All Tar Heels

Two Freshman Standouts From UNC’s Blue/White Scrimmage

North Carolina's first public scrimmage of the preseason saw these two freshman put on a show.
Mar 1, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA;  North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis reacts in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Mar 1, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis reacts in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

North Carolina HC Hubert Davis sat back and watched as his team took the court for their second blue vs. white scrimmage. Earlier this preseason, there was no media availability, and stats were all unofficial. In this edition of the blue vs. white scrimmage, everything was fair game.

Tar Heel Tribune's R.L. Bynum noted there were more than 3,000 people in attendance at the Charles George Memorial Arena. While this scrimmage was only 24 minutes, it proved to be more than enough for these two freshmen who wanted to make an immediate impact.

Caleb Wilson's 14 Point Display

Looking at North Carolina's Class of 2025, 6'10'' 215-pound Wilson stood out. The power forward is an Atlanta native, as he committed to the Tar Heels on January 24, 2025. Seeing as he was a five-star, all eyes were going to be on the No. 1 player in Georgia.

Wilson, the No. 5 player in ESPN's Top 100, is projected to start for the Tar Heels this season. While Davis's squad features a few key transfers in the projected starting lineup, Wilson is the lone freshman who will be immediately slotted into the starting role.

While he didn't lead the way in scoring, Wilson's 14 points were enough to have him compete with senior guard Seth Trimble. Trimble, who's on his fourth season with the team, finished with a scrimmage high of 18 points.

Bynum noted that 11 of Trimble's points came in the second half. One of the main stories was Wilson's defense. Davis knew exactly what Wilson was capable of on both sides of the ball, and he proved that by adding seven rebounds to his double-digit point total.

Derek Dixon's Contributions

Having been committed to the Tar Heels for over a year, it's finally time for Dixon to shine. The four-star guard was the No. 1 ranked player in Washington D.C., a similar fate as Autumn Fleary, who Duke WBB HC Kara Lawson just landed for her Class of 2026.

Regardless, Dixon made his debut after missing the first scrimmage due to a lower body injury. Bynum noted Dixon, "ran the show for the White team and battled evenly with [Kyan] Evans." For what it's worth, Evans, the Colorado State transfer, is projected to start this season.

Jan 4, 2025; Gilbert, AZ, USA; Gonzaga (DC) guard Derek Dixon (3) against Chaminade (MO) during the Hoophall West High School Invitational at Highland High School. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In the end, Dixon scored six points. Both of his shots were threes as he finished 2/6 from three-point range. While the team did not permit full videos of the scrimmage to be released, Tar Heels fans are more than ready for their first scrimmage game on October 24 against BYU.

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Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.