Deacs seek breakthrough
After two near-misses, Wake pursues first NCAA bid since 2017
Wake Forest has taken a clear step forward under Steve Forbes. Now it’s about converting that progress into the program’s first NCAA Tournament bid in more than six years.
The Demon Deacons enter their fourth season under Forbes coming off two straight winning seasons, including 25 wins in 2022. But Wake Forest has come up short of breaking through to earn that NCAA bid even while winning at least 10 Atlantic Coast Conference games in each of the past two seasons.
Wake Forest has done it with impressive use of the transfer portal, notably in bringing in back-to-back picks as Associated Press ACC Player of the Year in guards Alondes Williams (2022) and Tyree Appleby (2023). The formula is familiar this year, as the Demon Deacons chase the program’s first NCAA bid since a First Four appearance under Danny Manning in 2017.
“I just think we’ve done a great job with meshing guys and getting guys that we thought would fit in well with our style of play,” assistant coach B.J. McKie said. “We don’t necessarily look at what they averaged in points.”
Captains Cameron Hildreth (12.4 points per game) and Andrew Carr (10.7 points, 6.0 rebounds) are back to provide experienced scorers.
Wake Forest added Central Michigan guard Kevin Miller after he had proven to be a double-figure scorer in the Mid-American Conference. The Demon Deacons also went west to bring in three transfers: guard Abramo Canka from UCLA and two from Gonzaga in guard Hunter Sallis and 7-footer Efton Reid III, who is from Steward School in Richmond. Reid’s status is unclear as a two-time
transfer requiring an NCAA waiver to play immediately.
“The way (Forbes) coaches, it gives us a lot of freedom to be able to go out there and be comfortable and confident, and play the way that we practice,” said Carr, himself a transfer from Delaware before last season.
Hildreth’s play: Hildreth, a 6-4 guard, has proven capable of contributing in multiple areas. He was also the team’s No. 2 rebounder (5.3) last year and was second in assists (2.8) behind Appleby. He even tallied a triple-double against Hampton.
Stronger finish: The Demon Deacons could use stronger finishes.
Wake lost four of its last seven games before Selection Sunday in 2022, including a narrow loss at highly ranked Duke that might’ve been a résumé-topper good enough to push them into the field of 68.
Last year, the Demon Deacons lost four of their last six games, including two of their seven losses by a two-point margin on the season.
“We get to that point where it’s selection day and we don’t get picked,” Hildreth said. “I feel like we’re in position where we’re definitely good enough to make it and we’ve just come up short.”
The schedule: Wake Forest opens the season Nov. 6 against Elon, then has immediate power-conference matchups against Georgia on Nov. 10 and Utah in the first round of the Charleston Classic.
There are also home games against Florida in the ACC/SEC Challenge (Nov. 29) and Rutgers (Dec. 6) before the ACC opener against Virginia Tech (Dec. 30).