SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – North Carolina's anointed savior, one Harrison Barnes, is a young man of many talents. Barnes plays the saxophone and loves a good joke. In high school – that being just a year ago -- he participated in local food drives, led a week Bible study and sang in the choir. Barnes is also polite, handsome and confident. Does he sound too good to be true?
"Harrison's just a great guy to be around," UNC junior forward Tyler Zeller said.
Of course, there's no telling how long Barnes will be around UNC. NBA draft analysts believe Barnes, the national prep player of the year last season at Ames High School in Ames, Iowa, will be the No. 1 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.
That's fine and dandy, but, at this very second (remember, it's Atlantic Standard time here, which means Barnes and teammates are an hour ahead of the curve and fans back in Chapel Hill, N.C.) Barnes and the Tar Heels are focused squarely on making their powder blue world right again.
Thursday was another small step in the right direction as the eighth-ranked Tar Heels pounded Hofstra 107-63 in the opening round of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off here at the Coliseo De Puerto Rico. UNC displayed its unique blend of youth, talent and experience against the overmatched Pride. And it was the most intriguing – and ballyhooed – player on and off the court who helped make that happen.
Barnes paced the Tar Heels with 19 points -- all in the first half -- seven rebounds, two assists and one blocked shot. The first-team AP All-American selection was 7-of-11 from the floor, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range.
If Harrison, a small forward who doesn't turn 19 until May, feels any pressure to lead the Tar Heels from bondage, he certainly doesn't show it.
"Not at all. It makes the game a little more interesting," Barnes said, eyeball-to-eyeball, to FanHouse when asked if he minds the heat and expectations placed on him.
"I enjoy it and I just think it rises your performance to another level. I don't call it pressure. I call it high expectations for myself and what my capabilities are."
"I don't call it pressure. I call it high expectations for myself and what my capabilities are"
-- Harrison Barnes, North Carolina Barnes led an onslaught that saw UNC place six players in double digits and saw the bench nearly match the starters in points scored (57 to 50). Barnes has been called a quick learner by coaches and teammates, though even Barnes admits he had to get accustomed to the intensity, both physically and mentally, of collegiate practices.
Since UNC failed to find it stride last season – or heart, according to many, as it wilted in the ACC and landed in the NIT Tourney – it's important the Tar Heels make good use of these early games.
"It's only two games," said UNC point guard Larry Drew II, who combined with fellow point guard Kendall Marshall for 15 assists and just three turnovers.
"No way are we satisfied. Last year was very frustrating, something that you try to forget about as quickly as possible, but you still try to hold on to a little piece of it so you can use it as motivation. At least that's what I do. I try not to think about what happened last year but you don't forget either."
Drew II further explained that he thought the Tar Heels were more comfortable with each other on the floor, that they were playing far more relaxed compared to a year ago. He said Barnes helps in that area, along with John Henson and Zeller, too, because it's the inside players who help create space for the perimeter players.
UNC, which faces one of its first true tests later this month at Illinois, one of the Big Ten favorites, seems determined to set an impressive tone in this tourney.
"Last year we saw just how quickly things spin out of control," Zeller said.
"We just have to stay focused and continually get better. That's what made it so difficult last year, how hard it is. If you lose one you have to bounce back quickly. As soon as you lose three or four, then it starts becoming very, very difficult to come back. We can't be content where we are at."
Barnes understands the approach, too. He credits the returning players for helping set the tone, and says newcomers like himself and Reggie Bullock and Marshall are trying their best to adjust quickly on and off the court.
That doesn't seem to be a problem, even if Barnes was held scoreless in the second half against Hofstra. Barnes drained all four of his 3-point attempts and was 7-of-9 from the floor in the opening 20 minutes as UNC built a 58-33 advantage.
"I thought Harrison was sensational in the first half," UNC coach Roy Williams said.
"In second half he really never got into it, never really got moving as much, they closed out on him better every time he touched the ball. But his start was sensational for us. That was really the game, though I hope I don't see many times where he goes scoreless in a half either.
"But he has a chance to be a phenomenal player."
As Barnes patiently and politely answered questions across the locker room, Zeller smiled when he peered towards his teammate. The Tar Heels have thrived with star players over the years, and Barnes certainly fits the bill.
"He's a great player," Zeller said.
"He can shoot, take it off the dribble, rebound, He can do everything. At times it doesn't matter what you do, he's going to score on you. He's a great guy, too, in that he jokes around and he's fun to hang out with."
No comments:
Post a Comment