The Blog For All UNC Sports Fans
Archive for January, 2010
Carolina Bounces Back
Jan 28th
Carolina really hit a rough stretch. I’m surprised Roy Williams hasn’t pulled all of his hair out. The youth and inexperience has been a huge influence on the outcome of Carolina’s games. Turnovers. Turnovers. Turnovers. Why is this a problem? It’s because Larry Drew and Dexter Strickland are average guards. They leave their feet when trying to make a pass or they pass the ball to a teammate where he thinks he is going to be instead of actually seeing the pass through. But all of that is okay. Because I saw hope on Tuesday night against NC State. The same Wolfpack team that beat Duke 88-74 on the very same court.
For the first time this season, the Tarheels should that they can battle adversity. In the second half, the Wolfpack opened with a 10 to 1 run. Carolina answered with a 15-0 run of their own. Carolina’s defense was phenominal. NC State didn’t score for like 8 minutes in the second half. I loved the way Henson played. He might not be worth anything offensively, but he can create a lot of problems in the paint with his long wingspan. Roy Williams challenged them to do better and play with heart. The players answered and earned their first true road game victory.
Don’t be worried about Carolina and the NCAA tournament. They’ll make it. They already beat a good Ohio State team on a neutral court, and they beat Michigan State, a team in the top 5 currently. Carolina’s strength of schedule is definitely in the top 5. They’ve played both Texas and Kentucky, both of which were number one at point in the year. Roy William’s team will not die. They will not give up. For now, I say they are about a 7 seed. It doesn’t bother me. As long as they get an invitation to the dance.
Tarheels in the NBA
Jan 19th
I thought it’d be a nice change to break down the performances of recent Tarheels who made their leap to the NBA and rank them on their rate of success.
1. Ty Lawson
Team-Denver Nuggets
points per game-9.6
assists per game-3.8
salary-$1,438,680
Ty Lawson has done really well for himself in the NBA. He got really lucky by being drafted by a great team in the Nuggets. He even has a good teacher and mentor in Chauncey Billups. I believe that Lawson even started a few games when Billups was injured. What’s really helped Lawson in the NBA is his quickness. He can easily get by older guards such as Derek Fisher. Lawson even got a highlight dunk earlier in the season. Teams are kicking themselves for not grabbing Lawson eariler. He will be a starting point guard in the NBA in the years to come.
2. Tyler Hansbrough
Team-Indiana Pacers
points per game-8.5
rebounds per game-4.8
salary-$1,859,160
I’m happy for Hansbrough and his success as an NBA players. All these skeptics saying that he will amount to nothing in the NBA are becoming less confident in their previous predictions. It all started when Hansbrough was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft. Nobody, not even me, saw that coming. He found a good place in the Pacers. Not a flashy organization or a team that makes the headlines, an absolutely perfect scenario for Hansbrough. Less pressure for him to perform. He can quietly pick up his stats and make a name for himself later in his career. Will he ever be a great NBA player? I don’t think so, but he can become a good role player.
3. Wayne Ellingtion
Team-Minnesota Timberwolves
points per game-6.3
assists per game-1.0
salary-$1,003,560
Wayne Ellington was drafted by a very young team. Not a lot of experience. That’s why the Timerberwolves record is 9-33, but this is also a good scenario for Ellington. He gets plenty of playing time which is vital for a first year NBA player. He can get a feel for the NBA style of play without having to carry the team by shooting threes all of the time. It’s also good because he can practice and get better at other parts of his game, like maybe posting up sometimes. He is 6 foot 4 I think he can hold his own if he tries. His stats were pretty much expected. Like Hansbrough, Ellington has the potential to become a good role player in the future.
4.Danny Green
Team-Cleveland Cavaliers
points per game-1.7
.333 3 point %
salary-$457,588
I can see Green’s position in a positive way and a negative way. For the negative, he is a part of Lebron Jamese’s team. He can never get playing time to help out his NBA career. Currently he is a bench warmer and that is all he will ever be unless he gets traded or Lebron leaves for New York. The positive is that Green out of all the other Tarheels, landed with the best team. The Cavaliers can contend for an NBA championship. Green also gets to dance with Shaq and Lebron on the sidelines. But if Danny Green wants to become a decent player in the NBA he will have to switch teams because he will never be heard of as a Cavalier.
Georgia Tech vs. North Carolina Preview
Jan 15th
I really hope Roy Williams talked some sense into his players, because Georgia Tech is a really good team, and I don’t want to see a second straight blow out especially not in the Dean Dome. Georgia Tech is kind of a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde team. They beat Duke at home, but them lost to Virginia on the road. What I do know is that they can match the size of Carolina and that is the only basic advantage Carolina has had on teams throughout the season. Rebounding will be a huge part of this game. The team with the most rebounds in the box score will win this game I can say with confidence. Carolina must not turn the ball over. A good day handling the ball for the Heels is like 15 turnovers. If they can keep it at the 12 or 11 range, I think that Carolina will have a really great shot at winning. Another X factor is toughness and heart. Against Clemson, most of the players showed no heart, toughness, or perseverance. I know this Carolina team is young, but they have to gain some mental toughness somewhere down the road. They’ll also have to face the Yellow Jackets without Tyler Zeller who is out 4 to 6 weeks. A Perfect time for a player like John Henson to step up and play well. Which player should the Heels concentrate on? Gani Lawal. He’s averaging 15 point and 9 rebounds on the season, a near double double. Carolina cannot let him get inside position and bully them in the post. The Heels have to be aggresive. They should also push the ball upcourt. Carolina would like to get the game into the eighties. I don’t Georgia Tech is fast enought to keep up with th Heels. If it’s a half court game, the guards for Carolina will have to take care of the ball. It is vital for Strickland and Drew to make wise choices when passing the ball. There should be no “no look” passes or behind the back passes, just fundamental basketball. The big men for Carolina need see the ball into their hands and try to keep from dropping the basketball. Big men like Deion Thompson and Ed Davis sometimes let the basketball slip out of their hands. All in All the Heels will be in for a fight. If they put effort into every play and scratch and claw for every rebound and loose ball, the Heels will end the afternoon with a win.
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