The roster is set, so how do we win the coming season?

[DSouthr]

As I have shared, I am really concerned for the coming season, I think more than most seem to be. I am not saying we can't win big but I will say I have major concerns, concerns that I have talked about. So what do we need to see for us to win to the standard of UNC basketball?

On offense: First off we need to rip and run, we need to run opposing teams in to the dirt, red hot tempo, pushing everything, no walking the ball up and that requires playing a very deep rotation, I think a rotation of at least 9 if not 10 guys getting regular minutes. The argument against that is that it could challenge continuity and it could frankly. But we have a crap load of very talented depth, especially in our back court. You just DON"T NOT PLAY guys like Seth, Drake, Ian; to waste those guys would almost be criminal. I want to see constant pressure on both ends, turn defense in to offense.

But when we do go into half court on offense, with Bacot no longer there to dominate the paint then we need to make good use out of Jalen's ability to jump shoot, he drags big man defenders outside of the paint and opens up really wide driving lanes for EC and RJ. Tyson has to hit jump shots, Drake and Jack need to create but not be selfish, no Caleb shooting till ya get hot, shot selection is vital. Mix in some small ball as well as a defensive orientated look, we have the guys for that. RJ and Tyson I think will be knock down 3pt shooters, Jack and Drake, as well as Seth more mid-range drivers with length, very different looks that keep defenses off balance. Force opponents to go to their bench to counter our different looks and pace, force them to change rather than we needing to change.

Defense: Glaring concern is the 5 spot, can Jalen BOTH improve as well as hold up to big minutes? Someone has to step up behind him, be it Lubin, High, Claude, JWit, who will it be, hard call. We may have to go smaller at the 5 than we want, we will have to go smaller over all (2 smallish starting guards and shorter reserves for the 5). This is an area that pumping up the tempo is critical, speed and quickness can neutralize most size disadvantages, we have to attack defensively. Don't let opposing guards walk the ball up against us, switch token to hard press, to trapping full court pressure. Rotating in fresh legs (do you get my theme here with deep bench use) mentally and physically wear down the opposing teams starters, force them into bad shots as the clocks ticks down. While we are small at the starting 1 & 2 as well as reserves for the 5 when Jalen sits, we have really good length as well as defensive mind sets off the bench at the 2 and 3 and Tyson as a starter is a size advantage for us in most games.

What do YOU think?

 

[heels05champs]

I see a team that can stay in the top 20 but not a threat to win the championship or reach the final 4 due to the lack of post talent. Everyone hopes Jalen becomes a formidable post player but he is going to need to improve a lot for Carolina to have a shot in March. I feel good about guard and wing play, we just didn’t address the major team need in the offseason.

 

[TarHeelFanJ]

We know what we are getting with RJ so…

- consistent jump shooting from Cadeau (and stay out of foul trouble)
- JWash to stay healthy and be solid in the post
- Freshmen (Ian and Drake) to play like future NBA lotto picks
- Cade to shoot the sh*t out of the 3 ball and be able to play small ball 4
- Seth to continue to play lockdown D and make strides offensively
- Energy, toughness, and rebounding from Lubin, Withers, and Claude

excited for this season! 🏀

 

[al would]

I see a team that can stay in the top 20 but not a threat to win the championship or reach the final 4 due to the lack of post talent.

I think the reason we haven't won an NCAAT in a bit is a lack of a decent post player .. among other things. I think this years team is potentially a FF team for a couple reasons. 1) we should have some quality scoring options both inside and out, 2) this team should have QUALITY depth at most positions, 3) there is the option to put a quality big front line on the court with Wash/VAL and Wit or TC, 4) Wash and VAL can be interchanged at the 4/5 both O/D depending on the team, 5) we can put a quality small ball team on the floor with EC,RJ Tyson, Jack and Powell (really looking forward to seeing Drake Powell hit the floor .. Seth too .. I think those 2 will be fun to watch !!

Weak point is at the pg so we hope there are no injuries or discriminatory officiating against EC but even if RJ or Seth are forced in to pg service they should have plenty of options around them so that we are not dependent on RJ scoring. I think we have a really good team and anything less than the great 8 will be a serious disappointment. The only other wild card is the coach. Time will tell .. GO HEELS !!

 

[al would]

Defense: Glaring concern is the 5 spot, can Jalen BOTH improve as well as hold up to big minutes?

I think there are enough front line options this season to cover any muscle/bulk/strength Wash might not have. VAL was a great add and that may be why he was added. You could put Wit and VAL on the floor to cover Wash strength issues .. or Wash may have bulked up a bit in the off season. Haven't heard much about his progress lately.

 

[Spaceytoyz]

One thing is Utilize our mis matches just like they are going to do to our post players

Turn up the tempo , Press etc
Go small at Guards to exploit
Or go big Jackson and Powell to exploit small guards

It’s a shooting game with us this year we’re built like some past Duke teams shots fall we win and when they don’t we can’t make it up in other ways

 

[al would]

we’re built like some past Duke teams

There is and never will be any type of shared DNA with dook . (period)

 

[UNC-75]

We go as Jalen’s game. If he progresses and is a real post player we are a very good team. If he’s the guy we saw last year we struggle. Can’t believe we could not bring in a dominant 5 player to add to our team.

 

[DSouthr]

We go as Jalen’s game. If he progresses and is a real post player we are a very good team. If he’s the guy we saw last year we struggle. Can’t believe we could not bring in a dominant 5 player to add to our team.

Jalen is listed at 6'10" and 230lbs as a soph and to me he still looked a bit thin upper body and legs. I don't know how it will translate to games but in the scrimmage he played in (the 2nd one) he did look a good bit thicker across his shoulders and his legs looked pretty steady, which does jive with what I consistently hear about his living in the weight room. If Jalen can add more power to his game while not forgetting about his jump shooting he becomes a weapon like we have not had in a really long time.

I am concerned with his ability to stay healthy and stay out of foul trouble if he has to play Bacot like minutes over the course of a long season. So I have to put more of a premium on his back ups than I would Bacot's. 16-25mins I feel pretty comfortable with Jalen, more than that is when I get really concerned. And for gosh sakes don't switch him off on to guards, he is just to long and lanky to handle guards out in space, it was not a great idea to have Bacot doing that either. That switch all 5 is fine for a possession or 2 as a wrinkle but easy to figure out and easy to defeat with decent guard play.

 

[tarwhiz]

One thing is Utilize our mis matches just like they are going to do to our post players

Turn up the tempo , Press etc
Go small at Guards to exploit
Or go big Jackson and Powell to exploit small guards

It’s a shooting game with us this year we’re built like some past Duke teams shots fall we win and when they don’t we can’t make it up in other ways

I think we are like some of the recent Dook teams. Dook has not had the great 3 point shooting teams of K's Heyday here lately, but they have put constant pressure on teams by driving the ball relentlessly.
That needs to be in our game plan with a smaller team. We need to drive to score, finish, dump off, draw contact. This team needs to shoot 25 ft or more per game.

 

[notashelbyfan]

If our season hinges on Wash we are in trouble.

 

[39 Feet Above Sea Level]

Using our talent and depth to run and constantly move on offense, as well as switching defenses to stymie our
opponents will get us lots of victories. We certainly will be tested early and often; let’s see us rise to the challenge!

 

[DSouthr]

If our season hinges on Wash we are in trouble.

Why?

 

[Archer2]

So we’ve lost Zayden High now?

 

[IDUNK4HEELS]

Maybe I am missing something here but I do not believe that the key to a winning season is the growth of Washington but the growth of Cadeau. Cadeau must look to score and make the defense at least cover him. He MUST be the piston on the fast break and lead by example. Most importantly he must play like a upper class man to help take the pressure off the freshmen and the transfers…

 

[DSouthr]

So we’ve lost Zayden High now?

Looks like it...

 

[alabamaheel]

What???

 

[TPFKAPFS]

Dang, I thought he would stick it out and grow into his own by next season! I expected High to get much more run this year than last. Wonder what the tipping point was?

He is Family so I wish him well wherever he ends up! (I pray it is a basketball decision)

 

[notashelbyfan]

Why?

I know the cast around him will be way better, but this reminds me of the year when we lost a ton and Brob was left and everyone said he is going to be the the man it time for him to step up he's going to go from 8 or 11 minutes a game to all ACC that year sucked.

Now I know we had issues that year but the point is if he was going to be that good he would have had a bigger impact the year before.

It's way easier for the coaches amd fans to say he's the man when there isn't any other option, but if he couldn't get that respect when there was another option, pardon me for have to see it to believe it.

I hope I'm wrong but I just hope the backcourt is good enough to make up for that frontcourt.

We should have one of if not the best backcourt in the country so maybe they can keep us in the hunt.

 

[Bubspub88]

I am concerned for many of the reasons stated above. We are relying on an undersized backcourt and have no proven post game. You can often overcome one of those but both is a different story.

We struggled against teams last season that had NBA size and athleticism in the backcourt. The 3 point shot is the great equalizer but it has to be a consistent threat, and I do not see that yet.

I also hope we go full tempo on offense, but Cadeau has to be in the game for that to be effective. If our offense turns into RJ dribbling too much on the perimeter it will be a llooonnnggg season.

 

[TPFKAPFS]

The same undersized backcourt had us as #1 in ACC and #1 seed in the tourney. We also have improved shooting and more options for larger/longer guards than we did last year. Frontcourt is certainly a question but there is plenty of potential there. At least two of them have been starting centers before and 1 has a + shooting ability and has shown flashes of rim protection + rebounding/put backs. (JWash, JWit, Lubin, Claude, Brown looks like plenty to me) I see more reasons for optimism than pessimism right now and National Media seems to agree! I hate High is leaving for whatever the reason is, but this is not really a body blow!

I would love to know why High is leaving and why the article was titled as it is!

 

[TPFKAPFS]

On the plus side, it looks like he might redshirt this year and return to the team next year. He will still have 3 years of eligibility and will get 1 more developmental year. I hope whatever happened to cause his suspension is resolved and becomes a motivational learning experience. Family supports you, Bigun!

 

[tarwhiz]

I am concerned for many of the reasons stated above. We are relying on an undersized backcourt and have no proven post game. You can often overcome one of those but both is a different story.

We struggled against teams last season that had NBA size and athleticism in the backcourt. The 3 point shot is the great equalizer but it has to be a consistent threat, and I do not see that yet.

I also hope we go full tempo on offense, but Cadeau has to be in the game for that to be effective. If our offense turns into RJ dribbling too much on the perimeter it will be a llooonnnggg season.

The Baylor Bears won the National championship in 2021 with 4 guards all between 6'2"-6'4" That were their 4 leading scorers. 1 wing ( Matthew Mayer) and 3 bigs that were 6'5" 6'8" and 6'10" and they were the 6th 7th and 8th scorers on the team.
Our team matches up very well with that team in roster makeup and upside.
I am not the least bit worried about this teams floor.
The ceiling is yet to be determined, but a FF run and Natty is definitely within reason.

 

[DSouthr]

On the plus side, it looks like he might redshirt this year and return to the team next year. He will still have 3 years of eligibility and will get 1 more developmental year. I hope whatever happened to cause his suspension is resolved and becomes a motivational learning experience. Family supports you, Bigun!

It appears this is due to an OFF THE COURT issue that has been known about (known by Hubert) for most of the off season rather than something that just happened. If there is any good news it would be that he didn't transfer out, that knowing he had this to deal with, rather than elect to transfer out as many may have done, he is facing it. He is not, as I write this, a UNC student, it appears he will not be allowed to be a UNC student for the next semester and he can't red shirt unless he is on the team.

Rumor is the plan is for him to re-enroll for the spring semester and RED SHIRT then to allow him to ease back in basketball wise as well as and more importantly ACADEMICALLY, so effectively missing the next 2 seasons. The pressures of being a basketball player for UNC and succeed in the classroom are immense and can attract some kids to take short cuts, like using AI to write a final paper for example. But when the portal re-opens will a plan like that stay in place, the odds seem against it to me but we wil just have to wait and see.

 

[DSouthr]

I know the cast around him will be way better, but this reminds me of the year when we lost a ton and Brob was left and everyone said he is going to be the the man it time for him to step up he's going to go from 8 or 11 minutes a game to all ACC that year sucked.

Now I know we had issues that year but the point is if he was going to be that good he would have had a bigger impact the year before.

It's way easier for the coaches amd fans to say he's the man when there isn't any other option, but if he couldn't get that respect when there was another option, pardon me for have to see it to believe it.

I hope I'm wrong but I just hope the backcourt is good enough to make up for that frontcourt.

We should have one of if not the best backcourt in the country so maybe they can keep us in the hunt.

I have stamina and durability concerns with Jalen as well, I do think it is asking a heck of a lot from a kid that only played 8mins a game last season. When was the last time Jalen had to play long minutes on average, it may have been his freshman season in high school, had a shoulder issue his soph season, then the initial; knee I think was his Jr season? He did, between knee surgeries play extended minutes in summer ball but it didn't go well due to the knee and he had to shut that down pre-maturely due to the pain in that knee.

I don't question his ability and I do think he can/could/should be put in a fantastic situation that should allow him to show case what he can do, I do think he will be considered to be a serious break out player but I am way more comfortable with him for 16-25mins a game than 30+. I am concerned he will wear down and make injury more likely or mount up fouls.

 

[TPFKAPFS]

Thanks for the clarity on the red shirt issue with High. I was hearing about it but they weren't sure when it would take place. 2 seasons is a lot of down time, but if he sticks it out, he will have proven he is a lifelong Tar Heel! I skew toward the positive so I am rooting for his success. I hope he works through his demons and comes back stronger, more mature, and hungry for some "Live Action!" I absolutely love the chance Hubs is offering to this young man; many programs would have jettisoned him instantly!

 

[tarwhiz]

Thanks for the clarity on the red shirt issue with High. I was hearing about it but they weren't sure when it would take place. 2 seasons is a lot of down time, but if he sticks it out, he will have proven he is a lifelong Tar Heel! I skew toward the positive so I am rooting for his success. I hope he works through his demons and comes back stronger, more mature, and hungry for some "Live Action!" I absolutely love the chance Hubs is offering to this young man; many programs would have jettisoned him instantly!

It is not 2 seasons. The Redshirt covers the Spring semester if he re- enrolls and is accepted. If he is in good standing, he would be eligible to play at Carolina in Fall of 25.
If he chooses to go elsewhere he may be eligible to play immediately depending on the schools policy.

 

[Tarheelsman71]

IF...we run early and often and play with 9-10 deep then we will be decent. IF we run early and often and we are hitting shots from deep we are a sweet 16 team. If we run, hit 3's and rebound as good as last year we can be final 4 team. But my bet is on us a being a mediocre halfcourt team that when in transition we look good, but struggle in halfcourt sets .... hoping for a bailout last second 3 ptr from RJ.

 

[alabamaheel]

IF...we run early and often and play with 9-10 deep then we will be decent. IF we run early and often and we are hitting shots from deep we are a sweet 16 team. If we run, hit 3's and rebound as good as last year we can be final 4 team. But my bet is on us a being a mediocre halfcourt team that when in transition we look good, but struggle in halfcourt sets .... hoping for a bailout last second 3 ptr from RJ.

Yep and I hope some guys have made it clear that RJ needs some help from deep. EC has to shoot it better, if not then freshman need to step up and take that roll. You have to have a half court game sometime during the season no matter how much you run.

 

[DSouthr]

It is not 2 seasons. The Redshirt covers the Spring semester if he re- enrolls and is accepted. If he is in good standing, he would be eligible to play at Carolina in Fall of 25.
If he chooses to go elsewhere he may be eligible to play immediately depending on the schools policy.

What I have heard is that it could work the way you shared but there appears to be some, to say it nicely, pissed off at their son parents that seem to feel when he is able to re-enter UNC that it will be best for him to focus on the class room and not have to carry as many classes when he is allowed to play again.

That is of course a mighty tall ask for the kid to delay playing ball that long, for a kid that has NBA aspirations down the road. We will have to see BUT, if there is a silver lining, this does give him extended time to work on his body, get his stamina and strength built up. When he does red shirt he can practice with the team, he just can't play.

Yes, there are programs that would have allowed him to play this season if they valued him that much but this was known when the last portal period opened up and he stayed away from entering the portal, shows how much he wants to be a Tar Heel!

 

[TPFKAPFS]

No matter how it works out, High has proven to me he is a True Tar Heel! We were all young and have all slipped up at times. He has been blessed with the chance to recover and continue his dream!

Learn, Grow, and Succeed, Mr. High!

 

[NathanFielder]

On a macro level, I think this is a good team that needs the right matchups or some breaks in their bracket to play in the Final Four, meaning they’re contending for a National Championship. For me, that’s similar to last year’s S16 team.

I’ll disagree that this team has to run run run run. While I want them to run and play fast, their Final Four hopes will depend on how they execute in clutch situations in March. That’s what it typically comes down to for every team. No kidding they’ll be great in transition so they should try to play faster. But in March, you’re playing better teams so it will come down to how they execute in the half court.

They’re going to run. Will they execute in the half court? Or will their half court offense will be relying more on RJ hero ball? That’s the question offensively.

If this is to be a legit Final Four team without bracket breaks, I think there are a few non negotiables.
1. Cadeau is at least a scoring perimeter threat. Doesn’t have to be great. But needs to at least below average. So 31% from 3 at minimum on a decent volume. I don’t think Cadeau can mid-range his way to an improved offensive game. For the record, I think Cadeau has a really good year but this is a must. Also, don’t foul as much.

2. I’ll combine both of these players needing to be as good as advertised. RJ needs to have a repeat of last year. Cade Tyson needs to be one of the best shooters in the country. I think a lot of this offense is dependent on Tyson’s shooting and ability to stretch the floor.

3. Probably the most obvious. Whatever the big man rotation is… They need to hold their weight against really good teams. I quite frankly have no idea if they will or not. Washington hasn’t played enough to convince me that he can. Lubin hasn’t played in high leverage basketball. Withers hasn’t been consistent in 4 years of college basketball.

Overall, this could be a really good offensive team. If Tyson and RJ really shoot it, they’ll be a handle. They have pop off the bench offensively if Jackson comes off the bench. And that’s something UNC hasn’t had in a while. Then an improved Cadeau and I’m guessing at least an efficient Washington, they’ll be able to score as long as they shoot it well.

Major concerns about the defense. Cadeau is small and we’ll see if he stops fouling. RJ is smaller. I don’t know how Cade will be defensively. Jalen is a beneath the rim defender where he can alter shots but I’m guessing every team will put him in ball screens.

So some major question marks that need to be answered. But they can have the best 1-3 in the country (starters and bench). That should give them an opportunity for some significant things.

I’ve just never seen a UNC team where its frontcourt is the weakness and they went on to accomplish those significant things.

 

[gary-7]

Why?

FYI, you're not going to get an intelligent answer there...

 

[notashelbyfan]

FYI, you're not going to get an intelligent answer there...

Really, and you say everyone else on this board is the problem and you are just the victim.

Is there any point where anyone here addressed you?

@DSouthr sorry that this ass clown is going to cause a thread with a decent discussion to go off the rails.

 

[gary-7]

Really, and you say everyone else on this board is the problem and you are just the victim.

Is there any point where anyone here addressed you?

@DSouthr sorry that this ass clown is going to cause a thread with a decent discussion to go off the rails.

I haven't said a damned thing about any of that mess, but hey, go right ahead with making sh*** up in your head.

 

[gary-7]

IF...we run early and often and play with 9-10 deep then we will be decent. IF we run early and often and we are hitting shots from deep we are a sweet 16 team. If we run, hit 3's and rebound as good as last year we can be final 4 team. But my bet is on us a being a mediocre halfcourt team that when in transition we look good, but struggle in halfcourt sets .... hoping for a bailout last second 3 ptr from RJ.

I'll use this reply to go ahead and post some stuff that has been observed at practices and y'all can speculate as to whether it will come to fruition in games:

- It seems safe to say we will run early and often, and yes, 9-10 deep seems to finally be a real thing
(the obvious remaining question is will we take the foot off the gas in second halves? --- I hope not)

- maybe the most noticable evolution is defensive pressure. The depth and versatilty has afforded a premium on really getting up in people's grilles, and the staff has emphasized max effort to that end
(the remaining question is how mutiple we will be once games start --- I hope we are, as this bunch is built to scramble)

- speaking of defense, the addition of Ian and Drake gives us an immediate shot in the arm. These two are athletic as hell and versatile as to positions they can guard, and they play with an edge. In general, if you add up what we can throw at people without having to worry about fatigue, this has a chance to be a reign of terror

- make no mistake, we will miss High (who was indeed poised for a soph leap), but the addition of the last two transfers affords us some fouls to give behind JWash, and that is important, as keeping him out of foul trouble will be a priority. I saw the GaTech kid play live last season down here, and even though hs's not a skilled finisher, he will flat get after it in the paint and has a mean streak --- and of course Lubin has that tough old-man game.

- speaking of JWash, barring further injury you should see an offensive force emerge. As i've tried to convey, his turn-around/face-up game is showing to be unguardable and almost automatic. In fact, I'll venture to speculate that he'll shoot a higher pct on those 10-12 footers than Mando shot from the block, and of course he is a more-than-legit Stretch threat.
(the obvious questions concern, again, him staying healthy and keeping him out of foul trouble --- utilizing depth and being creative in post defense vs bruisers is in order).

- the observation that comes out over and over is that this team can shoot the eyes out of it. Tyson is as advertised, RJ is a pro at this point and JWash has an NBA stroke You'll not see anything like a repeat of last season with Eliot, Seth should also bump up, Withers can shoot it as well and the frosh wings are fearless. More than one former player has opined that a team 40% on 3s is realistic for this group.
(with that said, we still need to play inside-out and not live and die from the arc)

- finally (provided we don't eschew sound inside-out ball) there should be no reason to fret about half-court execution. Particularly, if defenses have to respect EC's shot, there's nobody he can't break down --- hell, sometimes he even broke down guys who were playing 10 feet off of him --- and there's no way to keep him out of the paint (BTW, my biggest hope for EC is to perfect his floater). Moreover, we have multiple guys who can finish plays without resorting to last-second heaves.

So... the ingredients are there for a high ceiling. No college team is perfect --- it's a matter of making the most of those ingredients and covering weaknesses. We will need a commitment to team rebounding, to transition even on made shots (as opposed to so danged many set plays), and the ethos of giving max effort until you hafta give the "tired" signal, knowing we have real depth.

 

[DSouthr]

gary, shelby, I get it, there is heat between ya but we do have a good discussion going on can we please maybe curb that dislike early so it isn't a full blown war? I am not telling either of you that you are right or wrong, I am just asking kindly please.

I asked shelby WHY because I could both agree as well as disagree, depending on where his answer would lead? Depending on Jalen is risky considering his history. But if his thoughts were because he felt a lacking in talent or ability from Jalen, I could not agree. IN either event, I was curious if I agreed or not with his position, in no way was I considering if he was right or not. Expressing opinion is an individual thing, it is simply what you believe, neither right or wrong, it is individual to you.

 

[DSouthr]

I'll use this reply to go ahead and post some stuff that has been observed at practices and y'all can speculate as to whether it will come to fruition in games:

- It seems safe to say we will run early and often, and yes, 9-10 deep seems to finally be a real thing
(the obvious remaining question is will we take the foot off the gas in second halves? --- I hope not)

- maybe the most noticable evolution is defensive pressure. The depth and versatilty has afforded a premium on really getting up in people's grilles, and the staff has emphasized max effort to that end
(the remaining question is how mutiple we will be once games start --- I hope we are, as this bunch is built to scramble)

- speaking of defense, the addition of Ian and Drake gives us an immediate shot in the arm. These two are athletic as hell and versatile as to positions they can guard, and they play with an edge. In general, if you add up what we can throw at people without having to worry about fatigue, this has a chance to be a reign of terror

- make no mistake, we will miss High (who was indeed poised for a soph leap), but the addition of the last two transfers affords us some fouls to give behind JWash, and that is important, as keeping him out of foul trouble will be a priority. I saw the GaTech kid play live last season down here, and even though hs's not a skilled finisher, he will flat get after it in the paint and has a mean streak --- and of course Lubin has that tough old-man game.

- speaking of JWash, barring further injury you should see an offensive force emerge. As i've tried to convey, his turn-around/face-up game is showing to be unguardable and almost automatic. In fact, I'll venture to speculate that he'll shoot a higher pct on those 10-12 footers than Mando shot from the block, and of course he is a more-than-legit Stretch threat.
(the obvious questions concern, again, him staying healthy and keeping him out of foul trouble --- utilizing depth and being creative in post defense vs bruisers is in order).

- the observation that comes out over and over is that this team can shoot the eyes out of it. Tyson is as advertised, RJ is a pro at this point and JWash has an NBA stroke You'll not see anything like a repeat of last season with Eliot, Seth should also bump up, Withers can shoot it as well and the frosh wings are fearless. More than one former player has opined that a team 40% on 3s is realistic for this group.
(with that said, we still need to play inside-out and not live and die from the arc)

- finally (provided we don't eschew sound inside-out ball) there should be no reason to fret about half-court execution. Particularly, if defenses have to respect EC's shot, there's nobody he can't break down --- hell, sometimes he even broke down guys who were playing 10 feet off of him --- and there's no way to keep him out of the paint (BTW, my biggest hope for EC is to perfect his floater). Moreover, we have multiple guys who can finish plays without resorting to last-second heaves.

So... the ingredients are there for a high ceiling. No college team is perfect --- it's a matter of making the most of those ingredients and covering weaknesses. We will need a commitment to team rebounding, to transition even on made shots (as opposed to so danged many set plays), and the ethos of giving max effort until you hafta give the "tired" signal, knowing we have real depth.

PERFECT POST, KUDOS !!!

 

[notashelbyfan]

gary, shelby, I get it, there is heat between ya but we do have a good discussion going on can we please maybe curb that dislike early so it isn't a full blown war? I am not telling either of you that you are right or wrong, I am just asking kindly please.

I asked shelby WHY because I could both agree as well as disagree, depending on where his answer would lead? Depending on Jalen is risky considering his history. But if his thoughts were because he felt a lacking in talent or ability from Jalen, I could not agree. IN either event, I was curious if I agreed or not with his position, in no way was I considering if he was right or not. Expressing opinion is an individual thing, it is simply what you believe, neither right or wrong, it is individual to you.

I have literally had zero conversation with him on any board in MONTHS since right after Bball season ended. Matter of fact the last time we conversed it was us agreeing that EC should have gotten more minutes in the Bama game.

So I'm not really sure what is going on, it is truly unsolicited. But the response he made to me was interesting he said I was making things up.

He is truly the guy that jumps the fence at the zoo gets mauled by the bear and don't understand what went wrong.

 

[DSouthr]

On a macro level, I think this is a good team that needs the right matchups or some breaks in their bracket to play in the Final Four, meaning they’re contending for a National Championship. For me, that’s similar to last year’s S16 team.

I’ll disagree that this team has to run run run run. While I want them to run and play fast, their Final Four hopes will depend on how they execute in clutch situations in March. That’s what it typically comes down to for every team. No kidding they’ll be great in transition so they should try to play faster. But in March, you’re playing better teams so it will come down to how they execute in the half court.

They’re going to run. Will they execute in the half court? Or will their half court offense will be relying more on RJ hero ball? That’s the question offensively.

If this is to be a legit Final Four team without bracket breaks, I think there are a few non negotiables.
1. Cadeau is at least a scoring perimeter threat. Doesn’t have to be great. But needs to at least below average. So 31% from 3 at minimum on a decent volume. I don’t think Cadeau can mid-range his way to an improved offensive game. For the record, I think Cadeau has a really good year but this is a must. Also, don’t foul as much.

2. I’ll combine both of these players needing to be as good as advertised. RJ needs to have a repeat of last year. Cade Tyson needs to be one of the best shooters in the country. I think a lot of this offense is dependent on Tyson’s shooting and ability to stretch the floor.

3. Probably the most obvious. Whatever the big man rotation is… They need to hold their weight against really good teams. I quite frankly have no idea if they will or not. Washington hasn’t played enough to convince me that he can. Lubin hasn’t played in high leverage basketball. Withers hasn’t been consistent in 4 years of college basketball.

Overall, this could be a really good offensive team. If Tyson and RJ really shoot it, they’ll be a handle. They have pop off the bench offensively if Jackson comes off the bench. And that’s something UNC hasn’t had in a while. Then an improved Cadeau and I’m guessing at least an efficient Washington, they’ll be able to score as long as they shoot it well.

Major concerns about the defense. Cadeau is small and we’ll see if he stops fouling. RJ is smaller. I don’t know how Cade will be defensively. Jalen is a beneath the rim defender where he can alter shots but I’m guessing every team will put him in ball screens.

So some major question marks that need to be answered. But they can have the best 1-3 in the country (starters and bench). That should give them an opportunity for some significant things.

I’ve just never seen a UNC team where its frontcourt is the weakness and they went on to accomplish those significant things.

I disagree with most of your 3 points, my opinion is different, but I want to talk about something you said that I have been wanting to talk more about, this need for Cadeau to jump shoot better or we don't have a chance at winning at the level we should.

Gary, calling you out, would appreciate your opinion input to this!

While I do believe that Cadeau will shoot much better, I don't see it as critical a point as most seem to. I say that because I don't see Jalen as our 5 camping in the paint like Bacot did. If Jalen is not in the paint, where do ya reckon Jalen's defender is, you know, the other teams center? You have Jalen 15ft from the basket you going to try to guard him with a 2 guard or a wing, good luck with that LOL. When you have the opposing center having to go out and check Jalen for that jumper, all the sudden Cadeau has 1 guy to beat to the rim, his primary defender and no help, if the defending center tries to it is a easy flip back to Jalen to splash that jumper. Power forward screens off his man from the help on Cadeau. I will take 1 guy trying to stop Cadeau from the rim all day long, it will become a lay up drill. Playing Cadeau without help mano ye mano with a wide open paint for the drive and ignoring him as a shooter he still drives by you, it isn't just his quicks, it is the kid being really crafty with his handle, lot of hesys (hesitation dribble) that Kendal was so good with. If his shot is better then it is even that much easier, bring the power forward defender over to help and it is a easy slip to either JWit or Lubin for a flush. Tyson is to good a shooter to help off of and frankly Lubin is a strong mid range shooter that many UNC fans don't yet realize.

So yes, I do strongly believe Cadeau will shoot much better, just saying even if he doesn't it isn't critical for us to win. Gary mentioned Cadeau really looking for his floata game as well, I agree, Seth really started to embrace that last season and it really helped him. I am saying I see him more as a version of Cota than Joel. The larger problem with Cadeau last season was he lost a lot of confidence and no matter what your shooting form looks like, if it is not a confident stroke you will not make many, same thing happened to Seth his freshman season late.