University of North Carolina Athletics
Sanders Takes Advantage of Last Chance
March 1, 2006 | Men's Basketball
March 1, 2006
By Adam Lucas
It's been a media guide tradition for the past three years.
Somewhere in the Byron Sanders biography section, mention has to be made of his 1967 Buick Skylark. It's a car that has been in the family since before the Carolina senior was born, and he's spent numerous afternoons at home tinkering with it. In his very first media guide entry, he listed his hobby as "Working on my '67 Buick Skylark."
So when Hurricane Katrina blew through Gulfport on August 29, 2005, the damage report wasn't good.
"My old-school is kind of messed up," Sanders said.
But he could smile when he said it, because damage to his old-school Skylark was of minimal concern compared to some of the trials endured by some of his neighbors. His parents, Otis and Bettie Sanders, stayed in their home to ride out the storm--the family had left the house when Hurricane George came through in 1998 and returned to find their home looted--and emerged safely.
"There was a hole in the roof and it was leaking," Byron said. "They've got some water damage and car damage. But they said it was OK."
OK, of course, is relative in this situation. But Sanders, who says his parents have "always been survivors," is lucky they'll be there tonight to enjoy Senior Day. They've been fixtures at home and road contests for the past three years, with Otis Sanders often making the 11-hour (each way) drive from Gulfport to Chapel Hill, sometimes toting a batch of Bettie's homemade macaroni that is one of Byron's favorite dishes.
They've seen their son play an enhanced role this season. He played an important role as a freshman, starting 12 games in the absence of Sean May. During that stretch he flashed a willingness to do the little things--setting screens, rebounding, and playing defense, sometimes without ever looking at the hoop on offense.
He grabbed rebounds in bunches (7 against Miami, 8 against Virginia, and 7 against Davidson) and played solid defense, including quality stints against Virginia's Travis Watson and Connecticut's Emeka Okafor.
That was a low-pressure role--the Tar Heels were relying on a quintet of rookies who were essentially learning the game on the fly. He played spot minutes as a sophomore and was not in the regular rotation as a junior.
An academic All-ACC pick as a sophomore, Sanders knows how to read a depth chart. Roy Williams has said his senior post player's focus may have slipped last year after realizing Sean May and Marvin Williams would earn the bulk of the post minutes, and Sanders agrees.
"When practice started last year things were really going well," Sanders says. "But I rolled my ankle and had to sit out a couple weeks, and when I came back I saw how things were going and who was going to play. I got more into my books at that point and didn't work as hard as I did before I rolled my ankle."
He's been into his books this season, but he's also been able to provide significant minutes on the court. He treasures his national championship ring, but that doesn't mean he's content. Especially once ACC play began, he's been an important contributor.
"I didn't find it hard at all to get motivated this summer after winning the championship," Sanders says. "It was easy because people are doubting us. I know we're going to prove them wrong."
He's proving them wrong by playing quality minutes. Sanders has earned 13 minutes per game, and while he's not lighting up the scoring column--he's averaging just 2.7 points per game--he has looked more energetic around the basket and has been much more effective running the floor. He played one of his best games in a home win over NC State, a game when his aggressive play in the lane got Wolfpack center Cedric Simmons into foul trouble, an important turning point in the game.
"He provided us with such a big lift," Danny Green says. "When he starts making big plays, it gives us so much energy."
"I had a New Year's resolution this year," Sanders says. "It's 2006 and things had to change. I wanted to come out strong and work hard because it's my senior year, man. This is my last chance."
Since Sanders has experience with being required to play major minutes as a rookie, he's also been valuable in a mentor role for this year's class of Tyler Hansbrough, Marcus Ginyard, Danny Green, Mike Copeland, and Bobby Frasor. It's looked easy during the recent winning streak, but the quiet Mississippi native has been a valuable resource during the tougher times.
"I know they are going to get down sometimes," he says. "I have to be there for them and tell them to stay strong. I want to keep them having fun this first year, which means they have to relax. They know that we will be there for them."
All ticket-holding fans for tonight's game should be aware of tonight's senior day festivities in order to make sure they arrive early and plan to stay late.
Adam Lucas is the publisher of Tar Heel Monthly and can be reached at alucas@tarheelmonthly.com. He is the coauthor of the official book of the 2005 championship season, Led By Their Dreams, and 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 Going Home Again, click here.
