NC State hoops players take selfies with young fan at BC. His Pack ties run deep
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- Father and son attend game at Boston College, collect selfies with seven Wolfpack players
- Players interact courtside, fostering quick, meaningful moments for young fans
- Family tradition and alumni ties drive attendance, turning wins into shared memories
A father and son, both in N.C. State sweatshirts stood courtside at Conte Forum during pregame warmups prior to the Wolfpack’s late-night win against Boston College. The little boy, Finley Hall, made sure he was on the edge of their row to take selfies with players as the entered and exited the locker room.
He managed to snap photos with seven players: Quadir Copeland, Ven-Allen Lubin, Scottie Ebube, Terrance Arceneaux, Matt Able, Tre Holloman and Paul McNeil. The guys were all smiles, making peace signs and the Wolfpack hand gesture. Copeland did an ‘OK’ symbol.
Finley, a budding basketball player himself, said it’s “very cool” to meet members of the Wolfpack. He even met Terquavion Smith during Kevin Keatts’ tenure.
“It feels good because of how big of players they are,” Finley said. “It feels good to be noticed by them.”
His favorite player, no shade to the other guys, is McNeil. His shooting is mesmerizing. Chris Hall laughed and added, it’s because Finley likes to “jack up 3s.”
Arceneaux broke into a big smile when talking about the brief interaction. It only took a few seconds to smile for the camera, but he and his teammates gave a child a memory that will last a lifetime. It reminded him of the relationship he built with LJ Cryer and Quentin Grimes, both former teammates and NBA players. The age differences aren’t quite as large as the Wolfpack and Finley Hall, but the meaning is still there.
“That’s what the game’s about, going out there, competing for a high level for the fans, for the younger people that look up to us,” Arceneaux said. “I’m happy and glad to see that we still have fans that’s supportive at a young age. I’m happy for him. I hope he has a great career.”
Will Wade, even with his passionate demeanor and focus on basketball, knows there’s more to life than the game. He recognizes his players are college students. They’re kids at heart, really, and admired by others.
“There’s people that look up to them,” Wade said. “We had somebody with us for the Virginia game, too. Someone going through some really tough medical situations. … We try to do as much of that stuff as we can. We’re very appreciative of our fans. Thought we had great fans here. I heard the Wolfpack chants. It was good to see, and any time we can brighten somebody’s day, we’re going to try to do it.”
Wolfpack ties a family together
Finley is the quintessential child of a proud N.C. State graduate. The almost-13-year-old (his birthday is on Valentine’s Day) comes from a family of Wolfpack grads. His father, Chris, attended N.C. State from 2005-08 and studied computer science. Chris’ father, Doug, and sister, Tiffany, both attended N.C. State. His mother, Finley’s grandmother Bonnie, is a season ticket holder for football, basketball and baseball. She went to Washington D.C. during the 2024 ACC Championship run.
Yes, he was named partially in honor of Carter-Finley Stadium. No, he doesn’t have a sibling named Carter, despite Chris advocating for it.
He was destined to be a Wolfpack fan, even if it’s a somewhat long distance relationship.
“We live, like, a mile and a half from Boston College,” Chris Hall said. “We’ve come to see the women play, come to see the men play. We go to football games; any chance we get to see N.C. State play.”
Chris Hall guesses Finley attended his first game at age 2, back when Lenovo Center was PNC Arena. Finley received a small Wolfpack basketball. They try to go back four times a year, in addition to the games they catch at BC, and are down to attend any event.
The first visit to Conte Forum was about eight years ago, around Finley’s fifth birthday. It’s usually a gift for him. The family even got his name on the video board one year.
The Wolfpup’s favorite memories, however, are often at games in Raleigh and not in Chestnut Hill. He loves the atmosphere.
“It was probably this year or last year, we went to a game,” Finley said. “I went with great aunts or something like that and there were a bunch of people there. I forgot who they played, though, but I just like that. It was like [an] NBA feeling.”
Chris Hall watched games at Reynolds Coliseum before the team moved to the current arena and his father, Doug, was a student during Jim Valvano’s coaching career. The Cinderella run to the 1983 NCAA championship and everything the team stood for stuck with him for life.
Now, he gets to experience similar moments with his own child. It means even more because they’re not in the Triangle.
“We were talking, walking from buying snacks, and I was like, ‘I just love getting to share experiences like this with you,’” Chris Hall said of a pregame moment he had with Finley. “My dad passed away unexpectedly a couple years ago, so getting to create these kinds of memories with [Finley] just feels even more important now.”
On a day when the Wolfpack pulled off a win, even when it wasn’t pretty, it had more meaning than just the stats or the score.
It brought a family together — even if part of those memories were shared over text message — through their love of the Pack.
But, don’t worry, Finley did have some cutting analysis and recommendations.
“They’re all really good, but they don’t really play well as a team,” Finley said. “They all just try and take their own shots.”
Here’s to hoping they fully gel, if only to make a little boy happy.
This story was originally published January 7, 2026 at 5:30 AM.
