Hit up TarheelDaily, or scroll on down to the article. If you want to discuss my opinions, email me at bret.dougherty@onebox.com. I also appear on WXYC FM 89.3 Chapel Hill for Sunday Night SportsRap, Sundays 9-10PM, and for SoulGrooves on Tuesdays 6-8AM. Enjoy the article.....BD .

The Next Level?

January 7, 2004

New sweaters, some tans, new gadgets on campus, sorority girls answering chirping cell phones to "Holla"…..Yes, break is over, and the talk about town is not only about what did you do over break, but went down in one of the strangest games in Carolina basketball history on Saturday.

With 6 turnovers in the first 9 possessions, you may have to wonder if the games of Akron, UNC Wilmington, and Coastal Carolina games softened that belly a bit, but forget the outcome….The clear evidence from the game is that this is Roy Williams's program, and you have to give him a ton of respect for benching his key guys in key points of both halves to send that message.

It's evident that Carolina has a lot of development to do this season, but there's still a ton of talent in that starting line-up. However, with the benching of Rashad McCants during key points of the Wake Forest, UNCW, and Kentucky games, the return of a player-coach drama is back in the Hill.

Let's run through a few discussions that have lurked into the area over the past several days…..

*****When it comes to Rashad McCants, there shouldn't be a lot of shock to people in the know……The cigar smoke around the 2002 McDonald's game in New York City billowed future problems with McCants, which after last year's incidents with Coach Doherty and this year's incidents with Coach Williams, it looks like the smoke has foretold some truth.

However, McCants is a tremendous scorer, and more importantly a very good finisher…..that's tough to come by…..Yet, his up and down performances over the last twelve months are going to make a lot of NBA experts question his ability let alone his reputation in the locker room.

This talk leads us to answer the "domino effect" that was bounced around the state of North Carolina after an article that made the rounds after Christmas. The theory states that if one guy leaves Carolina early this year, then others would follow to take their chances with the League. Well, the performances at Rupp Arena and throughout December may have let that one swirl down the pipes.

Here's a question for the people who believe that the domino effect will happen at the end of the season? Do you really see any of the big four at Carolina guarding players such as Michael Finley, Manu Ginobli, Stephon Marbury, or Kenyon Martin- night in and night out over the next two years?

It's funny when people try to place college prospects into the NBA. Check out this article on a fellow North Carolinian in Portland,…..no not Sheed……He's having major difficulty finding out ways to guard the species of multi-faceted players at the next level, but he's actually done a very good job on the offensive end. Guess who.....

Unless a Carolina player has a blazing next three months along with a Dunleavy-esque Pre-Draft Camp workout in Chicago, expect a very talented team and an extremely deep backcourt in 04-05.

On Rashad McCants's end, he better get it together with Coach Williams, or he may have to enroll in some French classes……There's a great league in Belgium for 6'3" tweeners.

***** If you really want to see a great match-up to use as a measuring stick to see how individuals will stand with fellow draft prospects. Watch for Jawad Williams against Miami's Darius Rice at the Smith Center tomorrow night.

Rice, who is the pride of Uncle Jerry Rice in Oakland, is a very strong player, and he represents all that is right when players staying in school. With his condor-like arms, he's explosive, and he can score. He will be a first round pick in next year's draft.

http://hurricanesports.ocsn.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/rice_darius00.html

The former McDonald's All-American from Mississippi had 20 in a mediocre performance in a loss against Florida State, but he had 25 points and was 5-9 from 3 Point range in a win over Temple. He didn't have a great game last year with 3-10 FG/FGA from the floor, but he did hit the game-winner in last year's 64-61 OT win.

Williams had major problems last year while checking up with him. He went 3-17 FG/FGA, 0-6 from 3 Pt. Range, and had 3 rebounds in a dismal performance. How Williams performs when he matches up with Rice on the outside should provide a lot of answers to the question of, can he score and defend a player who will probably play the wing at the next level.

This is a nice match-up. For me personally……I can't wait to watch it.

Let's see who's in the lower arena tomorrow night. When you see former NBA regulars such as Greg Ballard, Darrell Walker, and B.J. Armstrong unfolding into the padded seats around the lower bowl, they're not in Chapel Hill to look at the jerseys in the rafters…....Have fun spotting the sleuths……

Takin' Notes,
BD

Bret Dougherty is a UNC-Chapel Hill alum and current graduate student at UNC-Chapel Hill. Bret is a co-host of WXYC SportsRap (9 PM Sundays on FM 89.3 & www.wxyc.org). He also has a SoulGroove music show on Wednesday mornings from 6-8 AM on WXYC. His area of study is "The Revitalization of Public Spaces".

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