Three key players standout in the UNC men's basketball Blue-White scrimmage

The UNC men's basketball team held an intrasquad Blue-White scrimmage on Saturday in the Dean E. Smith Center to kick off the 2024-25 season, but the mood quickly shifted after reigning All-American and ACC Player of the Year RJ Davis fell hard on the court. 

While driving to the basket and attempting a contested shot, the graduate guard fell and landed on his left hip.

UNC Athletics Communications confirmed that Davis suffered a lower back contusion. After exiting the game and going back to the locker room, Davis returned to the court but did not play for the rest of the scrimmage. 

With North Carolina's star player avoiding a major injury after the hard fall, the scrimmage returned to normal with a few key players standing out along the way. 

Here are two takeaways from the Blue-White scrimmage:

Trimble is back and more dynamic

Seth Trimble leapt after barely passing the free throw line.

The 6-foot-3 junior guard soared over the head of 6-foot-7 graduate forward Ty Claude for a one-handed slam. Sophomore guard Elliot Cadeau fell down at half court in reaction. First-year forward James Brown put his hands behind his head in shock. The Smith Center roared. 

“It was like a 2K animation or something,” first-year forward Drake Powell said. “That was crazy.”

Junior guard Cade Tyson shared the same sentiments.

“I knew [Ty] wouldn't like that one when he got back in the locker room, but that was a crazy dunk,” Tyson said. “I know Seth's explosive. I think we all do, so you can tell when he's about to take off.”

Trimble is back.

After entering the transfer portal, the junior withdrew his name and returned to UNC. And during the Blue-White Scrimmage, Trimble scored a game-high 19 points to push the Blue team to a 63-53 victory over the White team. Combining his trademark athleticism and occasional show-stopping dunks with a new and improved 3-pointer, the guard appeared to be even more dynamic than his past two seasons.

Although it is unlikely Trimble will be a consistent starter, he has provided much-needed depth to the team in a sixth man role. And if the 3-point shooting continues, he will be even more lethal off the bench. 

First-year duo's initial impression 

Alongside the return of Davis, UNC is led by its highly-ranked first-year class, which includes Brown, Powell and guard Ian Jackson. North Carolina's 2024 class ranks No. 7 in the country, and on Saturday, Powell and Jackson proved why. 

As Cadeau brought up the ball, the sophomore looked to find junior forward Ven-Allen Lubin open in the paint on the other side of the floor. 

Cadeau sent a hard pass up the court and an open Lubin went up for a two-handed dunk, but the junior never made it to the basket. 

Powell snuffed the move with a two-handed block at the rim. 

“I'm a big fan of a two-hand block,” Powell said. “I've seen Ja Morant do one against the Lakers so I've been trying to emulate that with every block.”

Earlier in the game, Jackson also put his skills on display.

After stealing the ball from Cadeau, Jackson slammed a two-handed dunk on the breakaway. 

In their first real display on the floor, Jackson and Powell shined. Together, the duo amassed 18 points with Jackson contributing 10 and Powell notching the other eight. Jackson also recorded three assists. 

This is just a taste of what is to come for the duo for the rest of the season. Although nothing surprised the two players about being out there for the first time, the excitement is still there. 

“I had a lot of fun,” Jackson said. “The crowd was exciting. It was loud. The Carolina family was amazing, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season.”

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