University of North Carolina Athletics
Lucas: UNC Basketball Mailbag November 18
November 18, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 18, 2003
By Adam Lucas
It's time to come clean here at the Carolina Basketball Mailbag home office: we hate the NBA.
In writing this column, I tried to determine the last time I actually watched an NBA game all the way through from start to finish. The answer? The 1998 NBA Finals, when Michael Jordan defeated the Utah Jazz.
I've tried to watch games since then, I really have. But I always wind up wanting to gouge my eyes out rather than watch another pick-and-roll.
It's important to get that information out in the open so that you don't mistake me for an NBA expert. It's also important because as of this week, we're declaring an official moratorium on any NBA-related questions. That means that if you want to know if the Denver Nuggets will pick Justin Bohlander in the '04 NBA Draft, you'll have to ask someone else. Are some of the players on Carolina's roster future pros? Definitely. But for right now, with at least a full season left in college, we'd prefer to enjoy them as college players and worry about the pros after they've finished this season. So we won't be answering any NBA-related questions until at least March. With that said...
I know there is always the chance that a player will leave early for the NBA or transfer, but let's assume that the total Carolina Roster returns next season. How does Coach Williams handle the 14 players and 13 scholarship situation?
Stephen Leary, Raleigh, NC
We've gotten roughly 50 different variations of this question, and without going into recruiting specifics, this is the stock answer: Roy Williams is just as aware of the scholarship situation as you are. He wouldn't offer a scholarship that doesn't exist.
What is the status of David Noel? If he is out for 8 weeks, what is a chance for a red shirt for this year?
Harold G. Beale, Panama, Republic of Panama
David had surgery on his injured right thumb--he tore a ligament in a practice collision with Reyshawn Terry--last Wednesday, Nov. 12. The estimate on his return is anywhere from six to eight weeks. As we learned last year, it's better to plan for the worst case scenario. If it takes eight weeks for Noel's thumb to heal, he'll be back somewhere around Jan. 7, the day that future ACC member Miami comes to the Smith Center. Assuming everything goes well with his recovery, there should be no need for a redshirt.
It's also worth remembering that eight weeks is only the estimate for his return to the court. It will take longer than that for Roy Williams to successfully mix him back into the rotation and for him to get back to playing at the level Carolina fans remember from late last season. If there's anyone who can make a successful comeback, though, it's Noel. Rather than sit inactive at practice since his injury, he has been constantly on the move, working on his left-hand dribble and left-hand shot and also running to stay in shape.
My late uncle, Ken Rosemond, was a member of the 1957 National Championship team. Most Carolina fans know it was the first team to go undefeated by winning 32 straight games including a win over a Wilt Chamberlain led Kansas team. My question is, how many games did Carolina win in 1958 before losing and to whom? I.E. How long was their winning streak and is it still the longest?
Randy Rosemond, Providence Forge, Virginia
The Tar Heels won five straight games to open the 1957-58 season before West Virginia snapped the streak with a 75-64 victory in the University of Kentucky Invitational. The 37-game winning streak is the longest in Carolina history, edging out a 34-game streak that stretched from Dec. 15, 1923 through Feb. 2, 1925. (UNC fans with long memories will remember that the Heels were voted the 1924 Helms Foundation national champions)
The longest winning streak in the modern era of Tar Heel hoops is a 21-game span, which has happened twice--once during the 1983-84 season that was snapped by a one-point loss at Arkansas, and once during the 1985-86 season, which was ended by a 13-point Virginia victory in Charlottesville.
To go on an even longer tangent, it's worth noting that Wilt Chamberlain hadn't returned to Lawrence for almost 40 years before Roy Williams brought him back to Allen Fieldhouse in 1998.
Adam, We saw the Blue-white game and I was impressed with Sanders improvement. But I have not found anything about C. J. Hooker. I don't recall that name from last year. Can you tell me something about him?
George Wolff, Greensboro, NC
C.J. is a walk-on who joined the varsity this season after playing with the junior varsity the past two seasons. If you're looking for a piece of trivia to impress your buddies, try throwing out the fact that C.J. is from Alaska--the first player to suit up for the Tar Heels from that state in at least the modern era of Carolina basketball.
What is the best way to get single game tickets for the sold out games? Will they be doing any ebay auctions like they did for football, where the proceeds go to the athletic program? Can I still get in on the Rams Club ticket exchange? Please let me know any info you have. I am looking to come down for a couple games in early January (7th and 11th). I have bought from scalpers there in the past, but I would rather have a way where the program makes the money.
Matt Beise, Minneapolis, MN
We took your question to the UNC Sports Marketing office, and they indicated that there was a possibility of ticket auctions--as well as the opportunity to be a ballboy at some games--beginning in January. Check back on tarheelblue.com for more details as the season progresses.
The Myrtle Beach game against UNC-W may be the toughest ticket all season. It's being played in the tiny Myrtle Beach Convention Center, and tickets went on public sale with very little warning and were quickly snapped up. Try checking with area hotels to see if they have any room packages that also include game tickets.
Keep in mind that it's often easier to see the Heels on the road than it is at home. As of this writing, tickets remain for Carolina's Nov. 29 date at Cleveland State. Tickets can be purchased through TicketMaster by using this link. If the link doesn't work, just go to ticketmaster.com and search for "CSU Convocation Center." One helpful hint--if you're looking for lower level tickets, try searching for just one ticket at a time rather than a pair and you may find some scattered lower level seats.
You can also buy tickets to see the Heels take on Illinois in what should be an exciting game at the Greensboro Coliseum on Dec. 2 by calling the Carolina ticket office at 800-722-HEEL, and the ticket office also has tickets to Carolina's Nov. 24 tilt with Davidson at the Charlotte Coliseum. Single-game tickets can usually be purchased closer to the date of the game at ACC opponents Clemson (Jan. 31), Florida State (Jan. 22), Wake Forest (Feb. 7), and occasionally Virginia (Feb. 24). Call the respective ticket offices of those schools for more information.
If you're a member of the Rams Club--and if you're not you can join over 10,000 Tar Heel fans by clicking here and making a tax-deductible membership contribution that goes to support student-athletes like Raymond Felton and Sean May--you have the opportunity to participate in their ticket exchange program, which is one of the best-kept secrets in all of Carolina basketball. Call the Rams Club office at 919-945-2000 to become a member and get details about the program, which annually allows hundreds of Tar Heel fans to get hard-to-find basketball tickets.
My question has to do with freshman walk-on Justin Bohlander, from what I've read he has impressed the coaching staff and even Coach Smith and I was wondering with four excellent recruits coming in next year and only three scholarships and Bohlander playing a key role in the rotation this year will someone lose a scholarship or will he be on the outside looking in?
Mark Frye, Yorktown, Virginia
There is absolutely no doubt that the most popular figure in our mailbag this week was rookie Justin Bohlander. As we mentioned last week, he still needs to get stronger in order to play major minutes. But his fundamentals and understanding of the game are so impressive that he's going to play regardless of if he gets pushed around on occasion by bigger foes. That basketball savvy caused him to draw recruiting attention from several schools late in the process, including a scholarship offer that he turned down from Southern Cal and recruiting attention from Indiana, James Madison, and several other schools.
We wouldn't worry about the scholarship situation, as it has a way of working itself out. Bohlander came to Carolina as a walk-on and that was the plan for him for four years. But if a scholarship opens up during his career, he would be a likely candidate to get the extra spot. That's not an unprecedented situation under Roy Williams--in fact, it's exactly what happened to administrative assistant C.B. McGrath, who went to Kansas as a walk-on but so impressed Williams that he earned a scholarship all four years of his career when the Jayhawks had an extra grant come open.
Adam Lucas will answer your questions about the Carolina men's basketball program this season in an exclusive column published each Tuesday on TarHeelBlue.com. Lucas, editor of Tar Heel Monthly, will answer your questions on personnel, strategy, opponents and anything on your mind about the Tar Heels other than recruiting specifics. You can email your questions to Adam--please make sure to include your first and last names and hometown.
