Deacons to bring trio to ACC Tipoff

Returning forward Tre’Von Spillers will be accompanied by newcomer guards Nate Calmese and Mekhi Mason at ACC Tipoff next week.

Wake Forest will be represented by the trio on Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 8) at the Hilton Charlotte Uptown. They’ll be joined by coach Steve Forbes, entering his sixth season at the helm of the Deacons.

Wake’s press conference is scheduled for 3 p.m.

Spillers was one of two players to start all 32 games for the Deacons last season (Hunter Sallis was the other). The 6-7, 215-pounder averaged 9.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game last season, his first with the Deacons after transferring from Appalachian State.

There is only one other returning Deacon who started a game at Wake Forest last season. Sophomore Juke Harris started once, at SMU in mid-February.

Calmese (Washington State) and Mason (Washington) are new to the Deacons but not college basketball — or each other. They’re both seniors and actually grew up nearby in Gilbert, Ariz., though they attended different high schools.

All three players are expected to start for the Deacons.

Calmese and Mason are two of 14 transfers at media day who will be in their first seasons with their respective teams.

Wake Forest was the only team last season to bring three players to ACC Tipoff. This year, the Deacons are one of four teams bringing three players.

The ACC’s preseason basketball media event starts on Monday with two-thirds of the league’s women’s basketball teams. Tuesday is a hybrid day — women’s teams in the morning, men’s teams in the afternoon — and Wednesday is the final day, with the remaining two-thirds of men’s teams taking part.

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