Perhaps the most important moment in Wake Forest's recent basketball history came not during the Deacons' run to the ACC regular-season championship last year but in those uncertain spring days when head coach Skip Prosser was contemplating his future.

In the two seasons since Prosser arrived in Winston-Salem from Xavier, he had transformed the Deacons, enhancing their status on the national landscape while building them into a rugged rebounding power. Then Pittsburgh called and asked Prosser if he'd like to return to the place where he grew up. Prosser weighed the opportunity, then decided to stay at Wake Forest.

"There was nothing wrong with Pittsburgh. I just thought there was a whole lot right about Wake Forest," Prosser said. "It's in the best basketball conference in the country. You can argue who's better one year against another, but, consistently, no league is more important.

"I feel comfortable going into living rooms selling Wake Forest. I'm excited about the young players here. I didn't feel like it was the right time for me to go north. I feel very good about the future of Wake Forest basketball."

FRONTCOURT

Prosser's optimism remains despite the loss of ACC Player of the Year Josh Howard, a first-team All-American. While Howard's departure requires the Deacons to find a new on-court leader, they retain the bulk of what kept them ranked in the top 10 much of last season -- their strength up front and a ferocious knack for rebounding.

The primary scorer up front will be 6'9" junior Vytas Danelius. He was a second-team All-ACC performer last season but, like the Deacons themselves, saw his production dip near the end of the year.

Danelius is rangy and showed last year he can be an effective 3-point shooter. He's good on the boards, particularly at the offensive end, and as he continues to add strength could have a breakout season.

He'll team up front with the quietly effective Jamal Levy, who moved into the starting lineup midway through last season. Levy, who weighs only 180 pounds, ranked sixth in the ACC in rebounding and finds a way to give the Deacons what they need.

The most important player up front may be center Eric Williams, who ran hot and cold as a freshman. Williams fought foul problems much of the season, but when he was in the game, he showed how effective he could be with his bulk on the low block. The Deacons have pushed Williams to shed a few more pounds, believing it will help alleviate his foul problems.

"He needs to lose a little more," Prosser said. "That way, he can get places quicker, have more balance and more lift. A lot of his [foul problems] are experience. When defense becomes anticipatory rather than reactionary, it will make a huge difference."

BACKCOURT

The biggest decision Prosser is likely to face this season is how often to use a three-guard lineup. With junior Taron Downey, sophomore Justin Gray and highly regarded freshman Chris Paul, Prosser has an abundance of talent and the pleasant problem of figuring out how to use it most effectively. "Time will tell," Prosser said. "I'm not averse to using them together if their play warrants it."

Each offers something different.

Downey can slide between either backcourt position and is a reliable ball-handler, an exceptional free-throw shooter and a solid 3-point marksman.

Gray came on last season after suffering a broken jaw early in the year. He gave the Deacons an offensive spark, usually as a sixth man, and his spirit was contagious. "He possesses incredible courage," Prosser said. "He's not afraid to take the big shot or make the big play. You'd rather have guys you need to tone down than try to get a wallflower to be more aggressive."

Paul, a local hero from nearby Clemmons, could transform the Deacons. He's a pure point guard who is expected to become one of the league's new stars. "He's a gifted player and an even better person, a natural leader. People gravitate to him," Prosser said.

FINAL ANALYSIS

Prosser hopes the old adage about players making their greatest improvement between their freshman and sophomore years works again. It happened last season, and with four sophomores coming off solid freshman seasons, a similar improvement could put the Deacons back among the ACC elite.

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