TarHeelIllustrated - Armando Bacot's 5 Best Games Last Season & What They Mean
As we continue Armando Bacot Week, we look at his top five games from last season and what they might mean.
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Armando Bacot’s 5 Best Games Last Season & What They Mean
- Thread starter Deana_King
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Behind the pay wall for me. But one of the things I noticed last season was that Armando started the season looking lackluster and maybe out of shape. Too much fun on the NIL circuit?
And of course he had some nagging injuries.
I'm hoping he's raring to go and fully healthy all season. To further thant end, I hope Hubert uses his bench enough to keep Armando fresh, and so he doesn't have to play hurt.
As for his best games, he certainly looked like he was coming on strong against Michigan and OSU. Even though those teams later proved to be overrated, those were still nice games for the big guy.
He had good games against traditional foes Duke and NC State, even though we didn't always win. OTOH, he struggled against Virginia. Then again, except for a MVP game a couple of years back, he usually struggles against UVa. To be fair, Bennett has had our number a lot lately as a team, not just Armando's.
And of course he had some nagging injuries.
I'm hoping he's raring to go and fully healthy all season. To further thant end, I hope Hubert uses his bench enough to keep Armando fresh, and so he doesn't have to play hurt.
As for his best games, he certainly looked like he was coming on strong against Michigan and OSU. Even though those teams later proved to be overrated, those were still nice games for the big guy.
He had good games against traditional foes Duke and NC State, even though we didn't always win. OTOH, he struggled against Virginia. Then again, except for a MVP game a couple of years back, he usually struggles against UVa. To be fair, Bennett has had our number a lot lately as a team, not just Armando's.
WW, I think the manner in which the players handled the last off season was both really bad as well as set the tone for how the season began, in a bit of a sleep walking mode. I am VERY disappointed at the lack of leadership in that, the casual nature of the players that off season was anything but secret.
That kind of thing really has me question who is running the program, the coaches or the players. In my life time as a UNC fan, now is the ONLY time I have ever felt the need to ask this question of who is running our program players or coaches. I will give you one example of this during this off season, it appears that Hubert had to near beg RJ to accept moving to the 2 after Cadeau reclassed to us, as a coach you don't do that, you make it known, this is how I want us to play and we are going to do that with players that I bring in, you do not need to be an arse about that but you have to draw the line that the coach is in charge of this program and who plays when and at what position, is and has to be the decision of the coach. I don't care what their favorite cookie is, I care about winning and doing the things it takes to win. You never had to question that with Dean or Roy, you didn't even question if it was players or coaches running the program when Matt was the coach. But now...
I do want to add that it does seem this off season in general has gone much better than the last one did, players do seem much more dedicated to improvement. I don't know to what extent that has been driven by the new incoming transfers or by the 4 returning guys from last season, I suspect it is from both and that is a great sign. IN addition it looks like Hubert now has the type of players he has wanted, a more outside shooting group, that should help much of last season's issues if Hubert will make a couple clear changes in what he has done and allowed the last couple seasons. So it isn't all doom and gloom for me looking at the coming season but I need to see us return to our running game, play majority of the offensive trips in free lance if the breaks are not there, use a deep bench to keep us with fresher legs, and bring much more defensive pressure.
That kind of thing really has me question who is running the program, the coaches or the players. In my life time as a UNC fan, now is the ONLY time I have ever felt the need to ask this question of who is running our program players or coaches. I will give you one example of this during this off season, it appears that Hubert had to near beg RJ to accept moving to the 2 after Cadeau reclassed to us, as a coach you don't do that, you make it known, this is how I want us to play and we are going to do that with players that I bring in, you do not need to be an arse about that but you have to draw the line that the coach is in charge of this program and who plays when and at what position, is and has to be the decision of the coach. I don't care what their favorite cookie is, I care about winning and doing the things it takes to win. You never had to question that with Dean or Roy, you didn't even question if it was players or coaches running the program when Matt was the coach. But now...
I do want to add that it does seem this off season in general has gone much better than the last one did, players do seem much more dedicated to improvement. I don't know to what extent that has been driven by the new incoming transfers or by the 4 returning guys from last season, I suspect it is from both and that is a great sign. IN addition it looks like Hubert now has the type of players he has wanted, a more outside shooting group, that should help much of last season's issues if Hubert will make a couple clear changes in what he has done and allowed the last couple seasons. So it isn't all doom and gloom for me looking at the coming season but I need to see us return to our running game, play majority of the offensive trips in free lance if the breaks are not there, use a deep bench to keep us with fresher legs, and bring much more defensive pressure.
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I've never really been an Armando fan and it's not hard to prepare for him. He's not that athletic, no outside shot, no versatility inside on the offensive end with very flat shooting and shows little aggressiveness or vertical elevation anywhere. In his defense his supporting cast, especially this past season, was less than ideal. Hansbrough could school him 24/7/365 in every aspect of his game .. especially effort. jmo
Lol you just put him up against one of UNCs all time greats. He’s not supposed beat Tyler.
I meant Tyler could have schooled him as an underclassman with the skill set, shot repertoire and aggressive attitude he brought coming in the door. Bacot has been a great ambassador for UNC bball I just don't think he committed himself to improvement over his (soon to be ) 5 years in college. He simply does not have the athleticism or work ethic I felt he should have had. And there's no doubt in my mind the NIL and off court activities got to his head like it has to many others and imo it's a damn shame what $$ has done to all amateur athletics from HS up.
I do agree with your last sentence for sure. And While I think Bacot has worked hard, he is what he is.
The first month of last season showed a team incapable of being the hunted. I don't care if the player who left was the love child of MJ and Kobe, returning 4/5 starters and not making the tournament is disgraceful. If Bacot wants to be in the rafters he needs to show it on the court. The downside to being there this long is every opponent knows how to play him, be physical, get him mad and more often than not he takes himself out of the game.
I've always said Bacot is more productive than he is dominant. I think there's a little bit of a stat compiler in him relative to the numbers he's put up throughout his career.
Hansbrough was more skilled than Bacot. Hansbrough might be awkward as a player and it didn't look pretty, but he developed borderline 3PT range by his senior year. He was probably an elite college level mid range jump shooter for a PF/C. And he went from a really solid 74% FT shooter as a freshman, to an elite 84% FT shooter as a senior. I always thought Tyler's skill was underrated. He could make a turnaround jumper to counter his left shoulder shot-put hook shot. He had a face up game that could be productive in certain matchups. He had game that Bacot doesn't have.
In fairness to Bacot, out of all of the 3+ year big men at UNC, Bacot has probably had the worst guards of any big in more than 20 years. The best guard he played with was a hurt Cole Anthony and that team's collection of guards were just terrible. Then after that, the best guard he's played with is RJ Davis. No offense to RJ Davis, but you have to go through a lot of guards at UNC over the last 20 years before you pick RJ.
I think Bacot is solid but don't view him anywhere near where his statistics say he is in UNC history.
I looked the other day, was curious what we had Bacot's height & weight listed as, he is listed as 6'11" 235lbs, I think he is closer to 250lbs, really solid 250lbs. I have never understood why with that body he is not abusing the college competition down low, I don't care if he is double teamed, I have never understood why he so often reverts to trying to finesse a soft bunny attempt rather than attacking and using that physical stature and strength to punish as he scores on his defenders. He is not quick nor is he a high riser and has not shown good jump shooting range even within the mid range.
So I see him as a player as vanilla but he is the best vanilla you have ever eaten. He is a role player but a extremely good role player similar to Danny Green in that aspect, more effective than good and that is not a bad thing at all.
So I see him as a player as vanilla but he is the best vanilla you have ever eaten. He is a role player but a extremely good role player similar to Danny Green in that aspect, more effective than good and that is not a bad thing at all.
