North Carolina
Armando Bacot, UNC prepare for regular-season finale against Duke
Armando Bacot talks about how UNC plays well with its back against the wall in what could be his final home game for the Tar Heels.
Alright questions for what did you see the last few weeks? That's like two such a solid shillings last couple of games. Yeah, I mean, I think in practice all year he's really showed some of the things that he could do. I mean, I think it was more just supplying and I think he's just getting more and more comfortable and I think starting off with the Notre dame game, I think that really gave him a confidence boost and I think he really started to get in the flow of things and really finding his place on the team from your standpoint. What defenses? Yeah, I mean, I think it's just a mix of that. But also I think I can be more aggressive too and just find different ways to get creative. But I mean, I think the good part about all this is everybody else playing great and that's good, especially going into this latter part of the season. All jailing and everybody bringing everything together offense looking great teams, got to respect us more. So I think that's a great thing. Yeah, definitely. I mean, it means a lot. But I mean, I think even more importantly it's a game that we need to win. So you add that into that being my last game? I mean it's a huge game. Does this team like Bakin Salami? No one wants me in this position. But does it add that pressure and the chip on your shoulder, you guys like it? Uh no, I mean, no, but I mean, I guess you learn a lot about yourself in situations like these and whether you're gonna sit down and keep fighting. So I think that's more of what that is really just to not quit. I mean if you would've asked us like a week, a week and a half ago, I guess how we felt. We probably always down. But like now we start to gain more confidence as a team and start to believe more regarding the decision you go into the season, thinking about what you would want to achieve that. In fact, whether or not come back and maybe some personal goals, team stuff. I mean, yeah, I think it's just a mixture of all that really. I just wanted to I think it's just one of those things, I look at it as if I still want to be here or not really. Have you talked much? Um he's getting old so I think he's kind of ready to go. So Yeah, I think he he's fine with everything. What's your first impression of this? He was definitely a lot of different person. He was like real quiet, didn't talk much, he kinda didn't like me or cold really either because we just he was our roommate. We joke a lot of cold. He was real messy. So first year me, me and like he didn't really get along as much what changed. We didn't live with each other anymore. Yeah, definitely just being more aggressive and more physical because I mean like you said he's pogo sticks 71 long arms athletic and he got a hot motor. So playing a guy like that is always tough and then to total that and they've got such an athletic team all around. So it's one of those things that you gotta kinda just figure out different ways. It's going to be creative. But I mean, I think it'll be fun though. Yes, I'd say so. Yes. You guys still one that's kind of a good side. You don't have to go out there definitely. I think it's great because I mean, I think it's allowing some of the other guys to take advantage of that and kind of getting their groove and it's not all about me and everybody else has been stepping up to the plate and I'll figure myself out too. Or maybe since halftime and with that, maybe some of the weight, Right? Yeah, definitely. I think we're starting to kind of figure out some of the things we need to do to win and kinda knowing the formula just like trying to take care of the ball as much as possible defending and controlling the boys. That's kind of really been out three keys all season. I think the last three games besides you said the first half of Notre Dame game. I think we've been doing that How we can score. Not necessarily 18 like the other night, but effective offensively. How does that change offensive teams? I mean it's hard to guard, I mean all year, like we really haven't been hitting shots, but now we're really starting to hit shots and I think I'm starting to see a lot more success and I mean the way coach Davis and coach fred trying to craft this offense, it's really hard to stop when you're making shots because there's so many different options out of everything, so that's really good. Yeah, definitely, I mean that's really made the difference, I mean, you see Caleb a lot of his, he's been doing a lot of great shots, driving and stuff like that and when you can knock down that shot, it just opens up the paint and I get more one on one looks, they can't shrink the floor as much Caleb more driving lanes for him and I mean we know how good he is getting down into the paint and also RJ too, Armando, you have famous, famously said, I love this school would die for this school, I think you might have said um um what has made you love it so much? I mean, just the people, just everything about the school, I mean, I think since day one, I came into school they really just embraced me and you know, kinda put me on the forefront of the school, I mean the students is always great to people, my professors have been good, so I mean everything about the school has just been great to me and it's something I could have never imagined. Yeah, I mean just all around, I mean, I think just as a freshman wasn't as confident as a person, you know, it was like I said childish immature and I think just every year I just grew up, grew up and like kind of just grown into a man, you mentioned what part of maturity shows itself the most. Yeah, definitely. I mean I think it's something that we kind of look past and now is we know where we're at right now and what we need to do and what we got to work on fired up. Yeah, it kind of been the same since even before the force, it came just the same demeanor, just like not letting up on us and just making sure we know what's at stake. Mhm Yeah, that's fair to say, I mean, no, because I mean the guys, they getting up shots, I mean we all in the gym all day every day, but I mean specifically like Caleb RJ Peete leaky really everybody, I mean they work out all day every day. So I don't think it was a matter of in terms of life getting the shots and not working, but I think it was just more just the confidence and I think last game, I thought he was a huge game, especially going into the later part of the season and Pete too. I mean we've all been hitting shots now, so I think that's just more of a confidence thing and just seeing something going, I mean I knew eventually, like it would come a time where we would get hot and start hitting shots and I mean I guess there's no better time. Oh no, I mean I really just freestyle really, it's nothing uh one day I might do something next day, I might do something else. I don't really get too much into trying to have a ritual. Yeah, definitely. I mean, I think it definitely was somewhat of a hangover kind of from all the stuff that happened last year, but also to, I think we figured I guess with that ranking like was guaranteed to win a lot of games and I think we figured that out that that's not how it goes. Amanda used to always say that Roy got under your skin, like no one else did his tough love, if that's the right word. Did that help you when you're talking about going from being immature that you like. What do you think the things that helped you along the way? Yeah, definitely. I mean having coach Williams and we all know how he is. I mean he was tough on me and hard on me and I just had to grow up and make changes into just my preparation and how I did things and I mean even still to this day, like I see him around and if I'm not doing something, he'll tell me poke fun at me or something if I don't have a good game. So it's just like little things like that that he's always, you know, kept in my no, he hasn't seen me, but I'll probably see him, he'll say something. What's different about white and how much does he change them? Um No, I mean I think it's more of just some of the things we gotta fix cause I mean over there it's already hard enough building to win in and then We watched some film yesterday. I mean just the mistakes we made led to them scoring 20 fast break points out to that's a recipe for disaster right there. And then you told them killing us on the offensive boards was blowing a few screen coverages. Turn over things like that. I mean it's only lose by four to however much it was. I mean we can fix just half of those things. I think we'll be in good shape and only shooting three free throws. We're going