American has been where Wake Forest wants to go. That’s the NCAA Tournament.
The teams embark on a new season when they meet on Nov. 3 in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Wake Forest enters the sixth season under coach Steve Forbes, still without an NCAA Tournament berth under his watch.
If nothing else, the Demon Deacons will display some altered looks this season.
“Probably a lot different from what we’ve had,” Forbes said. “With these guys, they can all play. A fast, athletic team. They’re very competitive.”
The Eagles, on the other hand, went to the Big Dance last season, but it won’t be easy for American to make it back.
“I knew we were going to lose a ton of experience, but at the same time I thought we needed to get longer and more athletic,” coach Duane Simpkins said. “We have a ton of versatility. … Overall, we’re probably more talented as an entire team.”
Both teams could be in a hurry in the opener. There’s talk in both camps about playing with a rapid pace.
“We’re going to play much faster,” Simpkins said.
The Demon Deacons are expecting a major lift from sophomore guard Juke Harris, who put up 6.1 points and 2.8 rebounds per game off the bench last season.
“Juke has got the positional size,” Forbes said. “He can be a guy who can break out this year.”
Wake Forest also has Myles Colvin, a role player for Purdue before transferring, and fellow guard Nate Calmese, who’s on his fourth college stop after most recently playing for Washington State.
American was the Patriot League tournament champion last season. The Eagles, the fourth-place team in this season’s Patriot League preseason poll, will play three nonconference road games against power conference teams.
“We’re excited to build off the momentum of last season and challenge ourselves with a balanced nonconference schedule,” Simpkins said.
American’s Greg Jones, the team’s only returning starter, was named the Patriot League’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. He averaged 10.3 points per game.
