The one remaining big problem that could prove to be Carolina’s Achilles this season if not addressed

[IDUNK4HEELS]

In early June I raised the question on this forum about needing another big man in case Bacot got injured or in foul trouble and I guess the coaching staff was also wondering the same thing as they solved that potential problem about a month later by smartly going out and getting Dawson Garcia which made myself and many others here happy and satisfied with the results.

But now with that situation handled I can see another potential problem that could really mess up this years team if it happens and that is at the point guard position…

Hold on there Jim you say because both Love and Davis are ready to have breakout seasons and I totally agree with you but like the Bacot situation what if and I hope it does not happen one of them go down with a injury for any length of time who would be next in your mind to be the backup.

My first choice without thinking twice about it would be Leaky Black because he has been a fill in backup point guard in the past but so many couch coaches here who feel Leaky is one if not the main reason the last two years have not been up to Carolina standards would find a lame excuse why he would not be the logical choice.

My second choice might shock or surprise some of those same couch potato coaches but I would consider Lebo next in line something like Stillman White had to.

I do not feel Ant Harris who plays more at the two and three would be the answer nor do I see Dunn as the answer as a freshman( see Love and Davis) from last season.

My hope is that neither Love or Davis have to play thirty plus minutes a game like Paige had to do a few years ago or like Anthony just two years ago missed almost half of a season because of a injury which led to musical chairs at the point for most of the year….

But alas the possibility is there and it is a situation that as a fan I hope does not happen but for some reason Carolina has been jinx at the point guard in the past in critical times from Phil Ford to Kenny Smith to more recently Butter….

Who would be your choice if in a emergency such as foul trouble or a injury you would want or trust running the team?

 

[Spaceytoyz]

Walton and Harris by Committee

 

[iwish]

Kind of a glass half empty guy, eh? Just kidding. I'm guessing you're right, that Lebo may be a candidate and I do think you'd see Leaky or Ant if needed. PF contributions likely as well. Trust in Ro...I mean, Hubert!

 

[IDUNK4HEELS]

I really thought dSouthr and Streat would have have jumped all over this post and would have given their unique insights on the post but apparently I was wrong. Definitely won’t be last time I will be wrong 😑

 

[Steat]

 

[gauchoheel]

Most teams don't have a single good player at point guard (we didn't last year....), let alone 3. If Love and Davis step up this year the third string point is the least of our worries; I think Leaky or Ant would be fine in a pinch. Much more concerned about the team having another wing that can score and defend alongside Walton.

 

[midline]

As far as Bacot getting into foul trouble, history indicates that will happen. Just have to figure it out

 

[Bubspub88]

Stillman got any eligibility left? No one is gonna have three quality pg's on a roster, too much demand across college basketball for talent at that position. Best you can hope is have 2 and a serviceable third option. I think UNC has that.

 

[DSouthr]

I really thought dSouthr and Streat would have have jumped all over this post and would have given their unique insights on the post but apparently I was wrong. Definitely won’t be last time I will be wrong 😑

I would have likely chimed in on this but honestly did not see this thread till now.

Yeah, injury happens and really when it does you just have to hope your next man up is ready. When you are a solid 2 deep at a position you have to feel you have the depth to handle what comes. Really hard to convince a player of the level we are used to that coming being 3rd on the depth chart with very little PT is a great idea. What you would normally get in that situation is a PG that will rarely if ever play yet occupy a scholly for 4yrs, is it worth that?

I would go to Lebo, easy decision in my mind, did not love the Leaky running point for us his first 2 seasons. I asked a while back that if given KJ as the bar, does Lebo come over or under that bar, most offered that lebo was above the KJ bar. If that is fact then maybe we are better off with Lebo than anyone we would get from the portal that would be willing to take a 3rd in line with little projected PT offer from us this late in the recruiting season. Trimble is on the horizon for the season after and Dillingham is as well in play, that is when you look at possibly bringing in 2 PGs from a class (after Caleb is done). Even when Caleb is done, having Trimble and RJ still here makes it really hard for us to get Dillingham.

 

[Steat]

I'm going against the trend here. I just don't see Lebo as a viable point guard option unless there is a string of injuries. I think Harris would be the better option. In fact, if you take a look at some video of Harris dribbling he ball up court last year you will note that he is very quick and drove right by some defenders.

I can see Lebo getting few minutes at the 2 as a sniper to bust a zone.

I just want to be careful here. We have not seen much of Harris and this may be his opportunity to show us what he can do this year.

Just a couple of months ago some were pushing for Manley to return. Still trying to understand that logic...

Bottomline, we don't know what we have in Harris. I think his long term future with the Heels may be a Nate Britt type role at the 1. The kid is quick as hell and can get the ball up court and dish it out to Walton and Manek for the 3-point bombs!

 

[Kadyn930]

I would have likely chimed in on this but honestly did not see this thread till now.

Yeah, injury happens and really when it does you just have to hope your next man up is ready. When you are a solid 2 deep at a position you have to feel you have the depth to handle what comes. Really hard to convince a player of the level we are used to that coming being 3rd on the depth chart with very little PT is a great idea. What you would normally get in that situation is a PG that will rarely if ever play yet occupy a scholly for 4yrs, is it worth that?

I would go to Lebo, easy decision in my mind, did not love the Leaky running point for us his first 2 seasons. I asked a while back that if given KJ as the bar, does Lebo come over or under that bar, most offered that lebo was above the KJ bar. If that is fact then maybe we are better off with Lebo than anyone we would get from the portal that would be willing to take a 3rd in line with little projected PT offer from us this late in the recruiting season. Trimble is on the horizon for the season after and Dillingham is as well in play, that is when you look at possibly bringing in 2 PGs from a class (after Caleb is done). Even when Caleb is done, having Trimble and RJ still here makes it really hard for us to get Dillingham.

Lebo would be a good option since he has always played PG but Harris or Leaky I would like more.... I would like to add I rather Dillingham play off the ball think he more SG than PG he might be the 3rd option for PG on CP3 this year.

 

[TPFKAPFS]

None of us have seen Lebo do anything but play mop up minutes so I don't understand the trust peeps are placing in him. I would put Ant and Leaky ahead of him in the rotation. He is a legacy with a + shooting stroke, but will certainly take a few more years to develop into a trusted rotational player! I don't really think this is even a concern!

 

[DSouthr]

None of us have seen Lebo do anything but play mop up minutes so I don't understand the trust peeps are placing in him. I would put Ant and Leaky ahead of him in the rotation. He is a legacy with a + shooting stroke, but will certainly take a few more years to develop into a trusted rotational player! I don't really think this is even a concern!

Now who doin the eye ballin? LOL You know same as steat does, nothing but love from me to you fellas! Dang I would love to hang out one night with you fellas, guarantee ya the shiat would be shot multiple times, can we get Arch and Tom there to, 75 to but he has to leave gary at home, gary would piss us off to quick before we showed him we were actually trying to agree with him all along ! LOL

Now, how the heck do any of us know, not like we have seen enough of Lebo to really know any more than we have seen Ant at the point, we have seen leaky at the point and there are just some things in life I do not want to see again. Things like a guy at my door telling me I need to be in front of a judge cause my wife wants more than half in the divorce (ok, so like she was really cute and a LOT younger), the IRS telling me that they do not actually agree with my math, or leaky Black being my Tar Heels PG.... 😢😘

 

[Steat]

Now who doin the eye ballin? LOL You know same as steat does, nothing but love from me to you fellas! Dang I would love to hang out one night with you fellas, guarantee ya the shiat would be shot multiple times, can we get Arch and Tom there to, 75 to but he has to leave gary at home, gary would piss us off to quick before we showed him we were actually trying to agree with him all along ! LOL

Now, how the heck do any of us know, not like we have seen enough of Lebo to really know any more than we have seen Ant at the point, we have seen leaky at the point and there are just some things in life I do not want to see again. Things like a guy at my door telling me I need to be in front of a judge cause my wife wants more than half in the divorce (ok, so like she was really cute and a LOT younger), the IRS telling me that they do not actually agree with my math, or leaky Black being my Tar Heels PG.... 😢😘

You may be spot on OH Great One, but I keep having bad dreams of the season Kendall Marshall went down and all we had was White left to run the point.

The lack of having an adequate replacement for Kendall probably caused the Heels the national title that year. I hope that situation never happens again, but if the Heels make a serious run at the title this year and Love and RJ go down, I'm going with either Harris or Leaky at the 1. Again, that is how I feel as of today.

Hey, I love Lebo and hope he gets some good run in the easy season blow-out games (I hope... ) at home.

 

[TPFKAPFS]

I'm down for the gathering! Radar should host another in person meet like before. Trust that peeps are much more courteous face to face! Even G-7 might let some get away with disagreeing in person...maybe!

And I don't remember a time when the whole 2 deep was out for an extended time so I feel we are fine if Love goes down. Leaky Ant Dunn and Lebo can all be used to give RJ breathers if necessary since we are so loaded at the 2/3. Now if Bacot goes down the whole O changes!

 

[DSouthr]

I'm down for the gathering! Radar should host another in person meet like before. Trust that peeps are much more courteous face to face! Even G-7 might let some get away with disagreeing in person...maybe!

And I don't remember a time when the whole 2 deep was out for an extended time so I feel we are fine if Love goes down. Leaky Ant Dunn and Lebo can all be used to give RJ breathers if necessary since we are so loaded at the 2/3. Now if Bacot goes down the whole O changes!

Oh so you don't really know gary? LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Gary is as bad as I am at having to have the last word and that is saying a ton! I love gary but 20 mins together and we are gonna need someone to pull us apart, 10 mins after we are life time brothers. Problem with gary is, he is to damn much like me! LOL

 

[TheGLOV]

Oh so you don't really know gary? LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Gary is as bad as I am at having to have the last word and that is saying a ton! I love gary but 20 mins together and we are gonna need someone to pull us apart, 10 mins after we are life time brothers. Problem with gary is, he is to damn much like me! LOL

Why don't the two of you just do shots of whiskey until one of you drops over?

LOL!!!

 

[Archer2]

None of us have seen Lebo do anything but play mop up minutes so I don't understand the trust peeps are placing in him. I would put Ant and Leaky ahead of him in the rotation. He is a legacy with a + shooting stroke, but will certainly take a few more years to develop into a trusted rotational player! I don't really think this is even a concern!

Granted, we haven't. But in three years, I haven't seen anything that indicated that Leaky could play PG effectively at the college level. And we really don't know what we have in Ant(other than a fiery competitor), because he's been injured almost the entire time he's been here. I certainly wouldn't be adverse to trying him there should the need arise. But I think Lebo is an upgrade from Stilman White and could provide some pretty effective help there. He is a coaches son and possesses a very high basketball IQ from all accounts.

Let's hope it's a moot point and that Love/Davis stay healthy. Let poor Leaky play inside for goodness sake. His PG days should be over, should have been two years ago, IMO.

 

[Geth]

Following the stellar off season pickups we've had on the back of the falling sky when Roy announced as well as losing 3 bigs... the last thing I'm doing is pondering the negative what ifs.

 

[TheGLOV]

Following the stellar off season pickups we've had on the back of the falling sky when Roy announced as well as losing 3 bigs... the last thing I'm doing is pondering the negative what ifs.

I'm watching you Geth!

 

[Archer2]

Following the stellar off season pickups we've had on the back of the falling sky when Roy announced as well as losing 3 bigs... the last thing I'm doing is pondering the negative what if’s.

Amen. Things are looking rosy for our basketball and football programs both. Expected to get another 4* recruit for the football team today, a big time RB from Clayton. There’s a lot to be happy about.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

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Even though there was only 1 miss in that clip, I saw some nice, aggressive, in-your-face defense. Both Caleb and RJ look improved on D. Let's hope that translates to real games.

I'm guessing that #3 is Dunn and #15 is Styles. Is that correct?

Did RJ (#0) and Harris (#4) switch numbers from last season or am I just misremembering?

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

I'm going against the trend here. I just don't see Lebo as a viable point guard option unless there is a string of injuries. I think Harris would be the better option.

Not to dis Lebo but he played 11 minutes last year. I saw nothing to suggest he should be in this conversation.

To be fair, I didn't see enough to exclude him from this conversation, either. But absence of evidence isn't much of an argument in his favor.

I'll be delighted if he turns out to be as good as or better than KJ.

Until then, my PG backup in a pinch would be Leaky, although it won't surprise me if Harris could handle some minutes there. Or even Walton. Yeah, Walton doesn't seem quick enough, but he's smooth and quicker than he looks.

For what it's worth, here are the Assist-to-TO ratios for our returning players, listed best-to-worst (minimum 1:1)

Leaky - 70:37 (1.89:1)
Harris - 20:11 (1.82:1)
Kerwin - 53:34 (1.56:1)
Caleb - 104:90 (1.16:1)
RJ - 56:54 (1.04:1)

 

[Geth]

I'm watching you Geth!

😬

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

A couple of arguments in Leaky's favor as backup PG.

1. He plays with a stronger motor when he's handling the ball. This is often overlooked.

2. His height and length give him a vision advantage. We all know this, but it's still worth mentioning.

 

[DSouthr]

Hey, I have some ground breaking info on who would be our 3rd string PG for the coming season! The players mentioned in this thread are leaky, Lebo, and Harris and the winner is, the winner is... The one that earns it in practice! I really believe that Hubert will be a bit less giving to the upper classmen and more focused on who produces with the time they do get.

I have always said, if there is a battle for a position and the 2 kids working for the gig are a freshman and a upper classman, if it is equal or near equal (and that means in all aspects, not just scoring) then you go with the upper classman. But if there is a freshman that is much better then you have to go with the guys that best help you win and the upper classman needs to understand that. We had 2 starters last season that in my opinion were not as productive as the guys that came off the bench and I think that cost us some games. I don't think Hubert can afford that being our brand new head coach and I as well think he realizes that. Bottom line is they will all have their chance and the cream will rise.

 

[TheGLOV]

😬

I do like your posts Geth.

This is all in good fun I assure you.

Here's to a Final Four Tar Heel appearance this year sir!

 

[Archer2]

I do like your posts Geth.

This is all in good fun I assure you.

Here's to a Final Four Tar Heel appearance this year sir!

That would be wonderful, Glov. I’m in.