University of North Carolina Athletics
Noel Cleared as Heels Prepare for Wake
December 18, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 18, 2003
By Adam Lucas
In recent weeks, Roy Williams's regular pregame meeting with the media has resembled a medical school class, with individual lessons on hip pointers, knee joints, and wrist ailments.
Thursday afternoon, however, the first-year Tar Heel had coach had good news: David Noel has been medically cleared to play Saturday against Wake Forest when the two teams tangle at 4 p.m. in the Smith Center.
Clearance from the doctors doesn't automatically mean that Noel will immediately jump back into the rotation. He went through a full practice Wednesday afternoon for the first time and Williams will evaluate his progress Thursday and Friday before deciding if he wants to use the sophomore against the Demon Deacons.
"He's so hyper trying to do things so perfectly that he has to get in a few more practices and a few games under his belt before he can play as well as he can play," Williams said.
The added depth that Noel, who came on strong at the midpoint of his freshman season and eventually played his way into the starting lineup, could bring to the Tar Heel bench would be most welcome against the Deacs, who have regularly played nine players during their 6-0 start.
With Noel's imminent return, the only player left on the current injury report is Jackie Manuel, who rolled his ankle Sunday against Akron. The junior defensive specialist was held out of some parts of practice on Wednesday and, according to the head coach, will not be 100 percent on Saturday.
Before turning in a lackluster effort against Akron, Carolina was scheduled to have a light workout Wednesday before returning to full practice Thursday and Friday. But Williams adjusted that schedule and the squad went through an intense workout yesterday and will do so again Thursday and Friday.
The most unique facet of Wake's lineup is their three-guard look, which features Justin Gray, Taron Downey, and freshman Chris Paul in the startling lineup. It's a setup that Williams can appreciate and one that poses problems for his team, which has not distinguished itself defensively in his eyes.
"We have to be able to play three ball-handlers," Williams said. "It's not just going to be one ball-handler and two guys who run around screens...I believe a three-guard lineup, and particularly three guys who could play point guard, is the most comfortable thing you can possibly have as a coach. When you have three guys who think the game like a coach, it couldn't be any easier or more fun coaching that."
Wake has had plenty of fun over the past two years against the Tar Heels, winning the last four matchups between the schools. In fact, when Roy Williams looks at his roster for Saturday's game, he will find only one player who can boast of a victory over the Deacons-freshman Jesse Holley, who caught one pass for 12 yards when Carolina beat Wake 42-34 on the gridiron this season.
The Carolina bench won't be entirely devoid of Wake victories, however. Williams racked up 20 wins over Wake during his tenure as a Tar Heel assistant coach, including 12 in a row during the mid-1980s.
"Nobody on our team has beaten Wake Forest," he said. "But I have."
His challenge over the next two days of practice will be to explain how to duplicate that feat in a rare December ACC opener. He may have spent the past decade and a half in Lawrence, Kansas, but Roy Williams still knows that the stakes are a little different once conference play begins.
"There's no doubt there's a difference," he said. "When you get in the family, it's another notch up."
Adam Lucas is the publisher of Tar Heel Monthly and can be reached at alucas@tarheelmonthly.com. To subscribe to Tar Heel Monthly, click here.
