| Steve Lepore |
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Pronounced La-poor... an extremely hard worker who is trying to recover from a ruptured patella tendon suffered in the first round of last year¡¦s ACC Tournament versus Georgia Tech... doctors originally projected him to return to action in December... missed the final three games of last season including both NCAA Tournament games... was a tireless worker in the off-season trying to rehabilitate the knee... will be a major contributor this season if he can fully recover... came to Wake Forest in the fall of 2000 after playing two seasons at Northwestern (1999 and 2000)... was a two-year starter for the Wildcats... sat out the 2000-01 season under NCAA transfer rules but practiced all season with the Demon Deacons... a real threat from three-point range... has 147 career three-point field goals, including his two seasons at Northwestern... has 618 career points including his years at Northwestern... competed last season with Craig Dawson for the starting job at big guard and ultimately served as Dawson¡¦s back-up... struggled with his shooting touch in the early part of last season before developing into a solid reserve... his ability to shoot the three-pointer in transition should be a boost to Skip Prosser¡¦s running offense... a good rebounder from the guard position, averaging 3.5 boards per game including two seasons at Northwestern... one of Wake¡¦s top workers in the weightroom... has a great deal of international experience after playing on USA Basketball junior national teams in both 1998 and 1999.
2001-02 (junior)
Played in 31 games and started twice... missed the final three games of the season after rupturing a patella tendon against Georgia Tech in the opening round of the ACC Tournament... scored in double figures four times... played an average of 13.4 points per game... began the season in a shooting slump, making just two of his first 20 three-point field goal attempts... got on track in early December when he scored 12 points, sank two three-point field goals, went 2-of-2 from the free throw line and dished out a career-high four assists at Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse... came off the bench Dec. 19 against St. Francis (PA) to score 11 points, including three three-point field goals, to go with three rebounds... began January by playing 20 minutes and scoring seven points in a home win over Richmond... followed that performance by scoring a Wake Forest career-high 15 points, including 3-of-6 from three-point range, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out a pair of assists in a win over North Carolina at the Dean Smith Center... played a solid game at Duke¡¦s Cameron Indoor Stadium, seeing 15 minutes of action and scoring six points... came off the bench in a key win at NC State for eight points, two three-point field goals, four rebounds and an assist... played a Wake career-high 23 minutes against sixth-ranked Cincinnati and spent part of the game defending his high school teammate, All-American guard Steve Logan... scored nine points to go with one assist and one steal against the Bearcats... went 3-of-6 from three-point range, dished out an assist and recorded a steal in 21 minutes of action at Clemson... came off the bench for eight points, including a pair of three-point field goals, at eventual NCAA champion Maryland... went 3-of-5 from three-point range and scored nine points in 22 minutes at Georgia Tech.
2000-01 (transfer year)
Enrolled at Wake Forest and sat out the season under NCAA transfer rules... worked hard in practice and often served on the scout team as the opponent¡¦s top scorer.
1999-00 (northwestern)
Started all 30 games for the Wildcats... averaged 9.2 points and 3.7 rebounds per game... made 66-of-179 (.369) three-point attempts... averaged 29.0 minutes per game... scored 14 points, including four three-pointers versus Indiana... poured in 17 points including five three-pointers against Minnesota... had 15 points, four treys and six assists versus Michigan... erupted for 25 points (on 9-of-12 shooting) and five three-pointers in win over Western Carolina... hit six three-pointers en route to 18 points versus Florida State... Northwestern struggled to a 5-25 mark.
SUMMER, 1999
Played on the U.S. Junior Championship Team that won a silver medal at the FIBA World Junior Championships in Portugal... made 18-of-36 three-point attempts in the tournament.
1998-99 (northwestern)
Played in 28 games and started 15 as a Northwestern freshman... ranked second on the team in scoring (10.5 ppg)... dished out nine assists in the Big Ten Tournament against Michigan State... had a double-double (14 points, 11 rebounds) in Big Ten first-round win against Penn State... made 10-of-18 three-point field goal attempts (55.6%) in two Big Ten Tournament games... nailed five three-pointers in win at Penn State and against DePaul in the NIT... pulled down 12 rebounds against St. Francis (NY)... hit a running jumper with :08 left against Penn State to send the game into OT... hit both free throws with :03 left to seal the win against No. 14 Purdue... also hit 3-of-4 free throws in final 14 seconds to seal the win at Penn State.
SUMMER, 1998
Started every game for the U.S. Junior World Championship qualifying team... in 21 minutes per game, averaged 12.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game... scored 21 points including five three-pointers against Brazil.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended St. Edward High School... coached by Eric Flannery... a USA Today and Street and Smith¡¦s honorable mention All-American as a senior... averaged 15 points, 10 rebounds and three assists per game as a senior after posting 10 ppg., five rpg. and four apg. as a junior... led St. Edward to state Final Four as a sophomore and junior before winning the Ohio state championship as a senior... played in the Wendy¡¦s Classic, featuring the top players from the midwest... also lettered in track and baseball... his AAU team, Team Slam Jam, finished in the top 10 nationally four out of his last five years on the team.
PERSONAL
Brother, Chris (24), was a standout football player at Navy... post-school plans are to play basketball or get a job involving sports... high school teammates Sam Clancy (USC) and Steve Logan (Cincinnati) went on to enjoy outstanding Division I careers... Lepore played against Logan last February when Cincinnati came to Winston-Salem... AAU teammates Albert Wilson (Toledo) and Justin Burton (Coastal Carolina) also went on to play Division I basketball... Lepore¡¦s high school, St. Edward, also produced talk show host Phil Donahue... will turn 23 the day after Wake Forest plays host to Virginia on Feb. 23 (2/24/80).
