University of North Carolina Athletics
Men's Basketball Defeats Israeli Pro Team
June 21, 1999 | Men's Basketball
November 1, 1998
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Sophomore forward Vasco Evtimov led five players in double figures with 15 points and North Carolina broke open a tight game midway through the second half with an 18-4 run as the Tar Heels defeated Hapoel Galil Elyon, a professional team from Israel, 91-73, Sunday at the Smith Center.
Evtimov, who spent last year serving a one-year stint in the French military, added 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals. Senior Ademola Okulaja also had 10 rebounds and had five assists. Freshman Kris Lang (12), junior point guard Ed Cota (12) and freshman Jason Capel (11) also were in double figures for the Tar Heels. All but one of the 14 Carolina players who saw action scored.
Hapoels Herman Alston led all players with 26 points on 9 for 17 shooting from the field. Jamie Arnold also had 17 for Hapoel. Carolina led 29-19 with 6:20 to play in the opening half after a three-point goal by Capel, but led 45-40 at intermission. Hapoel outscored the Tar Heels, 14-7, in the first 4:24 of the second half to take a 54-52 lead. Alston and Arnold combined for 11 points in the run. Capel gave the Tar Heels a 55-54 lead with a rebound basket with 13:57 to play. Carolina never trailed from that point on. Two free throws by Okulaja, a coast to coast layup by Terrence Newby and seven consecutive points by Evtimov stretched the Tar Heels lead.
Carolina shot 49.2 percent from the field (32 of 65) and made 24 of 34 from the free throw line (.706). UNC outrebounded Hapoel, 47-20. The Tar Heels grabbed 27 of the 30 rebounds on Carolinas defensive glass. The Tar Heels return to action on Saturday at 4:30 in the Blue-White team scrimmage. Next Sunday at 2 p.m., UNC meets an Australian All-Star team in the Smith Center.
"We are pleased to get the win today. This is just the kind of game we needed to play. They did some different things that helped us. The international lane got them, I think. We made many mistakes, which is normal for a young team. We expected that because weve had some good and bad practices. Overall, I was pleased with our win."
Carolina Head Coach Bill Guthridge Quotes: "We know for sure that we have two starters in Okulaja and Cota. The others are up in the air. This was a good opportunity for some of the other players to get game experience. We learned a lot about them. Eventually, we hope to get down to eight or nine players. Well just have to wait and see. (Defensively), we had some good double teams, but I was more disappointed with our defense than our offense today. Capel and Lang played well as freshmen. Also, I thought our upperclassmen played well. Vasco Evtimov played well. Hes an aggressive player, he shags the ball well. Hes like that in practice, too. Hes also learning to be more conservative and is playing more inside, which is what hes going to have to do. He made some good passes, but I also cringed on some of them. Max Owens played well on defense and has improved offensively. Michael Brooker played better, even though he didnt shoot well."
