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Chin up, Tar Heels
Submitted by jpg on 01/13/2009 - 12:25
Staff photo by Robert Willett
UNC's winless in the ACC after two games and the Earth is still on its axis. Promise. Look at the sky, it's still Carolina blue.
It might seem like the end of the world, Tar Heel fans, but it's not. Yes, 0-2 is not good, but it's Jan. 13. There's a lot of hockey left.
Five reasons not to burn those plane tickets to Detroit:
1) You can't play much worse
Take a look at boxscore from the 92-89 loss to Wake: UNC shot 35 percent (26-74) from the floor, 26 percent (6-23) from 3 and Wake's Jeff Teague scored 34 points.
So, Carolina couldn't hit water from a boat, a player on the other team had a career-game and the Heels still only lost by three.
Yes, there are larger questions about Teague's ability to get said 34 points, with the benefit of only three 3-pointers, but in general, UNC stunk and still almost won on the road against a top-5 team. That's a good sign.
2) Tyler Hansbrough
When Ty Lawson was injured last season, I wrote UNC was better with Quentin Thomas at point guard. I had statistical data to support my argument.
It's not anything against Lawson, it's that Thomas is/was a true pass-first point guard. With Thomas, the hierarchy of UNC's offense was clear: Psycho T first and everyone else second.
Bottom line for UNC and its Final Four chances — the offense has to run through Hansbrough. While not an adept passer, his presence opens up the outside for everyone else. He attracts the defense, which allows Wayne Ellington and Danny Green (note I omitted Lawson he should generate his points on the dribble-drive and in transition, not on 3s) to shoot and Deon Thompson to clean up the garbage.
Hansbrough can consistently score better than anyone who has ever played in the ACC. Give him the ball and go from there.
You cannot ignore him for a half, which UNC did for the better part of the final 20 minutes on Sunday, and he cannot allow his teammates to get into a 3-point shooting contest. UNC shouldn't be taking 23 3s in a game, at least not in a game it expects to win.
Hansbrough is not innocent in this 0-2 start. He took some bad shots against Wake — the second-half 3 pointer for one — and for just once in his college career, he needs to affect a game with his defense.
Still, if you follow the formula from the second-half of last season — Hansbrough first, everyone else second — the Final Four is there for the taking.
3) Defense is correctable
Defense is a function of hustle and desire. It's not a gift, it's about effort.
The bad news in losses to Wake and Boston College is neither team shot particularly well or beat UNC by trading 3s for 2s. Both Wake and BC simply out-played UNC.
That's both bad news and good news. The bad news is, the Heels aren't as good as you, me, Dick Vitale, Roy Williams or anyone else thought they were. Talented and experienced, yes, but they are flawed.
The good news is they just have to try harder, particularly on the defensive end of the floor, and they have the talent to overcome their flaws.
Help defense is about communication and teamwork. Duke put on a clinic against Davidson in help defense. (Maybe Duke will send them the tape?)
Especially with the ole perimeter defense by Lawson and Ellington, UNC needs Thompson, Green or Ed Davis to cut off dribble penetration. It's called "help" defense for a reason.
4) Wayne Ellington
There's no sense in sugar-coating this, Wayne Ellington has not been good. On defense he's a liability and on offense he's not making enough jump shots to offset the points he's allowing.
But 16 games does not a season make. Run the offense through Hansbrough (see Point 2) and Ellington will have more clean looks at the basket and not just be jacking 3s for the sake of jacking 3s.
Defensively, he was so bad against Wake, Williams had to go to a zone in the second half because he had no other options at shooting guard.
This is where Marcus Ginyard will help. Note, I don't think Ginyard's Lazarus (or even Jackie Manuel) but his minutes can only help Ellington.
Again, the good news is Ellington has a talent (shooting) you can't teach and with the right effort can at least be serviceable on defense.
5) Reduced expectations
Williams loves to say he loves high expectations because that means he has a good team. The truth is all coaches hate high expectations because it's an element they can't control and coaches by nature hate anything they can't control.
Just before he left for China this summer, Mike Krzyzewski held a press conference and he was asked about UNC and all the players that had decided to return for this season.
He kinda smirked and responded: "I like my team."
See, K was in this boat with J.J. Redick in 2006. Duke went off as the No. 1 team in the country and spent the better part of the season there but got knocked out in the Sweet 16 because among other reasons, the team wasn't as good as everyone told them they were.
UNC wasn't just No. 1 but a unanimous No. 1 and started the season by not just beating some good/brand-name teams — Notre Dame, Michigan State and Kentucky — but annihilating them.
With losses to BC and Wake, the Heels can taste their own mortality. They're not perfect but that doesn't mean the season is over.
UNC can still find its way. The question is where will they go from here?
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Comments
Sounds Like the "NBC" BB Ignoramises Are Out in Numbers!
Mon, 01/19/2009 - 19:07 — Tarheel_JuneAll I have to say about Tar Heel Basketball is that we must be doing something RIGHT or there would not be so many naysayers out there trying to put our Basketball program down; what's new?). How low and unintelligent can your views be as to call a "Top Winning Coach" such as Roy Williams incapable of coaching and a racial epithet of "The White Autistic Gorilla" a Superstar as is Tyler Hansbrough! Be careful what you say; you may be eating CROW as we say down South. You've missed the boat...hope you have a Life Jacket. We could win the NCAA...then you will need a Rescue Boat. Oh by the way, I have a comment for "Dancing Turtle": My reply to you is : YES!!! Hansbrough deserves all the "Adulations" he's earned. LET'S GO TAR HEELS...ALL THE WAY TO DETROIT!!!! Anybody have (2) tickets grattis???? Lost my 37 Year 401K to theCompany I gave My Life to. Â
WHo is qualified to judge Hansbrough?
Thu, 01/15/2009 - 21:47 — amaznjohnIf he's not as good as the numbers say, he sure is fooling alot of basketball experts like the ones who voted him All American 3 years in a row and Player of the Year by almost every source last year.
Blah blah blah JPG...
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 15:22 — manamongstJPG, I've played in the ACC, and you can be a hard worker and come up short. especially if Roy lets you continually form bad habits throughout your career for short-term; essentially free-throwline success. In terms of post play he has no outside or even middle game. It's pretty simple, I can show you the film but I'm sure you know the routine: Tyler faces-up and bulls his way one way or another practically into a double-team under the basket. Kickout to the shooter, please...this kid (we've grown fond of calling him the White Autistic Gorilla in our parts) is the human personification of a Black Hole. And the more times that he is lucky and hits that Chris Lang-like 10ft jumphook the worse off he is, all instinct and grit, but so are blood hounds, that why you can't leave them offleash...they'd run into traffic. he looks just as awkward and unsure of any for of jumpshot. He is unaware of the concept of what an actual good shot is outside of a lay-up or dunk. Essentially he doesn't have any real low-post moves, the fact that you would relegate Thompson to the "garbage guy" role is laughable when they would be better served to let Deion work the post with actual moves and have Tyler clean-up early and give him touches late, as he's proved his prowess in junking up the game late and getting to the line...and more importantly making freethrows, which they didn't get many of against a well rounded team like Wake. I still believe that Roy is the laziest coach in the ACC this year from a playcalling standpoint.
It was classic watching Gaudio draw-up a play on the white board for all of America to see and then actually see the play to fruition...to McFarland of course...that was a bit of insult to injury. The below is a repost from the Green interview:
These guys (UNC fans) are delusional. This loss is for all of those people saying that Tyler has gotten better, and Wayne can play defense now and Deion has gotten meaner. Non of it is true, I think everyone except tarheel fans and bookmakers knew that they were gonna catch an "L". seriously, this game really showed how unpolished Hansborough is, I mean in most posting situations he's a Blackhole, and he never settles for a good post shot. He always ends up in double-team situations under the basket, he doesn't move well without the basket he can't screen and he definitely can't defend or get his own shot. McFarland truely ate him alive, his stock went down.
And for all of these Ty Lawson koolaide drinkers choke on it...
We've definitely seen that before in Felton, you will not go coast to coast on Teague and Smith...bottomline...he nor any of their guards could handle either of them, they could get anywhere on the court they wanted and the commenter (hoxendine) that whined about the official screen, what was their excuse the 30-odd times there wasn't an official in the way. He's the ACC leading scorer respect game...he makes lay-ups with the prowess of Tony Parker.
And lets talk about the desperation Tarheels, not a good look at all, and trust me Marcus Ginyard ain't helping you guard Wakes backcourt, and he ain't the answer to your problems. If Ty Lawson is so prolific then how come he couldn't keep Teague from in-bounding the ball the 12 straight times down the stretch to eviserate that tarheel press. That is what putting a team on your back looks like, and you guys just don't seem to have that kind of player. Ellington and especially Green are the closest to that definitely not Tyler...especially if he can't get to the line 8 plus times a game.
search your soul Roy, you boys better get right.
Other fans
Sat, 01/17/2009 - 20:56 — the_wb91It is completely obvious that the manamongst is a State fan or a Duke fan. Although his shots may be unorthodox it works and you cannot fumble and bumble and throw accidents in the basket to a tune of that many points. Anyone with an ounce of basketball knowledge knows that. Now I do agree with you that Tyler lacks the basketball savy to kick out of most double teams but what Mr. man amongst boys doesn't understand you don't double team a player with no talent. He needs to up his passing game without a doubt but the other comments about the autistic white gorilla not only shows a lack of maturity but a lack of basketball knowledge.
This individual sounds more like a State fan which they don't have the right to say anything. UNC hit some rough spots but they will come throw it. The 2005 team was not undefeated and if I can remember correctly the last undefeated team was UNLV. It doesn't happen the strongest of the strong teams hit rough patches. A real team fights through it there is too much parody in college basketball to expect to go undefeated.
I also think Roy needs to make better adjustments on the fly in game. He knows what he wants to do but he is a little too married to the idea of sticking with the game plan. For instance UNC and Duke both love the pressure D. When Wake started to pick apart the pressure D it took Roy 3/4 of the game to play zone. When UNC went to that active zone they made a nice run... then Roy goes right back to pressure D and Wake once again extended the lead and won the game.
Adjustment need to be made no doubt but manamongst is letting his hatred take over.
I agree with much of what
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 09:55 — eskinn44_40I agree with much of what Giglio says, as well - I've echoed most of his points in other recent posts on the N&O site - but there are a lot of big "ifs" in this how-to-fix-UNC column.
A team with a deluded sense of entitlement and no guts is a pretty bad combination. Add in that they are playing the wrong point guard and, of course, the injuries, and you have the recipe for (another) very disappointing season at UNC.
Looking at this from another angle, what if Hansbrough, Lawson & Ellington had all gone pro? It would most likely have gone down as the worst decision by three of the most over-hyped players in recent NCAA memory. None of the three looks like a lock for the NBA and, at best, will probably be journeymen/trade bait types once they hit the next level.
And how about a mid-season grade for Roy Williams & staff? Sure there have been hurdles, but when does a season ever go exactly as planned or predicted? I wish he would quit trying to make every game a track meet and simply have this team play tough, hard-nosed basketball. Is there some award given at the end of the year for "Fastest Team in the Nation" that I'm not aware of? My grade for Roy so far in 2009: D+.
Carolina bb
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 02:41 — heel79I pretty much agree with everything JPG states. I am glad to see someone finally mention Ellington's poor play. A common theme in Carolina's losses to Georgetown 07, Kansas '08 and the two losses this year are Ellington shooting like 3-11, 3-14, etc. He is one of those guys who can't miss a three if we are winning by 20, but falters in big games where we need him. That's tough when he is supposed to be the "shooter" on the team. He had one great "close" game that I remember, at Clemson last year he won the game. Also, not alot of call in the NBA for a 6'3 guy who doesn't handle the ball well or play defense. Just look at Reddick, McCants, and the guy who was the Alaskan Assassin? None of them set the NBA on fire. As far as Hansbrough, he has been as good as anyone in the ACC the past 4 years and won all the National player of the year honors last year. If you want to compare to David Thompson, Ralph Sampson,etc. and all the centers to ever play the game, that's another issue and quit hating on Tyler.
Tyler Hansbrough
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 01:46 — DancingTurtleIn 10 seconds, in a moment of agitation with the adulation for Tyler Hansbrough, I come up with the following players: David Thompson, Michael Jordan, Sam Perkens, Len Elmore, Phil Ford, Johnny Dawkins, Ford Worthy, Len Bias, Ralph Sampson.... Do you really believe Tyler Hanbrough deserves to be included in this group?
Consider some of the great Centers in college basketball's past: Lew Alcindor, Bill Walton, Haleem Olujwan.... you seriously believe he is of their caliber?
Hell No
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 15:28 — manamongstHe is the hallmark of hard work, but come on the White Autistic gorilla is not to that snuff sorry. He doesn't seem to have that basketball brain. For all of that hard work and speed, sometimes you have to know how to slow down and change speeds and play according to the player you're against. more importantly recognize how players are playing you. In the ACC the SCOUTING REPORT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, if McFarland is pushing you out further than usual, face-up and go around him...if it is to crowded to do that....talk to Dieon and reverse post like when James Johnson dunked on your head...sorry he's not that intelligent of a basketball player...GPA doesn't always tell the tale.
Tyler Hansbrough
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 11:37 — annzup1YES, I do. YES WE DO--and this is a problem--he actually works at becoming better. He knows he's not "a natural." And people who like to "hate on" Hansbrough maybe don't "get" that he's had to live with the "'tude dude" Lawson, while David Thompson, for instance, had the benefit of a Monte Towe who would assist--not could--WOULD. And for you "NATURAL" believers out there, David Thompson had a word for the media about being a "natural" with his leaping ability. He rattled off, to media, his 500 lb. squat reps, the hours spent in the weight room, and YA KNOW, that sounds a LOT like Hansbrough. So it's time to as JG says, RUN THE OFFENSE THROUGH THE BEST PLAYER IN COLLEGE COLLEGE COLLEGE BASKETBALL and for you people to stop dividing a house. I was in the big "house" for the final four in Greensboro in '74 and I saw a point guard in Towe: Thompson would've S*ED tea kettles without Towe. Larry Drew, woncha please mature quickly and do NOT mimic Lawson. Hansbrough can only NOT be in that elite group if he has to play with "teammates," who ENVY his HARD WORK. LET THEM LEARN FROM HIM: WORK WHEN NOT ON THE COURT. Where's the Monte Towe for The Heels? Did somebody mess up Q's transcript? One could only wish.
Sorry to break it to you
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 15:34 — manamongstSorry to break it to you he's not even the top 4!
"Tude dude", damn you unc fans throw players under the bus faster than you can say Quinton...or Dougherty
funny how having to negotiate 30-odd ball screen exchanges will nip that whole "coast-to-coast" talk in the bud. you would think that after BC they would have been playing it defensively the way Wake played it...and if you don't remember how they played it, then I'm definitely not talking to you.
NOT SORRY to break THIS to you
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 20:02 — annzup1"White Autistic Gorilla." Why, "White"??? That's okay: WE already know. That's almost "cute" but boring as WE heard it all last year from "whine media." And the result was that that same media and its loyal sheep got smacked down HARD by NOBODY but themselves.
Thus, I'm not sorry to break it to YOU, that what you project is met in measure returned to you amplified. THAT is not a statistic with which one can argue, because it's not a stat: it's a TRUTH of the universe. Now, relax, sit back and harvest what you've sown from the labor of your heart-mouth: maybe you'll learn an important lesson in which you schooled yourself.Â
Just like nobody has to throw anybody under any buses as they do a fine job of it without help!
Best player in college basketball.
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 11:59 — DuvallIt might be tough for Carolina to run its offense through Blake Griffin, though I admit it would probably be an effective strategy if they found a way for it to work.
Is the Three Point Line Too Far Out?
Tue, 01/13/2009 - 22:28 — jeromfitzIt's mind bogging for the Tar Heel to be consisting from downtown these days. What going on is the line got you bog with concentration for shooting a three point shot. "Am I shooting with my foot on the line again?", said my second opinion. I just missed again. The key to playing is looking at the goal like don't see the defense just the goal. If you don't see the goal I don't think it's a good time to shoot. Is this 3-point line too far out? If want to play on the next level, I got learn hit this shot in order to be considered a draft pick in the NBA. Easy does it. It’s like money in the bank. This is only conscious thinking about game time play.
P(heel)ing the Pressure
Tue, 01/13/2009 - 22:15 — jeromfitzIt's hard to relax and get your Number One Rank game on. I notice how the author of this blog has also agreed that Quentin Thomas was a quality guard and never got the right playing time at all with UNC. That's a thing of the past and who is next in line to relieve Ty Lawson when the chips are down. It's going to come real soon. I would say it was a two game wonder for the Tar Heels and now it time to correct with another illustration demo of how Tar Heels throw it down.
DREW II--Sit Lawson on the bench for a "spell"
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 11:59 — annzup1Love on "Q" and LEARN FROM HIM. This is easy: "Who is next in line to relieve Ty Lawson when the chips are down[?]" Frasor is a thought because he can hit the three, plays defense to SOME extent, and KNOWS WHAT AN ASSIST IS. Drew's looking immature because he has to play behind Lawson. Start him. Start Drew at the point for a few games. At least if totally screwing up this season, it can be said that it was either done with Frasor trying NOT to "look at me run, NBA!" and with Drew maturing. The Heels will throw NOTHING done until Lawson gets an attitude check! He's been godawful defensively for years. He's pretty much godawful offensively because he can dribble drive and heaven forbid if he's cut off that he dish it. NO. Lawson is the weakest link on this team. And the only thing getting "thrown down" will be The Heels in the seats of a plane back home IF they ever get on one, unless Lawson gets his "tude" checked at door.
I've heard it all now.
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 15:48 — manamongstFirst of all "Q" was a running joke and charity case for the crowd and fans...until Ty went down and you needed him. And now apparently it's all Ty's fault as well with the "tude"...I could have sworn a week and a half ago he was the backcourt best of the ACC in yall's eyes. "We can score a 100 a game with that little waterbug!!" Now some idiot thinks that Frasor can actually shoot!!! Well on paper from HS he can...in reality...not so much, I do recall him clunkin them up there with Ty. He can't guard Derrick phelps and you want him out there guarding Tyrese and Jeff teague night to night. There's a reason you haven't seen him out there. Put Frasor's brain in "The White Autistic Gorilla's" Tyler's skull and you would have Mark Madsen, basically what Tyler will be after three seasons fo stealing checks from the league. Get a grip...and pay penance for the Carolina fan's hubris.
"Look at Tyler Hansbrough
Tue, 01/13/2009 - 20:14 — MrSenenenm"Look at Tyler Hansbrough listen!!!"
Giglio Get's it
Tue, 01/13/2009 - 17:14 — festerJanuary 1th is still 2 months from post season play.
Who are the idiots questioning Roy's coaching????
Seriously?
There are great coaches that never make it to a Final 4 or 6 of them.
The NCAA tourney is the hardest road to a championship in any sport. Just getting to the Elite 8 is an incredible coaching journey, heck the Sweet 16 is hard just ask Coach K.
I am questioning it
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 15:54 — manamongstI am questioning it seriously. If Ty can't stay with Teague what the hell makes you think Danny could...he may have still been in the game. He should have been going offense to D with Wayne...Oh!!! that's right nobody could guard the backcourt.
Did you see gaudio call up that 1-4 low screen/overload on that piss-poor 1-3-1 Roy had them in for McFarland for the EASY bucket, that's called coaching...there was a reason they didn't show Roy setting up a play for their next possesion....cause he didn't have one. I don't wanna hear about how he was saving it.
He's busy with his "get your head out of your ass" speeches. Passing game...that's the easiest thing to guard these days.
Tarheel BB
Tue, 01/13/2009 - 17:09 — rlhallWhat possibly does this guy know about Carolina BB, go back to covering Hockey!! Go Heels
Really?
Tue, 01/13/2009 - 15:17 — Duvall"Hansbrough can consistently score better than anyone who has every played in the ACC."
How can I put this delicately - Giglio, are you high?
The ACC has had numerous scorers far more talented and productive than Hansbrough, who missed shattering the league scoring marks only because they chose not to stay four years. In relatively recent years we've seen Jason Williams, Antawn Jamison, even Dennis Scott, among guys that stayed even three years. Some of the really short-timers might have proven even better.
Hansbrough, while talented, had the good fortune of arriving as a freshman on a talent-depleted UNC roster during a period when the conference has had an unusually low number of quality post players. He's just not in the same league.
Not true
Tue, 01/13/2009 - 15:25 — jpg (author)I'm not assessing Hansbrough's talent and if you've read this blog before, you know I'm not the President of the Pscyho T fan club, but you can't argue with the numbers.
No one in league history has scored over his four-year career with the consistency and production of Tyler Hansbrough. This is not a matter of opinion. Check the record book.
— JPG
I'm sure he ranks up there
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 15:58 — manamongstI'm sure he ranks up there with free-throw attempts too...that Autistic Gorrila sure can knock them down....take that away from his average game and he'd average 12 pts per game at the most.
And sure that can be said about numerous players...but we're talking about T.
Which Record Book
Tue, 01/13/2009 - 23:49 — FrankinvirginiaJP,
I did check the record book, and want to know how you are measuring consistency and production.
The 2008-2009 ACC Media guide lists 24 players with higher career scoring averages than Hansbrough. (Interestingly, all of those 24 but Rodney Monroe played 3 or fewer seasons.) If you're measuring career field goal percentage, Hansbrough doesn't come close to cracking the top 25.Â
So,while he scores a lot of points, and may end up breaking Redick's record, he's not the most consistent or productive.
 Frank
Hansbrough's numbers
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 00:04 — jpg (author)Freshman: 18.9
Sophomore: 18.4
Junior: 22.6
Senior: 22.4
Find me someone else in ACC history, that consisent and that productive. Again not making any claims to the quality of the player or his era, just the numbers.
Monroe, et al, had one or two big years, not 18.9 as a freshman.
Clearly there are players who had they stayed four years would have posted better career totals, but Hansbrough actually stayed and did it.
— JPG
Now you're just being silly.
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 01:28 — DuvallThere are numerous players that were more productive as freshmen than Hansbrough - Kenny Anderson averaged 20.6 PPG as a freshman. (And unlike Hansbrough, he had teammates that year that were actually good, not David Noel and Reyshawn Terry.) Joe Smith averaged 19.4 PPG as a freshman, in a year when the ACC had multiple future lottery picks playing in the post, including a little-known freshman from the Virgin Islands. Hansbrough hasn't faced nearly that kind of competition during his career.
But I guess they don't count, because they left early.
Look, if you had claimed that Hansbrough was the most productive player since the return of freshman eligibility that didn't leave school early, then we wouldn't need to have this conversation. But that's a much weaker claim than the one you originally made, and the one you made simply can't be supported by the facts.
Joe Smith, Kenny Anderson
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 10:12 — jpg (author)Played three combined years in the ACC.
— JPG
2+2
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 11:56 — DuvallFour, actually. Which doesn't change the fact that both were more productive as freshman and sophomore than Hansbrough, or the fact that there are numerous freshman-ineligible players that were more consistent and productive as sophomores, juniors and seniors than Hansbrough.Â
You're moving the goalposts.
Tue, 01/13/2009 - 23:00 — DuvallBefore it was that Hansbrough could score better than anyone - anyone! - that ever played in the ACC.  Now you appear to be comparing Hansbrough only to other four-year players.
Which is probably a good idea, because it's hard to imagine what record book would show Hansbrough to be a more consistent and productive scorer than, say, David Thompson, who averaged 24.7 PPG in his first year of eligibility as a sophomore, 26.0 PPG as a junior and 29.9 PPG as a senior. Hansbrough, by contrast, has yet to average more than 22.6 PPG. Â
Thompson had a point guard who assisted!
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 11:43 — annzup1Towe. Monte. And LAWSON??????? PLEASE!
Carolina is still Carolina...
Tue, 01/13/2009 - 15:01 — UNC1998They were good last year, and shouldn't stay regressed all of this season. Sure, 0 - 2 is a bad start, but just as JPG says..the sky ain't falling. I feel very confident that this season will shake out to be a very good one for Tar Heel basketball. If it doesn't, oh well....There's always next year. Just ask any Cubs fan.