University of North Carolina Athletics
Lucas: The Look in His Eyes
March 4, 2005 | Men's Basketball
March 4, 2005
By Adam Lucas
Poor Ralph Mims.
The 6-foot-2 Florida State freshman seems like a nice enough person. He's athletic, handles himself well, and in all likelihood will be a productive player for the Seminoles.
But coming out of a second-half timeout with 11:58 on the Smith Center clock, it was immediately apparent that Mims had no idea what was about to happen.
You knew, though, didn't you? You saw that look in Raymond Felton's eyes, saw the way his jaw was set. FSU had the ball. And Felton had decided to take it.
"I just decided to set the tone," he said. "I wanted to be the leader I am for this team and make things happen and make things difficult for the other team. They were getting too many easy shots. I wanted to put on the pressure and have the other guys follow me."
Mims, however, didn't realize what was happening. He hasn't had the pleasure of watching Felton for three seasons, doesn't know what that clenched fist means, doesn't know that when the Carolina point guard gets that look, he's about to ignite a run.
Mims got the ball off the inbounds pass, tried a crossover dribble. Felton forced him to give the ball up and at that point the play was essentially over. You could see what Mims was thinking: I'll just give up the ball here and then go get it in a few seconds.
No, you will not. Mims tried to pop out to the wing. There was Felton, left arm extended perfectly into the passing lane. Mims tried to take advantage of Felton's overplay and go backdoor. There was Felton, right arm extended perfectly into the passing lane. With Alexander Johnson getting wide-eyed as he held the ball 30 feet from the basket, Mims tried to loop around and get a handoff, one of the simplest plays on offense. There was Felton, his whole body preventing the exchange.
Johnson eventually had to dribble toward the basket, and the possession ended with predictable results: a Felton steal, a Florida State foul, two Felton free throws, and Carolina taking off on a game-clinching run.
"You can see it with the other guards," David Noel said. "They'll start turning the ball over, they'll get frustrated, and then they want to get in a 1-on-1 contest with Raymond. That's not their coach or teammates want. That gets them out of their gameplan. When you have a point guard like Raymond who can do it on both ends, best of luck to the other guards."
Felton finished with a game-high four steals but refused to stump for himself after the game for the slot he richly deserves on the ACC All-Defensive team. It is Sean May's offense that will get most of the attention after the 91-76 win, but it was Felton's defense that sparked a turnaround after a first half that saw the Seminoles get too many open shots, with most of them finding the net.
It was not the type of effort you expected to see from a team playing to earn a banner in the Smith Center rafters. They've got it now, a share of the 2005 ACC regular season championship, and Roy Williams gave them the option of cutting down the nets after the game, even going so far as to have a ladder placed under one basket.
This is Carolina, after all, so the seniors had the final say. They said no.
"I said no," Jackie Manuel said. "We still have more games to play. We've got business to take care of."
But what if you win on Sunday, Jackie?
"I'll be the first."
Manuel has been the patron saint of defense for the Tar Heels ever since last season. He's still the man the coaches turn to to lock down the opposing team's best shooter, still the spidery defender no marksman wants to face.
But defensively, he's got a little company in the Tar Heel backcourt.
"I can look in their eyes and tell they're starting to get erratic," Felton said with a smile as he recounted what he sees when an opposing point guard gets rattled. "They want to get the ball out of their hands because they think they're about to make a turnover."
Raymond Felton sees it. You see it.
But poor Ralph Mims never saw 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.
