Fans were treated to an opportunity to get a first look at this year’s Demon Deacon men’s basketball squad. The Deacs hosted an open scrimmage before the Wake Forest vs Georgia Tech football game.
Now, intersquad scrimmages don’t tell you a lot about the true outlook of the team because they are going against these same guys every day in practice. The true test is once you get into gameplay against opposing teams. However, there were some things that stuck out from this scrimmage that are worth talking about with a little over a month before the season begins.
Anyone who followed Wake Forest basketball last year knows that the team was way too isolation-heavy. The ball tended to be in the hands of Hunter Sallis and Cameron Hildreth for the majority of possessions. During these possessions, there was a lack of ball movement, which commonly caused possessions to stall out and require a hero shot to beat the shot clock. This is no offense to Sallis and Hildreth, as they were Wake’s leaders last season and both were good scorers. However, it is a hard way to win in modern college basketball, as good teams have quick ball movement which results in better and more makeable shots.
Through the scrimmage, it was clear that this Wake roster is much more prone to moving the ball. The ball did not stick in one person’s hands, but rather was commonly swung around the arc and into the paint. The coaches were especially emphasizing paint touches and urging players to move the ball to get the guys on the inside touches.
I am excited to see this more ball-movement-heavy Wake offense, and I think it will result in a much more efficient offense. During the scrimmage, when the ball was moving, there were good looks to be had.
Another problem for last year’s squad was the outside shooting, as Wake shot below 30% from three as a team last season. Despite bringing in some new guys, this scrimmage did not exactly quiet those concerns that haunted last year’s team.
A lot of times, guys would get good looks that they were just unable to knock down. It is not that the team did not hit any threes; it is just that they did not convert on them at as high a rate as some may have hoped. However, there were some bright spots as Mekhi Mason showed his shooting ability, along with fellow transfer Myles Colvin and returning big man Omaha Biliew. These guys all have good strokes around the arc. The question is, will they get enough volume and be able to convert during the season? No team is going to shoot the ball perfectly; however, it would be nice to see some consistent shooting out of the Deacs this season.
Mar 13, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Juke Harris (2) handles the ball against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Through the entirety of this scrimmage, Juke Harris showed that he is not afraid to take charge and get to his spots in this Deacon offense. He was more aggressive than last season and was able to convert on shots from three, midrange, and inside the paint during play. It looks like he has worked hard in the offseason to improve his jump shooting, which hurt him at times last year. This team will need aggressive scorers to be successful, and Juke Harris showed that he can get a bucket when he wants to.
More than just scoring, Juke set the tone by making plays on the defensive end, too. At one point, he was able to draw an offensive foul, which was praised by the coaching staff. Hopefully, this will carry over, and Juke will set an aggressive mentality for this team during the season.
Wake fans remember the turnover issue last season with an aggressive point guard in Ty-Laur Johnson, who was very fast but careless with the basketball. This scrimmage showed some of the same issues as both PGs, Nate Calmese and Sebastian Akins, had some turnovers that looked to be caused by playing too fast.
Calmese especially showed his athletic ability and nose for the rim; however, for Wake to be successful, they will need their starting PG to be steady and set up the offense without too many turnover issues. Despite some of these issues, it is still only September, so the coaching staff has time to iron out these mistakes and allow their lead ball handlers to settle in.
Lastly, other observations from the scrimmage involved TreVon Spillers’ nice touch around the rim. He was more aggressive at times, taking on opposing bigs and going to the gentle floater Deac fans remember from last year. He was also a huge contributor on the glass. Fans can expect him to take another step forward. Freshman Isaac Carr showed some good things as well with his nice touch and nose for the ball. Myles Colvin showed some elite defensive skills through his athleticism and toughness. Look for him to potentially be the alpha dog defensively for this team, sliding in nicely next to Spillers.