No Decision on UNC Starting Lineup Yet
North Carolina opens play on Wednesday night, but the Tar Heels’ starting lineup is still not set.
“I have not (set a lineup,” Roy Williams said. “We scrimmaged amongst ourselves (Sunday) night. That gives you some good feelings and some bad feelings. Some guys move up the ladder. Other guys get on the slippery slope and slide down. I have not made a decision yet. No one on my staff knows the decision, and the reason they don’t is because Old Roy doesn’t.”
The Tar Heels have experienced players at four positions in Garrison Brooks, Armando Bacot, Leaky Black and Andrew Platek. They also have six promising freshmen. That puts Roy Williams in the position of choosing between talent and experience.
“Both,” Williams said. “I can’t give a weighted number to either one of them. I think you do look at both. I think even more important than that is the trust you have that they’re going to do what you want them to do. After five weeks of practice, how have they done in gaining your trust?” I think talent should take over all the time, but it doesn’t, and it never has taken over for me.”
The one spot where the Tar Heels will see a freshman starter is point guard, where Caleb Love and RJ Davis, both newcomers, are the top two options. Williams said both may play at the same time, too.
“They’ve really done a nice job. They haven’t played together any until this year. A lot of times, they’ll be on the court together. At times, Caleb will be at the point. Other times, RJ will be at the point and the other guy will be on the bench.”
