news-record.com

WINSTON-SALEM — When the season came crashing down in March with one-and-done losses in both the ACC and NCAA tournaments, the buzz around Wake Forest basketball was all about who was staying and who was leaving school early for the riches of the NBA.

The team's top two scorers, point guard Jeff Teague and power forward James Johnson, bolted after their sophomore seasons. Both were first-round draft picks.

A third guy in that mix stayed put.

Al-Farouq Aminu is back in a Wake Forest uniform, and the 6-foot-9 sophomore returns with extra muscle on his sinewy frame and a rebuilt jump shot.

And it's that NCAA failure that fueled the offseason work.

"We didn't go that far in the tournament," Aminu said. "Growing up, you always have dreams of going to the Final Four and maybe winning a national championship. So it really left a sour taste in my mouth when we got knocked out in the first round. Plus, it's important to my mom and dad that I get a degree. If you only stay one year, that makes it tough to come back and get your degree. So the more schooling I get, the better off I am."

Aminu averaged 12.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game as a freshman, and he is the team's leading returning scorer and rebounder.

Safe to say, he'll be the focal point of a new-look offense.

"We must be a better half-court offense executing team," coach Dino Gaudio said. "We have to screen better. We have to read defenses better. We have to pass the ball a little bit better. We just have to, because we don't have Jeff and James who can break guys down and go one-on-one."

Gaudio said Wake will still try to force the tempo the way the Demon Deacons did last season when they averaged 81 points per game.

But this year, senior point guard Ishmael Smith will run the show instead of Teague.

"It's comforting for me as a head coach to have Ish Smith be the engine that drives this team," Gaudio said. "I think he can be the best point guard in the ACC. I really believe that. As long as he stays healthy, I think we have a chance to be very, very good."

There's good balance — and underappreciated talent — around Smith and Aminu.

Senior guard L.D. Williams is among the ACC's best defenders. Inside, Wake features 7-foot centers Chas McFarland and Ty Walker and 6-11 power forwards David Weaver and Tony Woods.

"We need to be better defensively, better on the backboard and then find collectively guys to give us what Jeff and James gave us on the offensive end," Gaudio said. "... I think Ish will score the ball a little bit more. We've changed our half-court offense to make it a little more interior-oriented, and that's where we're going to have to do it."

Ari Stewart, a 6-7 wing player, could be the best of the newcomers.

"Ari Stewart is probably — and this is coming from me — the most athletic dude on the team," said Williams, who even last year in the presence of two pros-to-be was considered the team's best athlete. "Ari's 6-7, but when he gets in the air whoever challenges him at the rim will come out on the bad end of the bargain nine times out of 10. And he can really shoot, too."

Junior college transfer Konner Tucker and freshman C.J. Harris will be counted on as backups to Smith at point guard, but more importantly as perimeter shooters — something Wake lacked last season.

"I think this league is wide open," Gaudio said. "Our goal is to try to win the ACC championship. And I think we have as good a shot as anybody."

Contact Jeff Mills at 373-7024 or jeff.mills@news-record.com