What are Carolina’s keys for next season?

Even though four starters may be back, in my opinion there are two important factors that will determine how good the Tar Heels can be in their second season under Hubert Davis.

College basketball is a year-round job, and how coaches spend their summers doesn’t differ greatly. Besides tending to their own players’ development, they will scout the teams on their upcoming schedules.

Certainly, Carolina’s ACC and outside opponents will madly try to stop Armando Bacot’s dominating play on the glass. Their coaches will watch Carolina games on tape, devising ways to keep him away from the basket where he is obviously less effective.

Beside Bacot also working to get better, how successful the Tar Heels will be depends on if Davis can adequately replace Brady Manek, who — all things considered — might have been the 2022 MVP. The super senior averaged better than 15 points, 6 rebounds and 40 percent shooting from the 3-point line.

Beyond being a great marksman, Manek’s 70 assists, 27 blocks and 23 steals showed as much savvy and instinct for the game as any Tar Heel in history. He knew exactly what Davis wanted in spreading the floor. And his constant threat from outside opened up the offense.

It would be folly to think Carolina could find someone as good as Manek for Davis’ largely one-in, four-out attack. But they will need a big man who can hit the long balls to keep defenses from double-teaming Bacot and reducing his effectiveness.

It is a MUST, or Carolina will be much easier to defend. The answer could be a combination, say Puff Johnson continues to improve enough to be considered a stretch four and Davis finds a transfer (or maybe incoming 6-8 freshman Tyler Nickel) who is half as good as Manek, which would make him better than most.

If the UNC guards can shoot as well as they did this past season, that will start pulling defenses away from the basket and give Bacot the freedom he needs. But if the Tar Heels aren’t clicking on offense like they did in the second half of the season, it will be an easy answer to a hard 2-part question.

Making sure Bacot has room to operate and finding another Manek is a tough challenge for any coaching staff, but it is imperative to help the 2023 Heels live up to their suddenly enormous expectations.

 

Photo via AP Photo/Gerald Herbert.

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