The North Carolina Tarheels willed their way to a win over the Ohio University Bobcats last night 73-65 in Overtime to move on to the Elite Eight. They had to do so without the services of Point Guard Kendall Marshall and his absence was greatly felt. Freshman Point Guard Stillman White got his first career start and he did not play badly- 2 points, 6 assists, and 0 turnovers.
The Tarheel offense did lack the continuity that it has under Marshall. What Marshall has not been getting a lot of credit for is that he has stepped up his offensive game over the course of the past 5 or 6 games before he got hurt. His three point shooting, his ability to drive to the basket, and of course, his ability to distribute have all been amped up during that time.
Tyler Zeller (20 points and a career high 22 rebounds) and Reggie Bullock (17 points, 5 of 10 from the three point line) were Carolina's saving grace last night. That game epitomized winning ugly but the key is that they are moving on to the next game.
The 'Heels face Kansas next and I would rather the 'Heels play Kansas. Playing North Carolina State a fourth time this season would have been tough. I believe the Wolfpack was playing the most solid basketball of any team in the tournament. They shot less than 30 percent against the Jayhawks and that was their undoing.
I have to admit that I got a certain amount of satisfaction out of the fact that Clark Kellogg's son played for Ohio University and the North Carolina Tarheels are the team that put them out of the NCAA tournament.
The young Kellogg played a solid game and I am glad that CBS did not allow Clark Kellogg to announce the game.
Showing posts with label Tyler Zeller. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tyler Zeller. Show all posts
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
Physical vs. Dirty
In the Associated Press write up after yesterday's Creighton vs. North Carolina game, the writer used the word "physical" to describe Creighton's style of play. My definition of physical is a team that is diving after loose balls, setting solid screens, and playing hard nose man-to-man defense.
There is a big difference between physical and dirty. What Creighton did during yesterday's game was play cheap, dirty basketball and it cost North Carolina one of its star players and arguably the best point guard in college basketball, Kendall Marshall.
The dirty play started early in the game. John Henson returned to action with a heavily wrapped left wrist and Creighton guard Grant Gibbs started hacking away at it after the whistle early on in the game. John Henson had posession of the ball under the UNC basket and a foul had already been called on another Creighton player. Gibbs took a couple of hard hacks at his wrist. The play resulted in John Henson picking up a technical foul when he got in Gibbs' face. What sealed the deal for me was Gibbs winking at his bench. Announcer Clark Kellogg, in my opinion one of the worst announcers in college basketball, said he did not know what Gibbs' "intent" was. The intent to injure was there and John Henson knew it. I wonder if Kelloggs perception would have changed if that was his son, who plays for Ohio University, getting hacked on.
Creighton's Center, Gregory Echenique, decided early on that there was no way that he could match Tyler Zeller's skill level so he was going to try to hammer him every time he made a move. Echenique's idea of an offensive move was to lower his shoulder and bang Zeller off of him. Of course Clark Kellogg applauded his efforts the entire game because why worry about skill when you can try to pound them into submission.
The key moment of that battle had to be when Echenique gave Zeller a double forearm shiver to the chest and slammed him to the floor. Echenique had been upset because on the previous offensive posession by Creighton, he had thrown up an errant shot and he immediately started motioning to the officials that he thought Zeller had pushed him on the play. Rather than play on, he decided to take matters into his own hands. UNC's shot was already in the air and Zeller was just below the free throw line, when Echenique turned and faced Zeller, and hit him with both of his forearms. Neither player was remotely close to being in rebounding position. That was by the purest of definitions, a cheap shot. The refs conveniently called nothing, Clark Kellogg remained silent, Jim Nance mentioned there was no foul called on that incident, and the UNC fans booed heartily.
The final moment came when Creighton player, Ethan Wragge, clotheslined Kendall Marshall as he drove in for a layup. Wragge was out of position on the play, his back was turned to Marshall, and he took a backhanded swipe at Marshall as he drove by. Wragge caught him across the shoulder and chest with the backhand swipe, sending Marshall airborn and onto the floor. The result was two free throws and a broken right wrist for Kendall Marshall. The refs actually called a foul on that play.
Creighton couldn't beat the Tarheels with their basketball skills so they turned it into a cheap shot contest. That contest they easily won. The refs let it continue throughout the entire game and they penalized John Henson with a technical foul as a result. All that did was motivate the North Carolina team as they easily won the basketball skills contest. It is a shame that one backhanded swipe could ultimately cost UNC a shot at the national championship.
There is a big difference between physical and dirty. What Creighton did during yesterday's game was play cheap, dirty basketball and it cost North Carolina one of its star players and arguably the best point guard in college basketball, Kendall Marshall.
The dirty play started early in the game. John Henson returned to action with a heavily wrapped left wrist and Creighton guard Grant Gibbs started hacking away at it after the whistle early on in the game. John Henson had posession of the ball under the UNC basket and a foul had already been called on another Creighton player. Gibbs took a couple of hard hacks at his wrist. The play resulted in John Henson picking up a technical foul when he got in Gibbs' face. What sealed the deal for me was Gibbs winking at his bench. Announcer Clark Kellogg, in my opinion one of the worst announcers in college basketball, said he did not know what Gibbs' "intent" was. The intent to injure was there and John Henson knew it. I wonder if Kelloggs perception would have changed if that was his son, who plays for Ohio University, getting hacked on.
Creighton's Center, Gregory Echenique, decided early on that there was no way that he could match Tyler Zeller's skill level so he was going to try to hammer him every time he made a move. Echenique's idea of an offensive move was to lower his shoulder and bang Zeller off of him. Of course Clark Kellogg applauded his efforts the entire game because why worry about skill when you can try to pound them into submission.
The key moment of that battle had to be when Echenique gave Zeller a double forearm shiver to the chest and slammed him to the floor. Echenique had been upset because on the previous offensive posession by Creighton, he had thrown up an errant shot and he immediately started motioning to the officials that he thought Zeller had pushed him on the play. Rather than play on, he decided to take matters into his own hands. UNC's shot was already in the air and Zeller was just below the free throw line, when Echenique turned and faced Zeller, and hit him with both of his forearms. Neither player was remotely close to being in rebounding position. That was by the purest of definitions, a cheap shot. The refs conveniently called nothing, Clark Kellogg remained silent, Jim Nance mentioned there was no foul called on that incident, and the UNC fans booed heartily.
The final moment came when Creighton player, Ethan Wragge, clotheslined Kendall Marshall as he drove in for a layup. Wragge was out of position on the play, his back was turned to Marshall, and he took a backhanded swipe at Marshall as he drove by. Wragge caught him across the shoulder and chest with the backhand swipe, sending Marshall airborn and onto the floor. The result was two free throws and a broken right wrist for Kendall Marshall. The refs actually called a foul on that play.
Creighton couldn't beat the Tarheels with their basketball skills so they turned it into a cheap shot contest. That contest they easily won. The refs let it continue throughout the entire game and they penalized John Henson with a technical foul as a result. All that did was motivate the North Carolina team as they easily won the basketball skills contest. It is a shame that one backhanded swipe could ultimately cost UNC a shot at the national championship.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Duke Can Suck It
The Coach K Public Relations machine known as Duke can suck it. As a Tarheel fan, last nights 88-70 win over Duke may be the most satisfying win ever. It was especially gratifying to see Tarheel and all-around good guy Tyler Zeller have an outstanding game. It was also a game for the ACC regular season championship.
When Coach K first started coaching in the ACC, he railed against UNC and the ACC saying that Dean Smith did whatever he wanted to and the ACC let him and he referred to that as the "Dean Smith rules." Now Coach K does whatever he wants to and gets away with it but I have never heard him refer to it as the "Coach K rules."
Going into halftime, I thought Coach K made a classless move by sending his lackey, Associate Head Coach Chris Collins, to do the interview with ESPN. I am pretty sure the ACC has informed its head coaches to cooperate with the media and I think that Chris Collins handled it well. The point is, that should have been Coach K's ferret face in front of ESPN's camera but I am sure he didn't want to have to try to explain a 24 point halftime deficit. The PR machine couldn't put a positive spin on that big of a number.
Duke Center Miles Plumlee is a classic Duke big man in the tradition of Danny Ferry, Christian Laettner, and more recently Greg Newton. Plumlee is a solid player but all of the complaining and gesturing to the refs about calls takes away from his game. Seeing him crying at the end of the game when he fouled out on Duke's Senior Night was somehow apropos.
When Coach K first started coaching in the ACC, he railed against UNC and the ACC saying that Dean Smith did whatever he wanted to and the ACC let him and he referred to that as the "Dean Smith rules." Now Coach K does whatever he wants to and gets away with it but I have never heard him refer to it as the "Coach K rules."
Going into halftime, I thought Coach K made a classless move by sending his lackey, Associate Head Coach Chris Collins, to do the interview with ESPN. I am pretty sure the ACC has informed its head coaches to cooperate with the media and I think that Chris Collins handled it well. The point is, that should have been Coach K's ferret face in front of ESPN's camera but I am sure he didn't want to have to try to explain a 24 point halftime deficit. The PR machine couldn't put a positive spin on that big of a number.
Duke Center Miles Plumlee is a classic Duke big man in the tradition of Danny Ferry, Christian Laettner, and more recently Greg Newton. Plumlee is a solid player but all of the complaining and gesturing to the refs about calls takes away from his game. Seeing him crying at the end of the game when he fouled out on Duke's Senior Night was somehow apropos.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
The Start Of ACC Play
The North Carolina Tarheels opened up ACC play against Boston College in Chapel Hill this afternoon. The 'Heels won going away 83-60 as Harrison Barnes led the way with 25 points, Tyler Zeller had 20, and John Henson had 14. Kendall Marshall had 11 assists and an uncharacteristic 6 points.
Boston College started 5 Freshmen and have 9 on the roster and were only 5-9 going into the game. They played a hard, physical game and actually closed to within 59-50 after an 18-7 run in the middle of the second half.
That is when Roy Williams challenged his team to "finish the game like they are supposed to" and they went on a 24-10 run to close it out. I really didn't like the way they finished because I thought they exhibited poor clock management and did not run their offense. With a little bit less than 3 minutes to go, instead of working the clock and getting quality shots, P.J. Hairston, Reggie Bullock, and even Harrison Barnes were jacking up 3's like they were down by 5 points.
This years Tarheels basketball team is a frustrating team to watch. They play great in stretches and they have developed the bad habit of playing up or down to the level of their competition. There are times when they look like an average team. Their defense has more than their fair share of breakdowns and lapses, at times they struggle to keep the opposition from getting offensive rebounds, and their free throw shooting is a glaring weakness, especially as many times as they get to the free throw line. Point Guard Kendall Marshall is only shooting 59% from the free throw line and he is the one that needs to be closing games out at the line.
Boston College started 5 Freshmen and have 9 on the roster and were only 5-9 going into the game. They played a hard, physical game and actually closed to within 59-50 after an 18-7 run in the middle of the second half.
That is when Roy Williams challenged his team to "finish the game like they are supposed to" and they went on a 24-10 run to close it out. I really didn't like the way they finished because I thought they exhibited poor clock management and did not run their offense. With a little bit less than 3 minutes to go, instead of working the clock and getting quality shots, P.J. Hairston, Reggie Bullock, and even Harrison Barnes were jacking up 3's like they were down by 5 points.
This years Tarheels basketball team is a frustrating team to watch. They play great in stretches and they have developed the bad habit of playing up or down to the level of their competition. There are times when they look like an average team. Their defense has more than their fair share of breakdowns and lapses, at times they struggle to keep the opposition from getting offensive rebounds, and their free throw shooting is a glaring weakness, especially as many times as they get to the free throw line. Point Guard Kendall Marshall is only shooting 59% from the free throw line and he is the one that needs to be closing games out at the line.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
The Kentucky Game
North Carolina had their chances at Kentucky and did not finish the game. The 'Heels missed 9 straight field goals late in the second half and turnovers once again killed them. UNC had their best three-point shooting game of the season (11-18) and it was a great game. Its a shame that the 'Heels lost.
The Tarheels can take alot from this game. Freshman P.J. Hairston came up huge in this game hitting 3 out of 4 three-pointers. He showed he is not shy about putting up a big shot in a hostile environment. Reggie Bullock also hit a few big shots and I thought played some solid defense.
There were also some negatives to this game. I do not think that Tyler Zeller did a real good job of handling the double team as evidenced by his 4 turnovers. Dexter Strickland couldn't seem to hang onto the ball. The 'Heels also had a bad shooting game as well as being outrebounded for the 4th time in 8 games.
The Tarheels can take alot from this game. Freshman P.J. Hairston came up huge in this game hitting 3 out of 4 three-pointers. He showed he is not shy about putting up a big shot in a hostile environment. Reggie Bullock also hit a few big shots and I thought played some solid defense.
There were also some negatives to this game. I do not think that Tyler Zeller did a real good job of handling the double team as evidenced by his 4 turnovers. Dexter Strickland couldn't seem to hang onto the ball. The 'Heels also had a bad shooting game as well as being outrebounded for the 4th time in 8 games.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Versus UNC-Asheville
The UNC Tarheels helped UNC-A open up their new arena, Kimmel Arena, last night and it was an electric small college atmosphere. An announced sellout of 3200 people and they were rockin' the place.
The 'Heels had too much size for UNC-A and they just kept pounding it on the inside. Tyler Zeller had a game high 27 points, John Henson had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Harrison Barnes had 17 points in the 91-75 win. Point Guard Kendall Marshall only had 6 points but 15 assists and only one turnover.
After the first two games, the Tarheels most glaring weaknesses are turnovers and outside shooting. 31 turnovers in the first two games is alot but with the Tarheels fast break offense, you have to expect a little higher than average turnover count. The problem in the first two games is that they have really not had the opportunity to run their break.
In the first couple of games, they really haven't needed points from the outside but it would be nice if they could develop someone to come in and fill it up from the outside. Freshman P.J. Hairston looks like he has a nice outside stroke and Reggie Bullock has the potential to be our "Microwave" coming off the bench. Harrison Barnes is the only starter that can hit threes.
The 'Heels had too much size for UNC-A and they just kept pounding it on the inside. Tyler Zeller had a game high 27 points, John Henson had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Harrison Barnes had 17 points in the 91-75 win. Point Guard Kendall Marshall only had 6 points but 15 assists and only one turnover.
After the first two games, the Tarheels most glaring weaknesses are turnovers and outside shooting. 31 turnovers in the first two games is alot but with the Tarheels fast break offense, you have to expect a little higher than average turnover count. The problem in the first two games is that they have really not had the opportunity to run their break.
In the first couple of games, they really haven't needed points from the outside but it would be nice if they could develop someone to come in and fill it up from the outside. Freshman P.J. Hairston looks like he has a nice outside stroke and Reggie Bullock has the potential to be our "Microwave" coming off the bench. Harrison Barnes is the only starter that can hit threes.
Monday, April 18, 2011
The Triumvirate Is Complete
The press release that everyone has been waiting for came out of Chapel Hill this morning saying that Harrison Barnes was coming back for one more year of college basketball. Combined with the return of Tyler Zeller and John Henson and the coming of James McAdoo and P.J. Hairston, the 'Heels should be primed for a run at the national title in 2012.
I think Harrison Barnes made a wise decision. I think there are several facets of his game he needs to work on and I truly believe that he wants to win a national championship with the University of North Carolina.
I am sure there are other factors involved such as the potential for an NBA work stoppage, several other players have declared their intention to turn pro this year that increases the competition, and he realizes North Carolina is going to be loaded next year.
I think Harrison Barnes made a wise decision. I think there are several facets of his game he needs to work on and I truly believe that he wants to win a national championship with the University of North Carolina.
I am sure there are other factors involved such as the potential for an NBA work stoppage, several other players have declared their intention to turn pro this year that increases the competition, and he realizes North Carolina is going to be loaded next year.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Henson, Zeller, and Barnes
It was with great pleasure that I read last week that John Henson and Tyler Zeller announced they were returning to the University of North Carolina to continue their college basketball careers. It really surprised me that they even considered turning pro. I honestly didn't see either one being high draft picks if they even went in the first round.
John Henson needs to get bigger and stronger. He is a great defensive presence but he will get pushed around in the NBA especially on the inside where they don't call fouls. He also needs to work on his offensive game especially with his back to the basket. He is prone to the double team and turns the ball over way too much.
Tyler Zeller is a small forward trapped in a centers body. He has a good inside game but is also prone to the double team. He is not the defensive presence that Henson is and can be pushed around under the basket by bigger centers. Zellers strength is in running the court. He may be the best I have ever seen on the leak out on the fastbreak. I don't think he will get too many of those opportunities in the NBA.
Harrison Barnes is the "X" factor in this group. Most people believe he will be a top five pick in the draft but I don't think he is ready to go pro. His game has alot of holes from his jump shot to his unwillingness to drive to the basket. He used the drive more as soon as the season progressed but he still settled for the jump shot too often. The money, if that is all it is about, will be there if he wants it but it will also be there the year after. I think one factor he needs to consider is the possibility of an NBA lockout.
If Harrison Barnes joins the other two in coming back for one more season, and add the two McDonald's All-Americans coming in, alot of experts are already predicting that UNC would be the preseason #1. Those are lofty expectations and things would finally be back to normal in Chapel Hill.
John Henson needs to get bigger and stronger. He is a great defensive presence but he will get pushed around in the NBA especially on the inside where they don't call fouls. He also needs to work on his offensive game especially with his back to the basket. He is prone to the double team and turns the ball over way too much.
Tyler Zeller is a small forward trapped in a centers body. He has a good inside game but is also prone to the double team. He is not the defensive presence that Henson is and can be pushed around under the basket by bigger centers. Zellers strength is in running the court. He may be the best I have ever seen on the leak out on the fastbreak. I don't think he will get too many of those opportunities in the NBA.
Harrison Barnes is the "X" factor in this group. Most people believe he will be a top five pick in the draft but I don't think he is ready to go pro. His game has alot of holes from his jump shot to his unwillingness to drive to the basket. He used the drive more as soon as the season progressed but he still settled for the jump shot too often. The money, if that is all it is about, will be there if he wants it but it will also be there the year after. I think one factor he needs to consider is the possibility of an NBA lockout.
If Harrison Barnes joins the other two in coming back for one more season, and add the two McDonald's All-Americans coming in, alot of experts are already predicting that UNC would be the preseason #1. Those are lofty expectations and things would finally be back to normal in Chapel Hill.
Monday, March 28, 2011
The Tragic End To The Season
The Kentucky game was a tough matchup for the 'Heels. John Calipari went small against Carolina and it worked. They couldn't guard the perimeter on defense (Kentucky was 12 of 22 from the three-point line), and they couldn't hit from the perimeter on offense (3 of 17).
John Henson may have had his worst game of the season (4 points, 9 rebounds, 0 blocked shots, and 5 fouls) before fouling out and Tyler Zeller led the way again (21 points and 9 rebounds). Harrison Barnes (18 points but a horrible shooting night) reaffirmed my belief that he needs to come back to school for at least one more season. As a team, the 'Heels just did not play a solid game.
I do not like losing to John Calipari. There is no doubt that he is a good coach and an excellent recruiter but I believe that he has ran a "dirty" program wherever he has been. He always gets out right before the school gets caught. I think the sanctions should follow him where ever he goes.
John Henson may have had his worst game of the season (4 points, 9 rebounds, 0 blocked shots, and 5 fouls) before fouling out and Tyler Zeller led the way again (21 points and 9 rebounds). Harrison Barnes (18 points but a horrible shooting night) reaffirmed my belief that he needs to come back to school for at least one more season. As a team, the 'Heels just did not play a solid game.
I do not like losing to John Calipari. There is no doubt that he is a good coach and an excellent recruiter but I believe that he has ran a "dirty" program wherever he has been. He always gets out right before the school gets caught. I think the sanctions should follow him where ever he goes.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
On To the Elite Eight
The game against Marquette last night really surprised me. I thought Marquette would come out ready to play. From the opening tap, Marquette looked out of sync, they had a hard time getting into their offense, and defensively they were not as active or play with as much intensity they had in their first two games. North Carolina took advantage of their size inside on offense and got into the passing lanes on defense and combined with Marquette's poor shooting, led to many easy baskets and a 40-15 halftime lead. It was pretty much over at that point.
Marquette cut it as close as 14 points with about 4 minutes to go in the second half but the game was never in doubt. The 'Heels had a little bit of a letdown in the second half with their defensive intensity and offensive execution but I believe they just wanted the game to be over.
Tyler Zeller has had a monster tournament. He had 27 points and 15 rebounds against Marquette and is playing the best basketball of his career by a long shot. UNC's "big three" of Zeller, Harrison Barnes, and John Henson combined for 61 of the 81 points and 36 rebounds. Henson has come alive in the tournament as well but I do not know why he thinks he needs to be shooting from the perimeter.
The 'Heels still cannot hit from the perimeter on a consistent basis and Barnes and Leslie McDonald are their only legitimate outside threats but McDonald has been in a shooting slump that has lasted for about 15 games. Dexter Strickland will never be a scoring threat from the outside but he is much better in a transition game and he even nailed a 15 foot jump shot in transition last night.
John Henson has turned into a multi-faceted defensive presence that has caused problems for every team they have played in the tournament. He might be the best shot blocker in the history of the North Carolina Tarheels but to watch him guard the inbounds pass is a thing of beauty. He defelected another one last night in which the 'Heels gained posession.
Charles Barkley described the Tarheel big men as "soft" last night in the pregame segment of the CBS telecast and I would have to disagree with that. It is no secret that they are not physical but Zeller and Henson are extremely effective in the college game. The officials chose to "let them play" last night and in almost any situation like that the 'Heels are not going to be as effective.
When I refer to let them play, the officials chose to let the big men on the inside beat and bang and that definitely gave Marquette an advantage that they probably didn't take enough advantage of in the first half. Zeller did do a good job of denying the entry pass in the middle, picking off several and deflecting several more.
When the officials do choose to let them play, the play is much more physical, and the play always seems to be on the verge of out of control. It came very close last night. The foul committed on John Henson right before the end of the first half when he had a breakaway and the Marquette player wrapped his arms around Henson and spun him around before he made an attempt on the ball was when the officials started to lose a little bit of control of the game. Even announcer Clark Kellogg said it should have been called an intentional foul.
The physical play only escalated in the second half and I believe the only reason that Jae Crowder of Marquette had a technical foul called on him was because he called Henson a "mother------" and it was plainly audible on the broadcast. I took great satisfaction when Henson later blocked one of his shots into the third row (although Crowder later hit a three-pointer with Henson guarding him) and Henson and Crowder were woofing at each other then. I noticed from that point on, anytime Marquette's players had the opportunity to get in an extra shove or an elbow, they took full advantage of it because the officials were not going to call any of it. I chalk it up to the big lead and the composure of North Carolina's players that it didn't get out of control then. The officials weren't about to make a stand.
Marquette cut it as close as 14 points with about 4 minutes to go in the second half but the game was never in doubt. The 'Heels had a little bit of a letdown in the second half with their defensive intensity and offensive execution but I believe they just wanted the game to be over.
Tyler Zeller has had a monster tournament. He had 27 points and 15 rebounds against Marquette and is playing the best basketball of his career by a long shot. UNC's "big three" of Zeller, Harrison Barnes, and John Henson combined for 61 of the 81 points and 36 rebounds. Henson has come alive in the tournament as well but I do not know why he thinks he needs to be shooting from the perimeter.
The 'Heels still cannot hit from the perimeter on a consistent basis and Barnes and Leslie McDonald are their only legitimate outside threats but McDonald has been in a shooting slump that has lasted for about 15 games. Dexter Strickland will never be a scoring threat from the outside but he is much better in a transition game and he even nailed a 15 foot jump shot in transition last night.
John Henson has turned into a multi-faceted defensive presence that has caused problems for every team they have played in the tournament. He might be the best shot blocker in the history of the North Carolina Tarheels but to watch him guard the inbounds pass is a thing of beauty. He defelected another one last night in which the 'Heels gained posession.
Charles Barkley described the Tarheel big men as "soft" last night in the pregame segment of the CBS telecast and I would have to disagree with that. It is no secret that they are not physical but Zeller and Henson are extremely effective in the college game. The officials chose to "let them play" last night and in almost any situation like that the 'Heels are not going to be as effective.
When I refer to let them play, the officials chose to let the big men on the inside beat and bang and that definitely gave Marquette an advantage that they probably didn't take enough advantage of in the first half. Zeller did do a good job of denying the entry pass in the middle, picking off several and deflecting several more.
When the officials do choose to let them play, the play is much more physical, and the play always seems to be on the verge of out of control. It came very close last night. The foul committed on John Henson right before the end of the first half when he had a breakaway and the Marquette player wrapped his arms around Henson and spun him around before he made an attempt on the ball was when the officials started to lose a little bit of control of the game. Even announcer Clark Kellogg said it should have been called an intentional foul.
The physical play only escalated in the second half and I believe the only reason that Jae Crowder of Marquette had a technical foul called on him was because he called Henson a "mother------" and it was plainly audible on the broadcast. I took great satisfaction when Henson later blocked one of his shots into the third row (although Crowder later hit a three-pointer with Henson guarding him) and Henson and Crowder were woofing at each other then. I noticed from that point on, anytime Marquette's players had the opportunity to get in an extra shove or an elbow, they took full advantage of it because the officials were not going to call any of it. I chalk it up to the big lead and the composure of North Carolina's players that it didn't get out of control then. The officials weren't about to make a stand.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
On To The Sweet Sixteen
First of all, allow me to say that I just thought Dan Bonner and Billy Packer were biased against the North Carolina Tarheels. There is a new biased announcer in town. His name is Clark Kellog. He did a fine job of being biased especially with that non-goaltending call against Washington in the first half. I would love for him to explain to me on what gravitationally challenged planet that ball would still be going up when it was blocked. Enough about that.
North Carolina beat Washington 86-83 to make it to the Sweet Sixteen. Statistically speaking that may be one of the best games North Carolina played all year. They almost shot 50 percent, they only had 9 turnovers, 6 of 12 from the three-point line, 18 of 23 from the free throw line, but there still seemed to be something missing.
The 'Heels do not play aggressive on the ball defense. If it wasn't for John Henson's shot blocking ability, you would never know they played defense. Other teams players seem to drive to the basket at will against the 'Heels, they cannot seem to guard the three point line to save their ass (Isiah Thomas got a really good look at the basket for the last shot of the game), and if UNC bothers running any kind of a press, they get blistered two or three times before they give it up. They have a tendency to play classic "help" defense and I hate it. All they seem to do when they do that is give up wide open three-pointers.
John Henson has had a great tournament. I do not know what he was thinking at the end of the game. he had a mental lapse of some kind and gave Washington a second chance by knocking the ball out of bounds and then almost goaltending on the final shot. I always tried to get my players to think situationally. Be aware of what is going on and think about the situation in front of you.
Kendall Marshall had another great game. 13 points, 14 assists, and only 4 turnovers. Tyler Zeller had another solid game with 23 points and Harrison Barnes had 22. Dexter Strickland finally came out of his scoring shell with 13 points. They played a solid game as a team but there was still that one thing missing.
North Carolina beat Washington 86-83 to make it to the Sweet Sixteen. Statistically speaking that may be one of the best games North Carolina played all year. They almost shot 50 percent, they only had 9 turnovers, 6 of 12 from the three-point line, 18 of 23 from the free throw line, but there still seemed to be something missing.
The 'Heels do not play aggressive on the ball defense. If it wasn't for John Henson's shot blocking ability, you would never know they played defense. Other teams players seem to drive to the basket at will against the 'Heels, they cannot seem to guard the three point line to save their ass (Isiah Thomas got a really good look at the basket for the last shot of the game), and if UNC bothers running any kind of a press, they get blistered two or three times before they give it up. They have a tendency to play classic "help" defense and I hate it. All they seem to do when they do that is give up wide open three-pointers.
John Henson has had a great tournament. I do not know what he was thinking at the end of the game. he had a mental lapse of some kind and gave Washington a second chance by knocking the ball out of bounds and then almost goaltending on the final shot. I always tried to get my players to think situationally. Be aware of what is going on and think about the situation in front of you.
Kendall Marshall had another great game. 13 points, 14 assists, and only 4 turnovers. Tyler Zeller had another solid game with 23 points and Harrison Barnes had 22. Dexter Strickland finally came out of his scoring shell with 13 points. They played a solid game as a team but there was still that one thing missing.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Henson, Zeller, and Barnes
That was quite a performance by the Tarheels big three scorers in their opening round game against Long Island University. They scored 84 of the 'Heels 102 points in the 102-87 win.
Tyler Zeller had a career high of 32 points, Harrison Barnes had 24 points and a career high 16 rebounds, and John Henson had a career high of 28 points.
They won the game but the negatives almost outweigh the positives. The played horrendous defense (they gave up 85 shots), they still can't hit an outside shot (3 of 17 from the three-point line), and they were careless with the ball (18 turnovers). A repeat performance like this and Sunday will be their final game of the year.
From the fan's perspective, it was an exciting game to watch. Alot of up-and-down, alot of points, a few dunks, blocked shots and some great plays by both teams. You really couldn't ask for anything more from a #15-#2 game. Washington or Georgia?
Tyler Zeller had a career high of 32 points, Harrison Barnes had 24 points and a career high 16 rebounds, and John Henson had a career high of 28 points.
They won the game but the negatives almost outweigh the positives. The played horrendous defense (they gave up 85 shots), they still can't hit an outside shot (3 of 17 from the three-point line), and they were careless with the ball (18 turnovers). A repeat performance like this and Sunday will be their final game of the year.
From the fan's perspective, it was an exciting game to watch. Alot of up-and-down, alot of points, a few dunks, blocked shots and some great plays by both teams. You really couldn't ask for anything more from a #15-#2 game. Washington or Georgia?
Friday, March 11, 2011
Winning the Close Ones
The Tarheels have shown a knack for being able to win the close ones this year and Game One of the ACC Tournament against Miami was no exception. You also have to be able to win the games in which you do not play your best and, once again, this game was no exception.
This was the worst game the 'Heels had played in quite a while. They were so careless with the ball in the first half, Roy Williams put 5 walk-ons into the game only down 13-8 so he could reem out the 5 that were on the court. I don't know if it was because of a "Duke hangover" or what but that was a very bad stretch of basketball. As a consequence they were down 31-22 at the half after allowing Miami to outscore them 11-2 down the stretch in the first half.
The second half didn't start out much better as Miami built up a 53-34 lead with a little under 8 minutes to play. Its no secret that Roy Willaims is not a big fan of the ACC Tournament and it looked like his team was going to get plenty of rest going into the NCAA's. Leslie McDonald provided a huge spark off the bench, hitting three 3's down the stretch and Kendall Marshall hit a couple of 3's as well and Miami turned ice cold from the field.
UNC got the ball back with 18.6 seconds left, Kendall marshall drove the lane and dished it to Tyler Zeller under the basket and he banged a left-handed layup off the glass right as time expired to win it 61-59. The ball left his hand with 0.2 seconds to go. Game Over.
It was not a pretty win and a game they probably did not deserve to win, but it still counts and Clemson is up next. The 'Heels had 20 turnovers in that game and they had better not have a repeat performance tomorrow or they probably will not win.
This was the worst game the 'Heels had played in quite a while. They were so careless with the ball in the first half, Roy Williams put 5 walk-ons into the game only down 13-8 so he could reem out the 5 that were on the court. I don't know if it was because of a "Duke hangover" or what but that was a very bad stretch of basketball. As a consequence they were down 31-22 at the half after allowing Miami to outscore them 11-2 down the stretch in the first half.
The second half didn't start out much better as Miami built up a 53-34 lead with a little under 8 minutes to play. Its no secret that Roy Willaims is not a big fan of the ACC Tournament and it looked like his team was going to get plenty of rest going into the NCAA's. Leslie McDonald provided a huge spark off the bench, hitting three 3's down the stretch and Kendall Marshall hit a couple of 3's as well and Miami turned ice cold from the field.
UNC got the ball back with 18.6 seconds left, Kendall marshall drove the lane and dished it to Tyler Zeller under the basket and he banged a left-handed layup off the glass right as time expired to win it 61-59. The ball left his hand with 0.2 seconds to go. Game Over.
It was not a pretty win and a game they probably did not deserve to win, but it still counts and Clemson is up next. The 'Heels had 20 turnovers in that game and they had better not have a repeat performance tomorrow or they probably will not win.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Tarheels on a Roll
The Tarheels vanquished rival NC State last night for the tenth straight time. I would love to say it was easy but nothing is easy this season for the Tarheels. This is easily the worst shooting team in Tarheels basketball history at least since I have been an ardent fan since the Phil Ford years of the mid-1970's. It used to be news if the 'Heels shot under 50 percent for a game, now it is a major part of the story if they shoot over 50 percent. One reason for this is they are not getting as many fast break points as they have in past seasons and and are not pushing the ball up the court as hard.
They are 21-6 on the season and should be a lock for the NCAA's this season and are slowly working their way back up the polls. The last I checked they were #19 in one poll with a game against Duke on the horizon. I really can't explain how the 'Heels have been winning but they just have is the bottom line. Some credit their defense, others point out the weak ACC this season, and I am beginning to believe smoke and mirrors.
They still have a few weaknesses and the two most obvious are three point shooting and inside depth. The Tarheels bench has all but disappeared over the course of the past 5 or 6 games, Justin Knox is the only big man coming off the bench and no one is providing any points. Other ACC teams are finally figuring out to beat the 'Heels or at least to stay with them, you have to play zone and the 'Heels are incapable of shooting them out of it. The ACC tournament should be very interesting this year and I am hoping the 'Heels will snap out of their team wide shooting slump and get really hot for the tournament.
On a very positive note, center Tyler Zeller was named Academic All-American just a few days ago. That is the first Academic All-American the Tarheels have had since Eric Montross in 1994. Most fans forget that the players are student athletes and that the student part is more important than the basketball or football part.
They are 21-6 on the season and should be a lock for the NCAA's this season and are slowly working their way back up the polls. The last I checked they were #19 in one poll with a game against Duke on the horizon. I really can't explain how the 'Heels have been winning but they just have is the bottom line. Some credit their defense, others point out the weak ACC this season, and I am beginning to believe smoke and mirrors.
They still have a few weaknesses and the two most obvious are three point shooting and inside depth. The Tarheels bench has all but disappeared over the course of the past 5 or 6 games, Justin Knox is the only big man coming off the bench and no one is providing any points. Other ACC teams are finally figuring out to beat the 'Heels or at least to stay with them, you have to play zone and the 'Heels are incapable of shooting them out of it. The ACC tournament should be very interesting this year and I am hoping the 'Heels will snap out of their team wide shooting slump and get really hot for the tournament.
On a very positive note, center Tyler Zeller was named Academic All-American just a few days ago. That is the first Academic All-American the Tarheels have had since Eric Montross in 1994. Most fans forget that the players are student athletes and that the student part is more important than the basketball or football part.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
A Quality Win
Let me begin this post by saying I do not like John Calipari. I think he runs dirty programs as evidenced by the fact that as soon as he leaves a school, they get into trouble for some kind of recruiting violations and yet, he gets off scot free. I think the recruiting violations should follow him to his next school.
The UNC Tarheels finally played basketball today. They displayed the athleticism and playmaking that has been missing this season and pulled out a last minute win against a top ten ranked University of Kentucky team. The 'Heels made their share of mistakes but they are still a young team.
Tyler Zeller had a career game with 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 blocked shots. He took the game over in the last four minutes and that might have been the most important thing he did today. John Henson played another solid game and displayed the athleticism that he needs to use to be successful. You can tell that he has put in work on his free throw shooting but the two consecutive airballs he shot today didn't look too good. That might be the first time I have ever seen two consecutive airballs. For a five minute stretch in the first half, Harrison Barnes looked like the player that everyone thought was the #1 high school player in the nation last year. The rest of the game he disappeared and was a non-factor. In the last four minutes of the game, he had a turnover and forced two shots that could have been critical. Nobody wants him to succeed more than I do but he needs to let the game come to him rather than forcing most everything.
The bench made minimal contributions as the time was well distributed among the five players coming off the bench. There were definitely some serious signs of hope and maybe they can put it all together by ACC tournament time. I do not think they will conted for the regular season title.
The UNC Tarheels finally played basketball today. They displayed the athleticism and playmaking that has been missing this season and pulled out a last minute win against a top ten ranked University of Kentucky team. The 'Heels made their share of mistakes but they are still a young team.
Tyler Zeller had a career game with 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 blocked shots. He took the game over in the last four minutes and that might have been the most important thing he did today. John Henson played another solid game and displayed the athleticism that he needs to use to be successful. You can tell that he has put in work on his free throw shooting but the two consecutive airballs he shot today didn't look too good. That might be the first time I have ever seen two consecutive airballs. For a five minute stretch in the first half, Harrison Barnes looked like the player that everyone thought was the #1 high school player in the nation last year. The rest of the game he disappeared and was a non-factor. In the last four minutes of the game, he had a turnover and forced two shots that could have been critical. Nobody wants him to succeed more than I do but he needs to let the game come to him rather than forcing most everything.
The bench made minimal contributions as the time was well distributed among the five players coming off the bench. There were definitely some serious signs of hope and maybe they can put it all together by ACC tournament time. I do not think they will conted for the regular season title.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
College of Charleston
, The game against the College of Charleston the other night was once again an ugly game just like it was last year. The first half was especially ugly. I thought the 'Heels got beat to just about every loose ball, they got out rebounded, and they still had a one point lead going into halftime, 28-27. I felf a large part of that was due to the fact that leading scorer Andrew Goudelock was ice cold from the field.
The second half was a different story in so many aspects. Goudelock got hot (he finished with 28 points including 13 in a row at one point) but I agreed with Coach Roy Williams in that I thought Dexter Strickland played solid defense on him. He hit some very tough shots. They rebounded much better and showed some signs of putting together a transition game and scored several fast break baskets.
The 'Heels ended up winning 74-69 and John Henson led the way with 19 points doing most of his damage hitting baby hook shots near the basket. It was an offensive game he had never really shown me before. He was about the only one. Tyler Zeller had a bad shooting game and our starting guards (Drew II and Strickland) only scored 10 points and that is below their average of 12. I don't know if Drew II has lost confidence in his offensive game or what but I don't believe he is playing as good a floor game as he played last year either. I believe the team plays at a faster tempo with Kendall Marshall running the show. In my opinion, the most improved player on the team is Guard Leslie McDonald. He only had 9 points but hit two big three-pointers (the only two they hit the entire game) and he looks so much more confident and his shot looks much smoother than it did last year. You can tell he put in the work during the off season.
The second half was a different story in so many aspects. Goudelock got hot (he finished with 28 points including 13 in a row at one point) but I agreed with Coach Roy Williams in that I thought Dexter Strickland played solid defense on him. He hit some very tough shots. They rebounded much better and showed some signs of putting together a transition game and scored several fast break baskets.
The 'Heels ended up winning 74-69 and John Henson led the way with 19 points doing most of his damage hitting baby hook shots near the basket. It was an offensive game he had never really shown me before. He was about the only one. Tyler Zeller had a bad shooting game and our starting guards (Drew II and Strickland) only scored 10 points and that is below their average of 12. I don't know if Drew II has lost confidence in his offensive game or what but I don't believe he is playing as good a floor game as he played last year either. I believe the team plays at a faster tempo with Kendall Marshall running the show. In my opinion, the most improved player on the team is Guard Leslie McDonald. He only had 9 points but hit two big three-pointers (the only two they hit the entire game) and he looks so much more confident and his shot looks much smoother than it did last year. You can tell he put in the work during the off season.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
a tough Tarheel week
This was a tough week in Tarheel sports. The 'Heel football team lost one more time to the NC State Wolfpack. TJ Yates had yet another 400 yard passing game but once again, they left too many points on the field. They had a breakdown on special teams at the wrong time and could not get over that hump. There have been flashes this year from some of the underclassmen that gives you hope for next season but, as a Tarheel fan, I am about the here and now. Donte Paige-Moss finally showed me something against State and he might actually have a chance to live up to the hype of being one of the top ranked prospects when he came out if high school as Dwight Jones is finally beginning to show. The potential is definitely there although the NCAA could still rain on that parade.
It looks like the basketball team is only going to be slightly above average again this year. I have to be honest. Harrison Barnes has really not shown me anything. He is forcing shots, his shooting percentage is very low, and he is making bad decisions. I am probably expecting to much as he is only a Freshman but he is not ready to be the number one draft pick next year. The rest of the team is playing worse. The starting guards are only averaging 12 points a game and I can't remember a Tarheel team ever having a starting shooting guard only averaging 7.4 points a game after five games. They don't have any of the traditional senior leadership and Junior Tyler Zeller looks like he is the only one that comes to play every night. He just doesn't appear to be a vocal leader. As a team the Tarheels are only shooting around 40 percent and they are not getting many easy baskets from their transition game. The fast break is a rarity on this years team. It looks like it may be another long year. When does the Tarheel baseball season start?
It looks like the basketball team is only going to be slightly above average again this year. I have to be honest. Harrison Barnes has really not shown me anything. He is forcing shots, his shooting percentage is very low, and he is making bad decisions. I am probably expecting to much as he is only a Freshman but he is not ready to be the number one draft pick next year. The rest of the team is playing worse. The starting guards are only averaging 12 points a game and I can't remember a Tarheel team ever having a starting shooting guard only averaging 7.4 points a game after five games. They don't have any of the traditional senior leadership and Junior Tyler Zeller looks like he is the only one that comes to play every night. He just doesn't appear to be a vocal leader. As a team the Tarheels are only shooting around 40 percent and they are not getting many easy baskets from their transition game. The fast break is a rarity on this years team. It looks like it may be another long year. When does the Tarheel baseball season start?
Saturday, November 6, 2010
The Real Season
For any Tarheel fan, the real season in Tarheel country is basketball season. Even during Mack Brown's best seasons in Chapel Hill, everyone was still looking forward to basketball season. That is definitely the case this season especially with the NCAA mess and suspension festival that has become UNC football.
The Tarheel basketball team played an exhbition game last night against Barton College and it went about as expected at least as far as the score goes, 108-67. What I look for in games like this is overall performance, turnovers, defense, taking advantage of fastbreak opportunities, and how well they run their halfcourt offense.
In this particular game I was more interested in the play of the highly tauted freshman class. The stat line didn't look so good. Preseason All-American Harrison Barnes (the first freshman ever named to the pre-season All-American team) had a shaky debut. 7 points on 2 of 9 shooting but 6 turnovers, Reggie Bullock had 10 points on 4 of 10 shooting, and point guard Kendall Marshall had only 1 point but led the team with 9 assists. From what I have read, he is more in the mold of a "classic" Carolina point guard. He is not much of an offensive threat yet but he is a good passer and from all accounts, can run a team.
The biggest weakness for the 'Heels this year is going to be depth on the inside. They do not have a true center even listed on the roster and at 7'1", Tyler Zeller is listed as a Power Forward. He had 25 points and 14 rebounds last night and against a much smaller team, that is the kind of monster game that you would expect him to have. I am most curious to see how much John Henson (10 and 11 last night) has developed his game in between his freshman and sophomore seasons. Last season I thought he was a Small Forward trapped in a 6'10" body. I thought he was more effective at the end of the season playing on the inside as compared to the perimeter at the beginning of the season. He can definitely be a shot blocking force on the inside. I really don't know anything about Alabama transfer John Knox outside of the fact he is the other big body in the middle. All it is going to take is one turned ankle or a knee injury or a jammed finger on someone in the middle and it completely changes the dynamics of the team and the fortunes of the season.
The "x-factor" on this seasons team may be Junior Justin Watts, whose playing time has been sporadic in his first two seasons. He is the heir apparent to William Graves playing time whose college basketball career came to a sudden end after being kicked off the team. I wonder if Graves hung out with members of the football team.
The Tarheel basketball team played an exhbition game last night against Barton College and it went about as expected at least as far as the score goes, 108-67. What I look for in games like this is overall performance, turnovers, defense, taking advantage of fastbreak opportunities, and how well they run their halfcourt offense.
In this particular game I was more interested in the play of the highly tauted freshman class. The stat line didn't look so good. Preseason All-American Harrison Barnes (the first freshman ever named to the pre-season All-American team) had a shaky debut. 7 points on 2 of 9 shooting but 6 turnovers, Reggie Bullock had 10 points on 4 of 10 shooting, and point guard Kendall Marshall had only 1 point but led the team with 9 assists. From what I have read, he is more in the mold of a "classic" Carolina point guard. He is not much of an offensive threat yet but he is a good passer and from all accounts, can run a team.
The biggest weakness for the 'Heels this year is going to be depth on the inside. They do not have a true center even listed on the roster and at 7'1", Tyler Zeller is listed as a Power Forward. He had 25 points and 14 rebounds last night and against a much smaller team, that is the kind of monster game that you would expect him to have. I am most curious to see how much John Henson (10 and 11 last night) has developed his game in between his freshman and sophomore seasons. Last season I thought he was a Small Forward trapped in a 6'10" body. I thought he was more effective at the end of the season playing on the inside as compared to the perimeter at the beginning of the season. He can definitely be a shot blocking force on the inside. I really don't know anything about Alabama transfer John Knox outside of the fact he is the other big body in the middle. All it is going to take is one turned ankle or a knee injury or a jammed finger on someone in the middle and it completely changes the dynamics of the team and the fortunes of the season.
The "x-factor" on this seasons team may be Junior Justin Watts, whose playing time has been sporadic in his first two seasons. He is the heir apparent to William Graves playing time whose college basketball career came to a sudden end after being kicked off the team. I wonder if Graves hung out with members of the football team.
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