Old North Banter
Fansided

Five Tar Heel Lessons from Atlantis

By John Woodcock

facebooktwitterreddit

Last week, the North Carolina Tar Heels went down to the Battle of Atlantis in the Bahamas where they faced quality competition in three games. They went 2-1 in those games and their AP Poll ranking dipped down to 12th as a result. Yet it is hard to believe that the Tar Heels are not a better team now than when they departed for the islands. Here are five reasons why:

More from North Carolina Tar Heels

1.A Reminder that Teams like Butler exist

The Tar Heels gave up 29 offensive rebounds to the Butler Bulldogs in game 1 of the tournament. This should make little sense to anyone, because the Tar Heels have bigs for days and Butler does not. However Butler teams have always been scrappy on the boards and on defense. They have to be, because they generally do not have the talent of top flight programs.
The lesson here is simple, being tall does not mean that you will dominate the boards. Being fast does not mean that you will have your way with tough defense. These are important lessons.

2.Defense is Important

That may seem like something obvious, but look at it from another view. North Carolina starts Tokoto and freshman Justin Jackson at the wings. While Tokoto’s shot may have been hitting against Florida, he is not there as a creator. What Tokoto and Jackson give the perimeter is length to bother opposing back courts. Last year, the Heels were forced into smaller lineups by necessity. Teams can’t do those things against Tokoto that they may have done to Nate Britt.

Jackson is also showing some growth on the offensive end. His presence and Theo Pinson have also allowed for another development.

Live Feed

NC State vs Tennessee: 2023-24 college basketball game preview, TV schedule
NC State vs Tennessee: 2023-24 college basketball game preview, TV schedule /

Busting Brackets

  • NFL rumors: Kyler Murray sticking in AZ? Eagles mole, Joe Flacco's job just got even harderFanSided
  • AFC North Power Rankings: Browns, Ravens, and Bengals making playoff pushDawg Pound Daily
  • How Much is My Apex Legends Account Worth?DBLTAP
  • Joe Flacco's performance raises questions about the value of Deshaun Watson's record-breaking contractDawg Pound Daily
  • Fantasy Football: 3 must-start QBs that could carry you to the next round of playoffsFantasy CPR

    • 3.Isaiah Hicks is a real contributor

    Hicks competes. Last year he was stuck spending time at the wing where his size was nice, but his game was not. Now he is the third or fourth post. He scored ten against Florida and was active on the defensive end as well. This is good for the times when Brice Johnson has brain farts.

    4.Kennedy Meeks is starting to show signs of imposing himself

    If you watched the Florida and UCLA games, you noticed that Meeks began doing things that you did not expect from him last year. One, he was running the floor. Two, he was finding ways to set up deep in the paint. He was probably the best example of someone who learned from the Butler game.

    Against Florida, the Gators were understrength. This meant that they would have to play like Butler to win. Meeks had a great stat line against the smaller Gators. In 27 minutes he generated 18 points and 13 rebounds. They simply had no answer for him. Others could also run out of answers if he continues to develop.

    5.Still Cringing When the Heels Go to the Foul Line
    Oh well, some things still need work. Iowa is next, at 7:30 PM Wednesday.

    Home/North Carolina Tar Heels