The more I re-watched the game between UNC and Clemson the more I have to admit that what Harrison Barnes can do very few others will be able to duplicate. And by that I mean whether they come to Carolina or go elsewhere for their college career. With the reality that the new CBA might take out the “one and done” what we saw yesterday we might never see again in the ACC Tournament. Yes, he is that good, and while it seems the rest of the team has struggled a bit with the tournament spotlight on them, the young man seems to have found it to his liking. You now have to wonder what he could do under the even brighter lights of March Madness. But that is something we do not have to worry about until next week.
Now back to the team itself. I do not think we are seeing a new Carolina flaw when we see them start out slow, or better said a lot slower than we would like. This happened plenty in the front half of the season, but we were all still under the belief that this team was going to be mediocre at best. Now, with our expectations much higher on this team, with vision of a one seed, with the possibility of winning the regular season and the post season tournament, the slow starts have become something we don’t want anymore. Sure, the turnover situation has never been as bad as it has been in these two games, and we can not afford to play russian roulette starting next Thursday, but on the other hand what I am seeing from these eight scholarship players is that they are willing to do what it takes to win.
Of course the highlight reel is going to have a whole heck of a lot on Barnes, but Tyler Zeller had played well and has been clutch in the times he has had to “hit the shot”. John Henson is doing is job on the defensive side of the ball, Knedall Marshall hasn’t been at the top of his game, however both have delivered when they have been called upon. It might not be what we thought the way the tournament would be going, but it is the way we thought we would be after two games, and that is waiting for this afternoon to play in the finals. Is a lot of that on Barnes? Sure is, but he could not have done it all by himself, and while he has been the stars few teams can name off role players of the like of Zeller, Henson and Marshall.
This team has been clutch down the stretch, and that is one of the major things needed when you head to the Big Dance. Now, if they can handle getting on a roll before the first half is over this team could be awfully good.
Original Story:
http://www.the5thcorner.com/upon-furt...
1475
4
