The 1999-2000 Wake Forest men's basketball team has all the ingredients of an ACC Championship squad. They have experience, talent, a team leader and a couple of impact newcomers, but it's what the Demon Deacons don't have that has been haunting them for the last couple of seasons.
Call it what you want - a curse or a nagging memory perhaps - but the Deacons haven't escaped the long shadow of Tim Duncan.
Before Duncan graduated in 1996, the Deacs had compiled seven straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
The post-Duncan era, despite featuring the likes of Robert O'Kelley and Rafael Viduarreta, has been a washout for tourney selections, unless you count the NIT.
After a 17-14 record in 1998-99, including a 7-9 mark in the ACC - good for fourth in the Conference - the Deacons were on the bubble for NCAA Tournament selection. What left them out of the party was a disappointing 1-8 record against teams that made the NCAA Tournament.
Could this be the year that Wake makes fans forget about alums like Duncan, Childress and Rusty LaRue that led the Deacs to success in the early 90's? The Deacons' chances to make the Big Dance hinge on the play of O'Kelley, the leading returning scorer in the ACC at 17.5 points per game.
"I think we'll do well," the junior guard said. "Any time you have to go through the ACC, which has a number of great teams, it's definitely going to be tough. But I think our team is ready to step up to the challenge."
Essentially the same crew that laced up for Wake Forest last season will join O'Kelley at Lawrence Joel Coliseum. The Deacons have 94 percent of their scoring and 93 percent of their rebounding coming back.
"Right now we have more depth, more positive experience coming back than we've had in the last few years," Wake Forest Coach Dave Odom said.
Redshirt sophomore Niki Arinze rejoins the team after losing most of last season to a shoulder injury. His teammates hope that the 6-foot-5 forward will bring the same energy and rebounding talents that he showed in his impressive freshman campaign when Arinze averaged 7.0 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game.
"Niki brings defense, rebounding, and he also brings some scoring too," O'Kelley said. "He's a good all-around player. He's something that we were definitely missing last year."
Viduarreta, a junior, and sophomore Darius Songaila round out the starting frontcourt for the Demon Deacons. Viduarreta was the team's top defensive performer and leading rebounder last season, and Songaila was an All-ACC freshman after leading Wake in field goal percentage, free throw percentage, steals and blocks.
With junior Tate Howard, sophomores Josh Shoemaker and Antwan Scott and freshman Josh Howard expected to contribute, the Deacs should have few problems with depth under the basket.
Broderick Hicks and Jim Fitzpatrick will spend time at the point, but their main responsibility will be to lessen the load of O'Kelley. The 6-foot-1 Memphis, Tenn., native was the only Deacon to start all 31 games last year.
"Robert O'Kelley is quicker," Odom said. "He's a better ball handler and a better decision maker. I would challenge anybody to find a player who's coming back who's been more consistent in the last two years ... He has had two excellent years."
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