By Mike DeSanto
Sports Editor
They did it! After a year of hearing about Kris Jenkins and his game-winning shot, Marcus Paige’s three, and being reminded of exactly how painful the loss was, the Redeem Team did exactly what the players said they’d do and captured the NCAA men’s basketball National Championship.
Now, as a Tar Heel fan, I have my opinions on the tournament, the championship game and, particularly, the players. But, not all of them are good.
Kennedy Meeks
Meeks emerged as a better player than even I thought he was, which is saying something considering he did have 13 double-doubles during the year.
He was a force to be reckoned with in the paint throughout the tournament, and against Oregon, preserved the one-point win by either grabbing or tipping a pair of rebounds late off of missed free throws (we’ll get to that in a bit).
Meeks’ ability to physically impose his will on any big man he chooses is something the Tar Heels could not have won without. He literally moved the man matched up with him whenever he felt like it, and boy did he feel like it a lot. Jordan Bell of the Oregon Ducks posed the biggest problem, but even he couldn’t stop Meeks.
Justin Jackson
Where did he go? Considering he won the ACC Player of the Year this season, you’d think he’d play a major role in the biggest game of the team’s season. But, while he was second on the team with 16 points, his trademark three point shot fell silent. When I say fell silent, I’m not saying he took about 10 threes and only made 2 or 3 of them. I mean he took nine threes and didn’t make a single one. Zero percent from three.
The player who had set the school record for three-pointers made in a single season missed every one he took in the most important game of his career. What’s up with that?
He did a good job at getting to the basket, scoring his floater a majority of the time. But I expected more from him.
But luckily, the Tar Heels got more from someone else.
Joel Berry II
Thank you Joel! Thank you so much.
Twenty-one points, six assists and three rebounds to lead the Tar Heels in the title game. That is a good game overall, but even better once you realize he did that on not one, but two, bad ankles.
Berry had most likely sprained both of his ankles over about a week-and-a-half period. He didn’t practice the day before the game, and had apparently told coach Roy Williams he was at about “80 percent.”
Needless to say, he looked much better than 80 percent while running up and down the court without a problem. I knew he wouldn’t miss the game, but I wasn’t sure how effective he would be.
Boy, am I glad he proved he could be.
Even though they haven’t announced it yet, I believe deep down that Jackson and Berry will join Meeks in the draft this season. If that is the case, I want to tell the three of them thank you.
Speaking for all Tar Heel fans, we appreciate you and everything you have done for the University of North Carolina and the loyal Tar Heel nation.
Good luck in the draft and I can’t wait to root you on when you win a NBA Championship together (wishful thinking).
But, speaking of the draft, St. Bonaventure University’s own Jaylen Adams recently revealed to university alumnus Adrian Wojnarowski, a writer for Yahoo! Sports and host of The Vertical, that he would be declaring for the NBA Draft, but won’t hire an agent. Not hiring an agent does mean that Adams can return to the Bonnies, if that is what he decides he wants to do.
desantmj13@bonaventure.edu
