Brian Bersticker

Position:
Forward/Center
Height:
6-11
Weight:
205
Class:
Freshman
Hometown:
Virginia Beach, VA
High School:
Kempsville

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AT CAROLINA
Fifth year with the Tar Heels • Currently enrolled in graduate school for education • Earned his undergraduate degree at Carolina in geography • Has played in 78 career games • Has 212 points, 127 rebounds and 53 blocked shots • Is quick and agile for a player his size and has an excellent outside shot • Is a career 51.7 percent shooter from the floor • Has good shot-blocking instincts • Needs to improve his strength to earn significant increases in playing time • Must be able to hold off opponents and maintain his position near the goal.

JUNIOR SEASON (2000-01)
Played in 20 games as a reserve behind center Brendan Haywood • Scored 31 points, pulled down 21 rebounds and blocked seven shots • Scored a season-high seven points at Appalachian State • Hit a key second-half jump shot in the win at NC State • Had a season-high three rebounds against Marquette • Blocked two shots against Kentucky.

RED-SHIRT SEASON (1999-2000)
Played in the first five games and averaged 5.0 points and 2.8 rebounds • Made 12 of 17 shots from the floor (70.6 percent) • Scored a season-high 12 points in the Maui Invitational championship game against Purdue when he knocked down six of seven shots from the floor • Scored seven points and grabbed a season-high seven rebounds in the season opener against Southern California • Re-injured his left foot in the early moments of the December 3 game against College of Charleston at the Charlotte Coliseum • Had surgery to insert a bone graft and screw on December 6 • Announced on February 14 he would apply for a medical red-shirt.

SOPHOMORE SEASON (1998-99)
Scored a season-high 12 points to spark the Tar Heels to a 78-49 win over Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament quarterfinal • Followed that performance with six points in the win over Maryland • Against the Yellow Jackets, Bersticker scored six consecutive points in the second half after Georgia Tech had moved to within a point of UNC's lead • In the semifinal against the Terps, Bersticker scored two dramatic baskets • First, after Maryland cut a 23-point UNC lead to eight with 3:24 to play, Bersticker hit an inside basket to restore Carolina's 10-point lead • Then, after Maryland closed to within four points at 80-76, he took a long pass from Ademola Okulaja and dunked • In the regular-season finale vs. Duke, Bersticker scored 11 points • In the last five games, he scored 36 points • He scored 30 points total in the first 15 regular-season ACC contests.

FRESHMAN SEASON (1997-98)
Recipient of the Butch Bennett Award, which is given to the UNC freshman who best exemplifies determination, sportsmanship and sacrifice for the good of the team • Played in 19 games as a freshman • Averaged 2.6 points and 1.3 rebounds per contest • Made 20 of 36 field goal attempts (55.6 percent) and 9 of 10 from the free throw line (90.0 percent) • Blocked 12 shots in limited minutes • Averaged a blocked shot every 7.3 minutes of action • That was the best ratio on the team • Scored a season-high 16 points and grabbed a season-best nine rebounds at Bethune-Cookman • Made six of nine from the floor at Bethune-Cookman • Had seven points in the win over NC State in the first round of the ACC Tournament.

PREP
Graduated with honors from Kempsville High School in Virginia Beach, Va. • Attended the same high school as former UNC All-America J.R. Reid • Played for Coach Vernon King Jr. at Kempsville • Led his high school team to an 18-7 record as a senior • Kempsville won the district tournament title • Averaged 13.3 points, 8.6 rebounds and 5.8 blocked shots per game as a senior • Had a triple-double (16 points, 13 rebounds and 10 blocks) in one game • Averaged 16.5 rebounds and nine blocks per game as a junior • Was first-team all-district selection • In 1997, played middle hitter on the volleyball team as a sophomore and earned first-team all-district honors • Was born in Honolulu, Hawaii.