North Carolina
Davis: Man, this looks like Carolina Basketball, and it's great
UNC Head Coach, Hubert Davis describes how proud he is of the Tar Heels for playing a complete game on both ends of the floor against Georgia Tech.
well. Yeah, I mean it's something that we worked on, you know, the last three days of practice is just in terms of how can we be more efficient um, in transition. Um, last year we ran a lot of drag screens which were ball screens in transition and it really worked well for us. We were able to get downhill. We're able to attack the basket with our guards and our bigs were able to get angles to be able to score and for whatever reason it just wasn't working as well as I wanted it to work this year. And so, um, we tried something the last three days of practice, we just said our five men just sprint down the floor and post up right in front of the basket. Everybody else get to their regular spots. And so in transition, we're looking for layups and dunks. We're looking for pitch ahead wide open threes by our best three point shooters and we focused on getting the ball deep, post catches and Armando did a great job running down the middle of the floor, posting up and were able to get him to basketball. And it allowed us to be really efficient, especially in transition. It is, you know, we, we have to be inside out plain and simple period and we can't be outside in and you know, we have Armando, we have Pete and we got to use them, we gotta throw the ball down low on the block and let them use their gifts and talents to be able not only to score, but you know, to, to open up shots for our guards out on the perimeter and also get us into the penalty because we're a really good free throw shooting team. But I also thought because Armando was posting up so hard and he didn't get the ball, he occupied a defender. And so then Caleb and RJ were able to get to the basket and nobody was there, they were able to get there because of how hard Armando worked down low on the block. And so that goes again, you know, like I said, like we had time to practice and so it's nice to have that time this week to practice and to be able to implement in the game and for it to look pretty good. Um, yeah, yeah, well we talked about two things defensively is, you know, we've got to do a better job of protecting the paint, You know, over the last two games in regards to Virginia Tech and also Indiana, we had given up 92 points in the paint. That's just, That's horrible. You just can't win that way. And so, you know, we've got to be in a position to protect the paint and we only held them to 22 points in the paint. And so that, you know, that's just evidence that that puts you in a position defensively to be a lot better. Um, I felt like our trust factor was better today and, and you know, it doesn't happen overnight. It's just continues to get better every day at practice and every game, but one of the things that I kept telling the guys all week, if if you give help, you've got to trust that your teammate is gonna give you help. So if you give help you'll get help. And I felt like the communication and the trust factor between everybody defensively um was locked in today and it just allowed us to be really good defensively and and we didn't give up, we only gave up one offensive rebound there, really good offensive rebounding team, so they didn't get second chance opportunities that last three minutes of the first half. I just, it's the first time that I felt like it looked like Carolina basketball. I just the way we were defending, the way that we were running and then that play where R. J. Had a wide open three and we talked about making the extra pass and hit pt in the corner. I came in at halftime. That's the first thing that I said to the coaching staff, It's the first time I looked at and I go, man, this looks like Carolina basketball, It was great hubert along those lines with the rebounding. Like what do you think makes RJ such an effective rebounder for his size? How is he able, you know, I think rebounding has to do everything with just energy and effort, you know, at one of the things that I tell the team all the time is this isn't Armando Bacot rebounding game, it's a north Carolina rebounding game and he needs help in there and everybody has to get involved a lot of times. You know, our guards are the ones that get those long rebounds around the free throw line, top of the key area, but today R. J. Was getting into the paint and and and and being really physical and that type of activity helped us. You know, one of the things that tell the players all the time, there's so many different things that you could do that is a great benefit to you personally and to the team. And so it's not just about scoring, it's not just about shots, there's defense, there's assists, there's rebounds, there's energy and effort, um enthusiasm, there's so many ways that you can help the team and um I think it's the second double double for R. J. This season, um third career because his first one was in the national championship game. So if he wants to continue to do that, I'm I'm okay with it. Yeah. You know, I've said before that, you know, we have depth on this team, but you know, if you don't use it, you don't have depth and just, you know, the progression that Seth is making and and puff and and then you mentioned Tyler, you know, he's getting an opportunity, more of an opportunity because demarco has been out and so like what great benefit to us when demarco comes back at the end of the month and now you have another guy that can come off the bench and contribute in many different ways. You know, I've said before, you know, towards the end of the season where we were basically playing five guys that's just not sustainable throughout a year and those guys need help and um, puff and, and Seth and and Tyler were really good today and I was just so happy for Jalen Washington. This is the first time that he's been in the game and almost two years and so to get him out there on the floor and for him to be able to score, his minutes are gonna continue to rise because he's just a great kid and a fantastic player. He was really cool to see him on the floor. I was really, really happy about that system I think I think show it to them and just continue to reinforce it. I do, I just, you know, you know, just repetitive, um, um, showing them, um, what it looks like when um, the discipline in the details in terms of sharing the basketball, being in the right spots, screening for another player, making the extra pass, what a benefit that is to them individually and as a team, it's fun. You know, the whole bench was standing up, Everybody was smiling. It's the first time that us as a group has really smiled in two weeks and so just continued to preach it and reinforce um, the things that they were doing out there on the floor, that that's beneficial for us and so we'll continue to do that. Yeah, you can, I think you can coach anything. I'm just, you know, um, it's, you know, it's interesting. I thought that Trust would already be there after what happened last year, but um, again, it's just another example, every year is different. It's just, this is a new team and um, just developing that trust of um, that I've got your back on both ends of the floor. Um That's something, again, one of the things that I said is is I got to talk to them about it every day and I've got to reinforce it every day and I've got to continue to show them. So when we show them tape, I show them um, you know, good stuff and bad stuff and so stuff where we can improve, but stuff that we've done really well. And so it gives them a clear picture of, of where I want them to play and that's what we'll do after this game and and preparation um for the citadel on Tuesday that these are the type of plays that are winning plays and these are the things that we have to continue to do on a consistent basis, Caleb's a couple times yesterday and that thinks that what you guys are going, it's kind of good will pay off. I hope. So. You sort of needed to cut the board a little bit the last year and try to create something this year. Thanks to you guys. Well, I will agree with you on that. Um, you have to cut the cord for what happened last year, you have to do that. And I think in some ways, um, we haven't done that and I felt like today we took a step forward in doing that and you do, you have to, you have to focus on what is real and what is real is this team and this, this team's preparation and how good this team can be and you have to put previous years in its proper place, you know, in order to move forward. And I agree with you with Caleb, I I agree that I think it's been hard not just for them but from the outside noise to cut the cord from last year and I feel like today was a step forward. I think it will always be a battle throughout the entire year. But my hope is we'll continue to get better and focus on this year's team and seeing how good we can become kind of joke been here for a long time. What is his presence download? Well, I mean it's just, You know, we talked about, we only gave him 22 points in the paint. I think it would have been different if he wasn't in the game. It's just presence and it um, from a defensive standpoint, it just really helps us because he can block and alter shots. So that helps us defensively. And then on the offensive end he's he's our most consistent low post scorer. You know, it's just, I felt like this year opponents have been, they've been beating up our guards and so when they're coming off ball screens, they're getting double teamed, they're getting hit. And um, you know, we just after these last two weeks, we just looked at, as I told you before this week also, I got a chance to just sit back and and be able to think and think about offensively, what are we doing well and what are the things we need to improve on and the same thing on the defensive end. And so every day I've been taking two things from the things that we aren't doing well and see if we can every day just move closer to move them to the positive side. And one of the things was establishing a post and throwing a ball to Armando and I thought we did a really good job of it today. Like there is thanks. It is, he's really good at it. He's really good at it. Um, defensively. Um, he's an excellent rebounder. So now you have another guy that could guard the post, he can rebound the basketball, He's also got good feet, so I've got no problem. Um him switching to guards and being able to guard them out on the perimeter. So now we have a another big guy um that is versatile defensively but can rebound the basketball. Now we have another guy that can score, downloading the points in the paint. The other thing that you guys didn't see today, I he can really shoot the ball from the outside too. So you know, his ability to stretch the floor and shoot from three is gonna be great. And um he's just a really sweet kid. I just um I love coaching him. Um I love that he's here with his parents were here. I know the road that he has taken to get here and uh for him to be out there on the floor when he walked into the locker room, uh Curse said um I spoke to the team and he and the last thing that Curse said was, and a career high for jailing and the whole team just sprayed water on him. You know, like I think one of the things that's really cool Is when you can celebrate somebody else's success. And so I saw 17 guys acting so happy for jailing. I mean, how how how would you not want that in in the locker room and so um today is a really good day and I was really, really happy for jailing