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Ferretsquig

Ferretsquig

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North Carolina is the obvious choice to win the ACC. The Tar Heels are loaded with talent and should be a hot pick to make the Final Four.

It won't happen, though, if the team's sophomores -- especially the three who aren't named Tyler Hansbrough -- fail to welcome a stellar freshman class with open arms.


So far, there is a good vibe brewing in Chapel Hill. The love started back in late March, when North Carolina head coach Roy Williams sat the returning players down and told them the obvious -- that everyone needed to get along with the newcomers.

"He told us about the class coming in and how we had to mesh, told us about how key the chemistry was going to be," North Carolina sophomore Bobby Frasor said.


It sounds simple, but it's really not.


No one is going to question Hansbrough's role. He could be the national player of the year, let alone the ACC's best, after averaging 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds a game as a freshman. Current sophomore Bobby Frasor said Hansbrough has added a mid-range jumper and Frasor expects to see multiple 40-point games from him this season (Hansbrough had one against Georgia Tech last year).


Last season, though, the Tar Heels also needed Frasor, classmates Danny Green and Marcus Ginyard, and now-seniors Reyshawn Terry and Wes Miller to supplement Hansbrough and departed senior David Noel for the Tar Heels to finish 23-8 overall (12-4 in the ACC).


Now, the addition of potential starters in guards Tywon Lawson and Wayne Ellington and forward Brandan Wright, along with the other freshmen -- wing William Graves and big men Deon Thompson and Alex Stepheson -- makes it imperative that egos get checked on Franklin Street.


"You want to win, but inside you want to play and be on the court," Frasor said. "Guys see that and see the competition and so everyone is working extra hard to be on the court at crunch time."


Surely, there will be some bruised egos. Talent-wise, Lawson, Ellington and Wright come in with more raw ability than Green, Ginyard, Miller and Frasor, but that doesn't mean they'll play over them. They'll have to earn it and the returning crop isn't about to lay down.


Frasor is the consummate role player who can get to the ball, make an open shot and be in the action. Ginyard is a "lock-down defender," according to Frasor. Green is a deft rebounder and Miller can be a deep-range threat. Sure, Ellington has "unbelievable talent," according to Frasor, and Lawson is "as quick as lightning," but the returning Tar Heels are holding their own.


"This will definitely be different than last season when we weren't even ranked in the preseason," Frasor said. "We'll be top-five and picked to win it by some. That's something new and a new challenge. We'll have to stay on top all year."
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http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2528121
 
There are still a lot of questions to be answered with such a young team, but I dont think anyone can question the talent that Roy has arrayed. This is one of the deepest teams I have ever seen assembled in college basketball, reminiscent of the days when Dean Smith would have a couple future NBA players riding the bench every year.

As much as I would like to be back in the good old days when Smith would never think of starting a frosh, Lawson is just too good to keep on the bench without another true PG on the roster.

My projected lineup:

PG - Lawson, QT
SG - Frasor, Ellington, Green, Miller
SF - Terry, Ginyard, Green, Graves
PF - Hansbrough, Wright
C - Stephenson, Thompson

I do feel sorry for Miller...after going through all he did and finally earning a scholarship and playing time last year now he has to give it up and be a walk-on who probably will only make it on the court in garbage time and senior day. But that '06 class is just too good....there is no way hustle and heart can beat out the talent of Lawson and Ellington.
 
dorsaroll156 said:
wasnt hansborough thinking about the nba for a while
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I doubt it, but there was no shortage of people thinking about it for him. Hes 6'9, doesnt have the physical gifts to play center or the offensive game to play PF. This year hes bulking up and developing an outside, face the basket game. Add the 15 ft jumper to his game and hes Malone.
 
Ferretsquig said:
I doubt it, but there was no shortage of people thinking about it for him. Hes 6'9, doesnt have the physical gifts to play center or the offensive game to play PF. This year hes bulking up and developing an outside, face the basket game. Add the 15 ft jumper to his game and hes Malone.
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Hansbourgh will never be Karl Malone.. That being said he is a pretty good player, but he has a 1000x better chance of being Troy Murphy than Karl Malone. that is all.
 
GreenMonster said:
Hansbourgh will never be Karl Malone.. That being said he is a pretty good player, but he has a 1000x better chance of being Troy Murphy than Karl Malone. that is all.
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I dont know how you can compare him to Murphey....hes nowhere near the size and has never had a game like Murphey possessed at ND. Tyler is very similar to Malone. Physical, runs the floor like no other, plays great man defense, and has that fiery attitude. There hasnt been a physical presence like him in college basketball for a while.
 
My ONLY concern about this team is do we have too much talent? I can see flashbacks of '94 when we were absolutely loaded a/ Stack, Rasheed and McInnis coming off the bench but the freshman never meshed w/ the upperclassmen and we flamed out in rd 2(that also had alot to do w/ the thugs at BC flagrantly hurting Derrick Phelps but the talent we had on that team should have steamrolled all competition).
 
I think the main difference from then to now is that if the freshmen are better than the upperclassmen they will start, whereas Dean Smith would never let 'Sheed start a game. The only guys that are guaranteed a starting spot on this team are Hansbrough and Terry.

In addition to that I think Roy will play 11-12 guys. Get ready to see 3/4 court pressure and a lot of running after missed shots. Most ACC teams are weak at the point and some like BC and Miami really have noone who you would consider a true PG. Press, trap, and wear them down.
 
Ferretsquig said:
I think the main difference from then to now is that if the freshmen are better than the upperclassmen they will start, whereas Dean Smith would never let 'Sheed start a game. The only guys that are guaranteed a starting spot on this team are Hansbrough and Terry.

In addition to that I think Roy will play 11-12 guys. Get ready to see 3/4 court pressure and a lot of running after missed shots. Most ACC teams are weak at the point and some like BC and Miami really have noone who you would consider a true PG. Press, trap, and wear them down.
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The 3 freshman in '94 played alot though, sure thye didn't start but we did just come off a Nat'l Title and had everyone back except George Lynch so the guys that started had earned it.

I know we'll be deep and the pressure D should wreak havoc on opponents. I can't wait to see it.
 
Yeh I just think its a completely different atmosphere these days. Brandan Wright is a top 5 pick whether he starts or plays 10 minutes a game. There may be issues if someone is pushed out of the lineup alltogether, but I dont see that happening. The only thing that worries me is the lack of leadership on the team. Last year Noel carried the team through some rought periods, calming down the youngsters and doing the coaching on the floor. Terry just doesnt have the same charisma.
 
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