University of North Carolina Athletics
Car-O-Lines: Forte Becoming A Special Player
January 25, 2001 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 25, 2001
By Rick Brewer, Sid Emeritus
Read More Car-O-Lines By Rick Brewer
Joseph Forte is one of those special players who doesn't mind taking big shots when they're needed the most.
He generally hits a good majority of them.
Forte, the precocious 6-4 sophomore from Greenbelt, Md., did it again Wednesday night, helping lift North Carolina to a hard-fought 88-81 victory over Virginia at the Smith Center.
With Forte scoring 14 first-half points, the Tar Heels had bolted to a 50-35 lead after the first 20 minutes of play against the Cavaliers.
But, as expected, Virginia made an early run after intermission. What wasn't expected was how good that run would be. In four minutes and 30 seconds, Virginia had sliced the Carolina edge to just 54-51. When Chris Williams hit a baseline jumper with 14:58 left, the Carolina advantage was 56-53.
That's when Forte when on a nine-point scoring spree. His first basket in this stretch came on a driving layup. He then missed a short jumper from the left baseline, but followed his own shot and was fouled. He added the free throw for the conventional three-point play.
At 11:57 he pulled up for a short jumper from the lane and 30 seconds later scored on another running jumper. With Virginia getting only two Donald Hand free throws and a Travis Watson field goal in this period, the Tar Heel lead was pushed back to 65-57.
"He's an All-America and you put the ball in his hands in those situations," said Carolina Coach Matt Doherty afterwards. "He made some big, big plays. He seems to focus better when the game's on the line."
Doherty should know about players like that. He played with a couple of them here--James Worthy and Michael Jordan. The Tar Heels have had others--guys who seemingly put their teams on their backs when needed. Larry Miller and Charlie Scott were two of the best clutch players in Atlantic Coast Conference history. Phil Ford had those same qualities.
So did George Lynch. Lynch wasn't necessarily a great scorer, but he would find a way to win a game--either with a big rebound, a steal, a great pass or a defensive stop.
Forte is much like Miller and Scott. He can go on scoring streaks when they're most needed, but also make a big steal or grab a key rebound.
"He's had a year of experience now," said Jason Capel in the Carolina locker room Wednesday night. "So he's smarter and his shot selection is getting better and better. Tonight I just told him to take the game over and he did."
Still, even after his scoring streak slowed down the Cavalier barrage, Virginia refused to go away. With 5:40 to go a fast-break layup brought the Cavaliers to within 75-71 at the 5:40 mark.
That's when Forte hit perhaps the biggest shot of the night--a three-pointer from just left of the key. Two Roger Mason free throws made it 78-73. But Forte came right back with another of his baseline jumper to push the margin back to seven.
A driving basket by Mason made it 82-77 with 3:24 on the clock, but Virginia would never get that close again.
A sensational layup by Ronald Curry through the middle of the Cavalier defense pushed the lead back to seven. He was floored on the play, but somehow got the ball in the basket. Capel and Forte later each made one free throw and the lead was back to nine with only 1:16 left.
"Forte is an unbelievable player," said Virginia Coach Pete Gillen. "He's one of the best second guards I've seen in a long time. He was marvelous tonight."
One of the things that makes Forte so dangerous is the fact he's surrounded by other capable players. If teams should ever try to concentrate on stopping him, he can just dump the ball inside to Brendan Haywood, Kris Lang or Julius Peppers or get the ball to Capel, who can be an excellent scorer himself. Plus, Curry is continuing to develop into another outside threat at point guard.
The fact that teams are continuing to jam Haywood and Lang inside is leaving Forte operating room on the perimeter and he's taking advantage of it. He has excellent work habits and he's developed perhaps the best middle-range jump shot in college basketball.
And, like Miller, Scott, Ford, Worthy and Jordan, he wants the ball in the tight situations.
"I want to be one of the guys who plays well when the game's on the line," he says. "That's an important facet of being a good player."
In just his sophomore season Forte is proving to be just that.
