There are very few players in men’s or women’s basketball that come close to matching the three-point shooting accuracy of the forward Scott Wood or guard Marissa Kastanek. Both of the prolific seniors are set to graduate from N.C. State this May after finishing their four years of eligibility with Wolfpack athletics.
Both of State’s sharpshooters were selected to compete in the State Farm College Slam Dunk and Three-Point Championships, held on April 4 in Atlanta, Ga.
Wood posted the highest first round score of all men’s competitors with 21 points out of 30 possible but failed to qualify for the finals after making only 18 in the semifinal round. Virginia Commonwealth University’s Troy Daniels went on to win the competition for the men.
Kastanek, the Kay Yow scholar-athlete of the year, also shot well early in the competition, posting a score of 24 points in the first round of the women’s competition. The Lincoln, Neb. native scored 17 points in the second round, qualifying her to compete in the final round against Indiana’s Aulani Sinclair. However, Sinclair’s 20 points in the final round overcame Kastanek’s 17.
Despite losing in the individual competition, there is no denying the legacy both players left at N.C. State.
Wood, an All-ACC honorable mention selection this season, set a new school record of 334 three-pointers made in his four years with the Pack, including 104 in the 2012-13 season. The Marion, Ind. native will exit the collegiate stage in fifth place in made 3-pointers in Atlantic Coast Conference history. Wood also holds the school record for career starts with 136 and also for free throw percentage with .886. Wood is 18th in school history in career points with 1,467.
Kastanek, the last recruit of legendary former women’s basketball coach Kay Yow, ended her career at State with 239 baskets beyond the arc, second only to Tammy Gibson’s 315 from 1993-97. Her 1,655 points are the eighth most in school history.
Aside from all of the statistics, there are so many more dynamics to what makes these athletes so accomplished. On multiple occasions during the 2012-13 campaign, head coach Mark Gottfried called on Wood to make the big play, which he delivered. One of the more resounding examples comes on Feb. 10 on the road against Clemson, where the 6-foot-6 forward drained a three with one second remaining on the clock to win the game for the Pack.
As for Kastanek, her values off of the court have consistently translated onto the court. As a two-time Academic All-American and the psychology valedictorian upon graduation, Kastanek knows the importance of determination and doing what it takes to reach success. On the court, she always does what she can to help the team attain victory. She is always the first player on the court and the last one off.
As the academic year winds down, Wood’s and Kastanek’s time as members of the Pack do as well. This duo will leave behind a long-lasting legacy that many will dream of eclipsing and that few could achieve.
There will come a day in the future where all will know the magnitude of their presences at this prestigious university. There will come a day where the names Scott Wood and Marissa Kastanek will be synonymous with excellence for generations to come. I believe there will also come a day where the number 15 will hang proudly off the rafters at PNC Arena and the number 23 will drape prominently in Reynolds Coliseum.
