Bullock’s return will boost guard play

During the North Carolina men’s basketball team’s exhibition win against UNC-Pembroke on Oct. 28, sophomore guard Reggie Bullock and four freshmen sparked a 14-0 run to help the trailing Tar Heels get back in the game.

With 10 points in 22 minutes against the Braves, a polished Bullock looked at home on the Dean Smith Center court.

But his return to the game that night marked not just the beginning of UNC’s next campaign, but also the end of an agonizing road to normalcy.

On Feb. 27, the No. 19 North Carolina men’s basketball team walked out of Smith Center with an 87-76 win against conference foe Maryland and a five-game winning streak.

But on that night, the Tar Heels lost something far more important.

Bullock tore the lateral meniscus in his left knee against the Terrapins, and sat out for the rest of the season after reconstructive surgery.

But even before that game, Bullock struggled with pain in his knee.

“Everything was painful about it,” Bullock said. “I basically lost confidence in my leg, like trusting it-wise. I knew it was time for me to shut it down, so I just shut it down.”

Coach Roy Williams said the trainers were conservative with Bullock, easing him back into workouts slowly after he recovered from surgery.

But now that his faithful reserve is back in action and ready to contribute, Williams is looking forward to seeing what Bullock can do this season.

“He went through the two conditioning tests, and did well in both of those, so I’m expecting big things,” Williams said. “I expect him to make a higher percentage of those shots, and play better defense, and do some more things with the ball.”

Bullock, the 2010 AP Player of the Year in North Carolina and McDonald’s All-American, averaged 6.1 points per game last season and was second in scoring from the bench.

But this year, teammate Kendall Marshall is expecting a whole lot more.

“Reggie kind of reminds me of Dwayne Wade,” Marshall said. “Dwayne Wade got hurt, people forgot all about him. People forgot how good he really is. I think that’s one thing people are forgetting about Reggie.

“He’s very talented. He’s very long, he can really shoot the ball…I think you’ll see a smarter, a lot faster, more athletic Reggie Bullock this year.”

Bullock said he feels back to normal and is excited to show how he’s improved in the offseason.

The sophomore guard knows he’ll likely be counted on for more this season. But after persevering through the roadblocks he’s already faced, Bullock’s not batting an eye at the pressure.

“I know my role will be a lot bigger this year,” Bullock said. “I’m just ready to step up to the challenge.”

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