Standout Performers from Wake Forest Basketball's Bahamas Trip
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The Wake Forest basketball team is now back from the Bahamas and ready to jump into two more non-conference matchups this week. Playing in the Baha Mar was certainly a beneficial experience for this team as they continue to grow together as a unit and progress. They played against really good competition, and there were both good and bad moments throughout.
The Deacs went 1-1 in the tournament. They lost their semi-final matchup with Texas Tech by the narrowest of margins, 84-83. They bounced back the next day and managed to get a win despite not playing their best basketball. They won 69-68 over Penny Hardaway and the Memphis Tigers. Let's take a look at some of the standout performances from the tournament by highlighting players who made a big impact for the Deacs.
Myles Colvin
This one seems obvious. Myles Colvin hit the highlight shot of the entire tournament and probably of Wake Forest's entire season at the buzzer to beat Memphis. With just a little over a second left on the game clock, down two, Isaac Carr threw a perfect pass to Tre'Von Spillers, who shoveled it over to Myles Colvin for a game-winning three at the buzzer. It was magical and could very well propel Wake's season from here on out, as that was seen as a game they had to have. Colvin has become a walking highlight reel, recording an unbelievable play in almost every game he plays.
Colvin did not just have one shot; he was also pretty solid throughout the whole tournament. He had 19 points for the Deacs in both games against Texas Tech and Memphis. He is becoming somewhat of a spark plug off the bench, able to jumpstart the offense during scoring droughts. Colvin still has some things to clean up defensively, but overall I would say he has already greatly exceeded expectations so far this season.
Tre'Von Spillers
Deac fans knew they were going to get 110% of Tre'Von Spillers every time he stepped on the court, and that was on full display in Wake's second game against Memphis. The Deacs were down 10 with under six minutes to play, and all hope looked lost, but Spillers turned up the energy and got some key baskets and rebounds in the paint to keep the Deacs alive. He finished with 24 points, including a surprising 2-3 from three. The comeback made would not have been possible without Spillers.
Spillers has been doing what he has been doing very efficiently as well. According to KenPom, he has the best true shooting percentage on Wake's roster, along with the second-highest effective field goal percentage on the roster. Spillers has become the leader of this frontcourt, and as long as he can stay out of foul trouble, he will continue to be a major contributor going forward.
Juke Harris
People asked who would be the leader of this Wake Forest team this season. It looks like Juke Harris is stepping into that role nicely. Steve Forbes has commented several times about how Juke has transformed his body this offseason to add more strength. The difference is showing on the court as Juke is getting to the rim and scoring at a very high rate. He has had double-figures in scoring in every game the Deacs have played so far.
Against Texas Tech, Juke had a double-double with 26 points and 10 rebounds. He also already had a 30 point game earlier this season against Morehead State. This was done against a top 20 opponent though. Juke has improved his three point shooting tremedously from a season ago and is hitting the boards for the Deacs. He is leading the team in effective field goal percentage. If this continues from Juke, Wake will definitely have themselves a leader they can feel confident in.
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Justin is a student at Wake Forest University. He is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and aspiring finance major interested everything sports. In his freshman year, Justin completed an internship with the Wake Forest Ticketing Department where he gained some valuable insight into the sales and operations aspects of collegiate athletics. Before working with Wake Forest On SI, Justin was a contributing writer for Wake Forest’s student publication The Old Gold and Black. Currently, Justin serves as a student manager on the Wake Forest Men’s Tennis team. In his free time Justin enjoys spending time with his family and friends on the golf course and traveling.