Defending champion Tar Heels kick off season
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP)—North Carolina lost a lot of talent from the team that won last season’s national championship, from a four-year star who was the program’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder to a couple of underclassmen-turned-NBA rookies.
Then again, that might just mean more playing time for John Henson.
The gangly, 6-foot-10 freshman scored 10 points in the intrasquad scrimmage during the Tar Heels’ annual “Late Night with Roy” event to kick off the season Friday night, a glimpse of the talent that could make him a huge matchup problem for teams already grappling with North Carolina’s talented front line.
“That size and athleticism is just one of those things that’s tough to describe,” fifth-year senior Marcus Ginyard said of Henson. “He’s a guy who can do some interesting things out there. We’ve got to let it play out and see what he does, but there’s no question he can be a big help to the team.”
Henson’s performance highlighted the night’s festivities, which drew about 19,000 fans for a show that included team skits, music and dancing. It was the start of the program’s centennial basketball season and the debut of this year’s squad, which includes freshmen David and Travis Wear—the first twins to play for the Tar Heels—and marks the first time in seemingly forever that Tyler Hansbrough wasn’t around the Smith Center.
Hansbrough ended his career with the national championship he always wanted, graduating with fellow seniors Danny Green and Bobby Frasor. In addition, Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington both headed to the NBA after their junior seasons, leaving behind a team with a deep front line and question marks in the backcourt.
While senior Deon Thompson, and sophomores Ed Davis and Tyler Zeller figure to take the lead role in the Tar Heels’ title defense, Henson could be a weapon that makes North Carolina even tougher to defend, particularly if he ends up as the team’s 3-man.
Henson drove to the basket for a layup on the first play for the White team, then followed with a dunk on the next possession. He swatted a reverse layup attempt from fellow freshman Dexter Strickland, displaying the shot-altering long arms that Zeller described as “Go-Go Gadget arms” during the team’s media day Thursday.
Henson looked comfortable moving on the perimeter or playing inside, though his lean frame barely looks like it weighs the 195 pounds listed on the roster.
“That was actually one of the guys I really didn’t like to guard this summer playing pickup,” Ginyard said. “He’s just so tough to defend. You take away his inside game and push him to the outside, he’s very comfortable on the perimeter. You force him inside, he’s got that size advantage over you.”
Junior Will Graves—who was suspended at midseason last season—led Blue with 12 points and hit three 3-pointers, displaying the long-range shooting that will be needed with the departures of Lawson, Ellington and Green. Sophomore Larry Drew II, who is expected to take over Lawson’s duties at the point, had some good moments, including when he spun by defender Marc Campbell and hit a hanging layup over the 6-10 David Wear despite getting fouled.
But he ended the scrimmage by losing the ball while trying to split two defenders in the final seconds, sealing Blue’s 36-34 victory.
