University of North Carolina Athletics
THM Extra: Senior Interview Outtakes
November 3, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 3, 2004
For our basketball preview, Tar Heel Monthly wanted to bring together the three Tar Heels who have perhaps been through more than any senior class in memory. We gathered Jawad Williams, Jackie Manuel, and Melvin Scott for an extensive exclusive interview that subscribers read in our most recent issue. Here are some outtakes, available only on TarHeelBlue.com, from that joint interview.
By Adam Lucas
Tar Heel Monthly: What's the biggest difference between 8-20 and 19-11?
Jawad Williams: Maturity. And guys being accountable.
Jackie Manuel: Experience. We didn't have any experience at all our freshman year.
Williams: And back then, we had guys who didn't want to be here. We're the only three who are still standing. From all the people who have been through here, it's just us and Skate (trainer Marc Davis) and Hoots (former manager and current video assistant Eric Hoots).
THM: Who did you lean on during those tough times?
Manuel: That first year, it was Jason Capel.
Williams: After that, it's mostly been each other.
Manuel: And the young guys who came in. We already knew what was going to happen, so we tried to share some things with them and come together.
THM: The three of you talk about Jason Capel quite a bit. What did you learn from him?
Melvin Scott: He not only talked about it, he did it. He sacrificed so much for us and didn't even really know us. He was so unselfish.
Williams: You always hear people talk about the little things, but `Cape' did them every day on the court. He doesn't get credit for the things he did. All you ever hear about him is criticism for what he didn't do. But there aren't many players in Carolina history who can say they did the things he did.
THM: You've earned a banner for the NCAA appearance last year. Does it mean more now that you've seen first-hand what it takes to get there?
Scott: I'm not arrogant. That's better than nothing, and it's a long way from 8-20. Each year has been better than the year before for everyone.
THM: Was there ever a time when you felt like you were getting used to losing?
Scott: No. It was a learning experience but you can't get used to it. Williams: When you're competitive, you don't get used to it. You know something has to change, but you don't know what it is you have to change.
Manuel: I can't get used to losing. During high school, I was used to winning, and to this day I don't take losing well.
THM: What does Roy Williams expect from his seniors?
Manuel: Leadership and maturity. He wants to know that when the game is tough and on the line, he can count on us to help out the team.
Williams: He has the confidence in us to put us out there in tough situations. He knows we can deal with it because we've been in tough situations before. We can be out there leading by example.
THM: Jackie got a lot of praise last year. Was that ever hard for the rest of you to hear?
Williams: Not for me. I thought he did a great job. It's tough for someone to come in and tell you you can't shoot and still be willing to play hard. I don't know if I could've done that.
Scott: It's really hard to find another way to be effective.
THM: Jackie, was it ever tough for you almost being in a `teacher's pet' type situation?
Manuel: I'm the type of person that the coach doesn't have to praise me in front of everybody. I don't want to make other guys feel bad about themselves.
THM: Do you ever watch tape of that first year? Manuel: I haven't watched it.
Scott: At some point, I'm going to watch every single game. I want to see it.
Williams: During my sophomore year I watched a lot of tape. This year, I haven't touched them. I don't want to look back that far just yet. Once we win, we can look back.
THM: What did you learn by playing in the NCAA Tournament last year that you could have only learned through first-hand experience?
Williams: That every possession counts. The smallest thing can cost you the game. You're going to have to play almost perfect games because all the games will be close. If you don't play perfectly, you're not going to have a chance.
Scott: That everybody has to be on the same page. The word `team' is so strong.
Williams: If you look at the teams in the Final Four, they all had good players but none of them had a great player. I think we had the most talented team in the country last year. But we didn't play as a team at certain times and it hurt us. Everyone in the Final Four played as a team the entire time. My hat is off to Georgia Tech. They didn't have any so-called superstars but they played hard and played together and they made it.
Adam Lucas is the publisher of Tar Heel Monthly and can be reached at alucas@tarheelmonthly.com. His book on Roy Williams's first season at Carolina, Going Home Again, is now available in bookstores. To subscribe to Tar Heel Monthly or learn more about the book, click here.
