk of the Wolfpack's 2020-21 roster will be made up of players in their first season in the program.

That includes six members that have yet to play in their first college game.

It's a group that has coach Kevin Keatts excited as he and his team prepare for the first official practice of the preseason on Wednesday.

Here's what Keatts had to say about guards Cam Hayes, Shakeel Moore, forward Nick Farrar, the big man duo of Jaylon Gibson and Ebenezer Dowuona and redshirt freshman wing Dereon Seabron during the Wolfpack's virtual media day Tuesday:

"I want to take this time to first brag about those guys in the classroom. They’ve been tremendous. When you look at those guys, I think they are all above a 3.0, maybe even towards a 3.5 (GPA). So they’ve come in and as a freshman group have been very focused on their academics, which you really want. I’ve always felt like any guy that can perform in the classroom will do great for you on the basketball court.

"Talent wise, I’m excited about it. It’s a big class, and then once again if you add Seabron to it, it makes it a bigger class. They’re guys that work extremely hard. I like what Cam Hayes has brought to the table. He’s a guy with a tremendous IQ as a basketball player. He’s going to be really good for us. 

"Both him and Shakeel Moore have the ability to play together at times. Both of them are capable of playing the point and the shooting guard. I think you’re going to see a lot of that from both of those guys. Cam is a little bit farther along because he’s played more point than anybody. He’s doing a tremendous job.

"As we touch on Shakeel Moore, he’s a tremendous athlete. He’s probably our best on-the-ball defender in our program. He does a tremendous job affecting the game on the defensive end. He’s starting to get a little bit more confident in his shot. 

"Cam has done a tremendous job in that area because he’s making shots behind the three-point line. Also, he’s a great one-two dribble pullup guy. What we’re trying to do is get him to be more effective really getting to the backboard.

"Then you get into the bigger guys. Nick Farrar, who is going to be really good. At his size, he’s going to play a little four and possibly some three. He’s a guy that’s had to get in great shape, as we talked about. 

"One of the things for him is making sure that he can play to our style. Obviously, getting into great shape, watching what he's eating and changing his entire body. He’s a guy, when you think about what he did in high school, who can really score the basketball. So he’s going to be a really good basketball player for us.

"I also love our two young post guys, Jaylon Gibson and E.B. Dowuona. They are sponges. Those guys are active. Jaylon Gibson has a nose for the basketball. He offensive rebounds everything. He’s a guy that’s going to play a little four and five for us. 

"When you think of Jaylon Gibson, think of a younger D.J. Funderburk. He’s got a chance to be really talented. He can handle the ball on the break, step out and shoot 3s. With E.B., think of a younger Manny Bates. He can block shots. He’s a physical presence; a nice body, can score around the basket. He’s going to be really good. Those guys, I’m excited about them. 

"And then not to forget Dereon Seabron because I always consider him a freshman. He’s a guy who is talented, can play one, two or three, and in a pinch we can play him as a small guard as a four if we go with a four guard lineup. He’s really good at getting to the paint, maybe our best paint touch guy that we have. We continue to work on him with his outside shot, making sure he gets a lot of confidence in that area.

"I love the class. I love the class for a lot of reasons. Those guys have come in with an unbelievable approach. They’re really good friends off the court. They all compete everyday. They have a chance to be really good in an NC State uniform."

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Brett Friedlander
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