2017 best of the best wake forest
But I have to do what’s best for me.”īates said he hopes Wake Forest fans will understand his decision. “It was kind of tough to communicate to them, ‘Hey, I might be leaving,’ because I didn’t want to feel selfish or anything. “Thinking of my teammates made it really tough because I didn’t want to let them down or stop what we have going with back-to-back bowl games,” he said. In many ways, worrying how others would react was the hardest part, he said. In keeping with his thoughtful nature, he considered how the decision would impact others, too. #JB3 /e5RU6ShWNBīates spent much of his time since the bowl game contemplating his decision to turn pro. “I kept stepping out at the three-yard line this year, so it was nice to get in,” he making huge impact w/ Punt Return for TD against Texas A&M in Bowl Game. “I didn’t know it would be my last game, so it’s pretty cool that we came out with a win.”īates’ touchdown made it sweeter. “That was a great feeling to send the seniors out on that note because those seniors had a lot to do with where the program is today,” Bates said. But he performed well in what would be his last Wake Forest game, returning a punt 59 yards for a touchdown in a 55-52 win over Texas A&M on Dec. He had 79 tackles (50 solo) this season with one interception, five pass breakups and six tackles for loss.īates missed two games and parts of two others due to a sprained MCL. As a redshirt freshman in 2016, he tied for the Atlantic Coast Conference lead with 70 solo tackles and also had five interceptions, returning two for touchdowns. From there, I’m going to put my head down, stay off my phone and social media and chase after the dream.”īates redshirted his first fall at Wake Forest, and then made a huge impact in 20. “God has blessed me with this opportunity and I’m going to enjoy it before I head out to Florida for training. “This is a great opportunity for me, and one a lot of people don’t have,” Bates said.
#2017 best of the best wake forest pro#
“I liked what I was hearing and the opportunity presented itself.”īates will train with AWP Sports locally and also with ASPI (Applied Science & Performance Institute) in Tampa, Fla., as he pours everything into his pro shot. “I tried to look at it not so much emotionally, but with logic and doing my research and getting as much information as I could,” Bates said in a phone interview. He hopes to be invited to the NFL Combine, test well, demonstrate his football IQ and be a second- or third-round draft pick. It was a tough decision, and one that he spent hours researching while meeting with family and trusted advisors. Nevertheless, FSU has proved to be one of the better teams in the country and the Hokies had to expend plenty of energy in tonight’s win that will not help their cause tomorrow.Bates announced on Twitter today that he is leaving Wake Forest after his redshirt sophomore season and entering the 2018 NFL Draft.
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The Seminoles beat the Hokies 93-78 back in January, but both sides are playing completely different now. With the win, the Hokies advance to the next round to play Florida State. Justin Bibbs and Ahmed Hill rounded out the Hokies in double digits with 15 and 12 points respectively. Seth Allen was second on the team in scoring, with 18 points on 6-10 shooting. The redshirt senior only has a few games left in a Virginia Tech uniform, and is clearly making them count. He was a one-man wrecking crew on the glass, getting the best of All-ACC forward John Collins, who ended up fouling out for just the second time this season. LeDay filled up other areas in the stat sheet as well, posting 2 assists, 2 blocks, and 3 steals to his name. Zach LeDay:1st D-1 player with at least 30 points & 15 rebounds off the bench since Carl Montgomery Chicago State, 2011 vs Houston Baptist- ESPN Stats & Info March 9, 2017 However, it was Zach LeDay that carried the team to a win with a monstrous 31-point, 15-rebound outing. Bibbs was 1-9 in the first half overall and finished the second half 4-4 from the field. Ty Outlaw started the game 0-of-3 from downtown, but ended the game making 4-7 from three-point range. Scoring an astounding 62 points in the period, Virginia Tech found their three-point stroke which opened up the rest of their offense.
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Just as Wake flipped the script when the Hokies were up in Saturday’s contest, the Hokies were able to do the same tonight. It was not just the three-point shooting that faltered, but the defensive intensity was not strong enough and Wake ended the first period with a 44-37 lead, capped by a remarkable 80-foot Hail Mary as the buzzer sounded from Greg McClinton. After falling to Wake Forest in Blacksburg, Virginia Tech struggled to play to their identity for the first half tonight. For a while, it seemed the Deacons were the Hokies’ kryptonite.