Sunday began the final week of the school year in The Daily Tar Heel’s office. Amid the chaos, when our opinion editor approached me and asked me to write the final sports column of the year, I made sure at least a little of the day was set aside for reflection.
With another season in the books, the North Carolina men’s basketball team has quickly turned its attention toward recruiting for next season. All players are expected to be back with the exception of J.P. Tokoto, and Roy Williams is hoping to land at least one of the nation’s top uncommitted prospects to join the Tar Heels.
LOS ANGELES — She paced. Around and around the concourse Sherryl Paige went, until finally she paused for a moment to hug Taylor Sharp, her son’s roommate.
LOS ANGELES — J.P. Tokoto takes hour-long showers — "the longest in America" according to his roommate.
LOS ANGELES — They arrive at the Smith Center 30 minutes early every day to learn of their assignment.
Outside of the Paige residence in Marion, Iowa the cement basketball court on which the siblings grew up is now painted — half red, half light blue.
Hours after sophomore forward Kennedy Meeks was scheduled to see a doctor Monday, North Carolina men’s basketball coach Roy Williams said on his radio show with Jones Angell that he is not sure Meeks will play Thursday in UNC’s Sweet 16 matchup with No. 1 seed Wisconsin. Meeks did not practice Monday.
JACKSONVILLE, FLa. — The room went silent when Roy Williams began to describe just how much this one meant.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Kennedy Meeks paused and then reiterated himself when reporters struggled to believe him. "Yeah," he said, "I think he's the best one." Meeks a sophomore forward on the North Carolina men's basketball team has matched up with plenty of dominant post players this season.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —Roy Williams laid everything out so he was 100 percent sure they understood.
The Tar Heels will take on 13th-seeded Harvard at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena at 7:20 p.m. on Thursday.
It was an early morning for The Daily Tar Heel's NCAA crew with a 6:35 a.m. flight.
