North Carolina State 91, UNC-Chapel Hill 83

[Wheat/"/"/"]

I mostly agree with Wheat's take on the Heels. They can and might win against good teams, for they do have talent, or perhaps potential talent in the younger guys. It will take a good coaching job to get the chemistry to work.

I am curious about Paige's future, with the arrival in '13 of Britt and in '14 of Berry. I've sort of joked about it on the UNC PG thread, but wonder if Wheat might comment. None of those 3 guys is very tall, so none is really a 2. I know the generic coach-speak: "We have no trouble playing 2 PGs together." I know, too, that Duke has had situations that look, but are not exactly, similar. [1] JWill and Duhon, except that JWill was definitely a lot closer to a combo guard than any of the UNC-3. [Free one of the UNC-3?] [2] Cook, Curry, Sulaimon/Thornton, except that all but Cook are either fairly described as combo guards or not fairly described as PGs.

So, back to the future, Paige's in particular, UNC's PG story [Paige, Britt, Berry, plus Davis, White] over the next 2-3 years more generally. Wheat, when you have time, seriously, help, seriously, or as seriously as you can muster to a question that is not intended to be, but may be interpreted as, chain-pulling.

It's pretty simple, I think. Roy will roll out the ball at practice and the best players will play.

It looks to me Paige is the PG of the future. He's going to be good. He's just got to settle down and gain confidence, and get stronger. He seems to have leadership ability.

Britt will have to come in an compete. And we'll see about Berry...I have a hard time believing recruiting hype. If he's as good as they say and can't be kept off the floor, I have no doubts that Roy would start both.

[CarmenWallaceWade]

I didn't watch much of this game - my wife and I were out celebrating our anniversary. We stayed at the Renaissance hotel at North Hills and had breakfast there the next morning. As I'm sitting down, my wife comments on how the table of State fans next to us must be pretty happy. I turn to look and quickly realize it's not just a couple of State fans but Mark Gottfried and one of his assistants. Shortly after I notice a huge guy wearing a State hoodie walking towards their table and immediately recognize it's Julius Randle. He was looking like he just woke up (this was around 10:30). That guy is freakishly big! Anyway, I hadn't been following his recruitment since he dropped us from his list, but it looks like State is still in the running for him. Obviously he would be a great get and it would be fun to watch him in our conference next year.

[Bob Green]

It's pretty simple, I think. Roy will roll out the ball at practice and the best players will play.

I'm interested in your thoughts on this year's rotation. Do you believe Strickland deserves all the minutes he is playing or should Hairston see more court time? Coach Williams' actions and your "the best players will play" statement seem incongruous to me.

[jv001]

It's pretty simple, I think. Roy will roll out the ball at practice and the best players will play.

It looks to me Paige is the PG of the future. He's going to be good. He's just got to settle down and gain confidence, and get stronger. He seems to have leadership ability.

Britt will have to come in an compete. And we'll see about Berry...I have a hard time believing recruiting hype. If he's as good as they say and can't be kept off the floor, I have no doubts that Roy would start both.

The times I've seen Berry play, it looks like Roy got a very good one. I know it's against high school players, but he seems to be the best of the group unc has now and is getting in the near future. GoDuke!

[oldnavy]

I'm interested in your thoughts on this year's rotation. Do you believe Strickland deserves all the minutes he is playing or should Hairston see more court time? Coach Williams' actions and your "the best players will play" statement seem incongruous to me.

I agree, Roy's rotation rarely seems to make sense to a casual observer (me). I cannot say much about practice effort, etc... but it took him 1/2 of a season or more to figure out that Marshall was 'better' on point than LDII. Really???

I think Roy gives PT in ways to accomplish other goals (keep players motivated, interested, etc...) more so than to keep the best 5 on the court. I just have seen too many times when he would pull a hot player out as if it were a predestined move verses how the player was playing in the moment.

I can tell you that IC is full of threads debating this very subject, so a sizable portion of the UNC nation is at odds with Strickland vs Hairston PT question.

I will not say that his rotation patterns are without merit. It is probably easier to woo potential recruits by telling them they 'will' see some court time. If he doesn't come out and tell the players this, they certainly should be able to discern it for themselves by watching UNC play.

Funny, IC argues that Roy goes too deep into the rotation, DBR argues we don't go deep enough!! I guess it is always greener on the other side, eh???

[gumbomoop]

It's pretty simple, I think. Roy will roll out the ball at practice and the best players will play.

It looks to me Paige is the PG of the future. He's going to be good. He's just got to settle down and gain confidence, and get stronger. He seems to have leadership ability.

Britt will have to come in an compete. And we'll see about Berry...I have a hard time believing recruiting hype. If he's as good as they say and can't be kept off the floor, I have no doubts that Roy would start both.

Not sure which both, but I think maybe you mean Paige - probably, IYO, the PG of the future - and Berry, if he lives up to recruiting hype. That still leaves Britt, about whom your comment is noncommittal.

The reason I think it's an interesting situation is that Berry seems the most hyped of the 3. As you rightly say, we'll see. It would be one thing if the most hyped were already here, and potentially heading to the NBA about the time the other 2 arrive or get enough experience. But in this case, the most hyped will come in when there are 2 vets with whom to compete. If Roy can actually juggle 3 very-good-to-excellent PGs in 2014-'15, that would be pretty impressive. I know he substitutes a lot, and lately has caught some flak for it, but maybe juggling 3 PGs, 2 at a time, will work. I would just imagine this abundance of good PGs will garner lots of talk in UNC circles. And, absent any transfer, neither Luke Davis nor Stilman White seems likely to feature much in those conversations.

[Duvall]

It looks to me Paige is the PG of the future. He's going to be good. He's just got to settle down and gain confidence, and get stronger. He seems to have leadership ability..

What does Paige do well that would indicate that he's going to win the PG battle royale? Just leadership, or something else?

[CDu]

What does Paige do well that would indicate that he's going to win the PG battle royale? Just leadership, or something else?

Yeah, I have the same question. I've seen nothing in Paige's game to suggest that he's going to cut it as a PG at UNC. He's not very quick, not very strong, not a very good perimeter shooter, and not that good a passer.

[luvdahops]

Yeah, I have the same question. I've seen nothing in Paige's game to suggest that he's going to cut it as a PG at UNC. He's not very quick, not very strong, not a very good perimeter shooter, and not that good a passer.

Couldn't agree more. I tend to watch PG play pretty closely, and in the 5-6 times I have seen Carolina this year, Paige has not impressed me at all. Why he and Strickland start together is totally baffling to me, too.

[oldnavy]

Couldn't agree more. I tend to watch PG play pretty closely, and in the 5-6 times I have seen Carolina this year, Paige has not impressed me at all. Why he and Strickland start together is totally baffling to me, too.

SSSHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Let's keep it down, Ol Roy may hear us and wake up...

Paige is great, he is like Phil Ford, only better... say it over and over!!!

[Wheat/"/"/"]

I'm interested in your thoughts on this year's rotation. Do you believe Strickland deserves all the minutes he is playing or should Hairston see more court time? Coach Williams' actions and your "the best players will play" statement seem incongruous to me.

I think a little of what we are seeing is Roy showing some loyalty to a senior, but mainly coaching PJ to play to his potential. When PJ does the things Roy is telling him to do, he's going to play more.

We are not at practice, or in the locker room. I've seen time and again quotes from Roy where he is frustrated that PJ's not doing what he's told. Sometimes just not trying very hard. Not that he's disobedient, but that he lacks the ability to focus.
PJ can shoot lights out when he's on, and he's strong around the boards, but he gets beat terribly by quick guards off the dribble. And his ball handling is poor under pressure.

I think he has a future in the NBA if he gets his all around game together a little better. He gets that shot off quick and he has serious range. But the game is more than shooting. He's got to play smarter and harder, all the time.

Roy is coaching this kid. And playing time is how coaches get their points across.

Sitting PJ is not what lost that game at State, it was TO's.

[Wheat/"/"/"]

What does Paige do well that would indicate that he's going to win the PG battle royale? Just leadership, or something else?

Leadership for sure, and he can handle the ball, for another thing. And I like his vision. It's not Kendal Marshall's vision, but who's is?
And I think he can shoot it better than he has shown us so far. He's just a soaking wet 157lb freshman going through the ACC for the first time and he's struggling with stronger players.

I'll give him time.