RALEIGH — Scooter Sherrill didn’t turn the Entertainment and Sports Arena into his personal playground Friday night.
Stuff like that doesn’t happen to true freshmen playing in their first Division I college basketball games.
But the former all-Solar System guard from West Rowan did make the biggest shot of the night in N.C. State’s 77-64 victory over visiting Penn in the CoSIDA Classic first round.
“I was just out there having fun,” Sherrill said after hitting a 3-pointer that gave State the lead for good with 11:19 to play. “Same old Scooter, I guess. I’m always having fun out on the court.”
Sherrill’s clutch trey gave the Wolfpack a 48-47 edge and propelled it into tonight’s title game against UNCCharlotte, an 89-75 winner over Fordham. He played seven minutes, scored three points and held his own defensively against a Penn team that boasts six players 6-8 or taller.
“That 3-pointer was huge,” said State coach Herb Sendek. “It was right in front of me and well beyond the line. Just a great shot to make at that moment.”
Sherrill made his collegiate debut when he replaced teammate Anthony Grundy, the game’s high-scorer with 22 points, with 13:06 remaining in the first half.
“I was definitely a little nervous,” he said. “Because I just wanted to get out there and produce. I felt good. My legs weren’t heavy or anything.”
His first scoring opportunity came with just over seven minutes remaining in the first half. Sherrill positioned himself left of the key and received a pass from forward Damien Wilkins. “I had the open shot, but I don’t know,” he said. “It just wasn’t right.”
Instead he passed the ball away — incurring a hard stare from Wilkins. “The coaches say they want me to shoot more, but I’ve been reluctant,” he said. “I’m still trying to fit into the system. It might take me a couple of games. When the time comes, I’m gonna explode.”
His lone basket came after Penn’s Charlie Copp buried a 3-pointer — with Sherrill defending — to give the Quakers a 47-45 lead. Again it was Wilkins who penetrated down the lane, then kicked a pass out to Sherrill deep on the left side. He elevated, cocked his right arm and fired. Strings.
“In the first half we ran a similar play and he didn’t shoot,” said Wilkins, the 6-6 sophomore who contributed 11 points and nine rebounds. “At halftime I told him if he doesn’t shoot it, I’ll never pass the ball to him again. You saw what happened.”
So did a crowd of 10,621, which thundered its approval. “That felt great,” Sherrill beamed. “My first 3-pointer. Coach has been telling me to shoot. Damien’s been telling me. That time I had the open shot and let it go. I knew it was good when it left my fingers.”
The basket triggered a 21-8 run that put State comfortably ahead. And, in more ways than one, it announced Sherrill to world of college basketball.
“That’s the spark this team is going to need from Scooter,” said teammate Archie Miller. “Guys who can knock down shots can’t be replaced. Watch this kid. The flow of the game will come to him. By Christmas time he’s going to be playing a major role for this team.”
Wilkins senses the same thing. “We’ll definitely depend on him,” he said. “Down the road he’s going to be one of our go-to guys.”
Even Sendek, State’s fifth-year coach, fawned over Sherrill’s opening performance.
“He’s as good as any young man I’ve ever coached,” he said. “If you had a son you’d want him to personify all the qualities that Scooter has. I love this kid. He’s a winner, he’s humble, he’s eager to learn. If everybody you coached was like Scotter Sherrill, you truly could coach a lifetime.”
Perhaps the most important lesson Sherrill learned in his first college game was this: the name on the front of the jersey is a lot more important than the one on the back.
“As long as we win, I’m always going to feel great,” he said. “Whether I don’t play at all or play the whole game, it doesn’t matter. At N.C. State it’s all about winning.”
Hmmm. Sounds like the same old Scooter.
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NOTES: Grundy, who missed eight of his first nine shots, also had five assists. He finished 7-for-15 from the field. Teammate Kenny Inge led all rebounders with 11.
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