Aspirations and Maturation

   By

HOWARD PLATT

Howard Platt

       


     
    
    The North Carolina Tar Heels have been a maturation process throughout the season.   At the start of the season they were ranked Number One in the polls, but they were overrated at that time.  Marcus Paige was injured and no one was really stepping up in his place. 

• Kennedy Meeks was a disappointment with his knee problems and then he missed a number of games because of that.  Then even when he became healthy, his play and intensity was inconsistent, especially with the high expectation that UNC fans had for him. 

• Paige came back to underperform in the eyes of the fans and the media, considering what he had done in past seasons.  He had a shooting slump that seemed like it would never end, and although it has never completely come back to the amazing Sophomore year he had, it is now more acceptable and he became a leader again both on and off the court. 

• Brice Johnson became the on court leader with his numbers while others were searching for their proper roles.  He has become a consistent double-double producer and a better defender.  He is the only Tar Heel, amazingly enough for a team that won the regular season title, on any of the All-ACC teams. He is now certainly one of the best players in the ACC, but also in the country. 

• And Joel Berry II has become perhaps the scoring leader and one of the top point guards now in the country in the latter stages of the season.  He was particularly outstanding in the ACC Tournament run and now there are new and higher expectations for him in the NCAA Tournament.

        Perhaps the greatest strength is the depth of players that now contribute to Carolina's success.  

• Meeks is getting to a higher level again, although he can do better.  

• Isiah Hicks has surfaced as an outstanding inside presence offensively and has improved as a defender.  He was rightly named the best "Sixth Man" in the conference and may be the best offensive option for the Heels over Meeks as they play around the same amount of time and even play at the same time sometimes.  

• Also Britt coming off the bench has been an outstanding defender and a spark for the team when he comes in.  

   Role players also play  a part.  

• Joel James is one of the Senior Leaders and although he doesn't score much, it seems he gets clutch points.  

• Almost forgot about Justin Jackson.  He's like a glue to the team functioning at top efficiency.  When he is in top form, whether on defense or with the teardrop floater he has made a great part of his game, the Heels are almost unbeatable.  

• Even the Freshmen like Luke Maye and young Kenny Williams have become good defenders. 

     In fact the biggest difference for UNC and what has now made them a top contender for the Final Four and even a National Championship has been the team defense!  That has not been a secret to anyone who has watched them in the last few games.  Too many times in the past there had been the wide open threes allowed or the opening of the middle of the lane much too often.  They changed all that during the ACC Tournament and it seems they now know what they can do from here on out in that all important part of the game.  

    They must continue to play that well in order to attain the goals they aspire to.  As a Tar Heel fan, I again have optimism as to what this team can accomplish.  Give Roy Williams credit too. Amidst criticism about not using timeouts properly and using his personnel differently than some of us wanted at the time, he has proven that his way is now the best way the team has developed.  

    I now am optimistic about this team having the chance to accomplish what many thought at the start of the year was a great chance.  A Final Four berth in Houston and a National Title is certainly within reach.  Now let's hopefully watch the path they take towards those goals.   

GO HEELS !

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Howard Platt Sports reports can be heard on Memories 1280 in Salisbury and 1410 in Concord and on 1490, Carolina Country.  He also does play by play of local American Legion Baseball, High School Baseball, High School Football and many High School Basketball games in the past. 

  --- I appreciate Bob Wingate allowing me to post on his blog --- 

 [ Ed. Note:  We appreciate you too Howard.  Let's do it again soon !]