One on One with Isaiah Hicks

Article by Turner Walston 

Chapel Hill, NC--After playing out of position a year ago, Isaiah Hicks is finally comfortable at power forward. Last weekend, he earned the coaches’ defensive award for the fourth time this season for his efforts against Kentucky.

TW: You seem to be a more confident player this season. Can you feel that on the court early in the season?

IH: Yeah, because it’s making me more assertive, more aggressive, just more of an impact on the team now. Just coming out and playing hard has its results.

TW: You were over-thinking last year. This time around, are you more confident in what you’re doing?

IH: Yeah. I learned a lot throughout the whole year: postseason practice, weightlifting, pickups . . . Now, I’m just applying everything I learned from that year and now it’s showing, getting the ball to the basket and just going up hard, just doing stuff that I probably would have struggled with last year because I would just get the ball and hesitate, or slow myself down, thinking too much.

TW: It seems like you are getting the ball in a better position to score, and you know better what to do. Last year, you might get the ball out at the three-point line and have almost too many options.

IH: That’s the easiest way to put it, basically. I would end up like a deer in the headlights. That’s how it would seem.

TW: Early in the year, you’re seeing a lot of time with the second unit. What are you asked to do as a group?

IH: We always talk about coming out with energy, something to help the starters. Everybody wants somebody to come out with energy and lift the team up when they need it, so everybody can feed off of it. Not just me, but Nate, Theo, Joel, anybody can bring and that’s something we try to do.

TW: You have played nine games, and it’s been more than two months since Late Night with Roy. Does it seem like it’s been that long?

IH: It seems like Late Night was a year ago. It feels like we just got to the Bahamas. Everything’s going slow, and I like that because last year it seemed like everything was coming super fast, and I didn’t know what to do. Now, it’s just slowed down, and I like that so much better. 

TW: Coach Williams loves the quote about how it’s amazing what can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit. Does that apply to this team?

IH: I think we are at our best when that applies to us. When nobody cares about credit, people will be out there getting rebounds and not worrying about anything. We’ll be working hard, not caring what the outcome is. That quote just says a lot about a team, period, not just us. If any team follows it, the sky’s the limit for that team, because everybody will be going all out for the team instead of themselves.

TW: Is this team on the track to peaking at the right time?

IH: As Coach always says, he wants the perfect game, every game. I would say we are on track right now because we still have the rebounding problem, and it’s something that us bigs, we’ve got to get right.

TW: You have a brutal early portion of the schedule, even before conference play begins. Do you like that, or would you prefer to take things easier?

IH: It’s always good to see where you are, to see what you’ve got to work on, because at the end of the day, when it comes tournament time, it’s down to one win, one loss. So, it’s always good to see where you’re at early, so you know you can build upon it.

Tar Heels Rally To Stun No. 20 Mocs

Article posted by North Carolina Gazette.
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. --- Alex Utley scored a major decision at 184 pounds to cap a furious rally as North Carolina came from an 11-point deficit to beat No. 20 Chattanooga 18-17 Sunday afternoon at Mountain View High School. Ethan Ramos won by tech fall at 165 to spark a run of three consecutive wins to give Carolina its second dual victory of the season.
Chattanooga (3-2) ran out to an 11-0 lead thanks to wins at 197, 285 and 125. The dual opened at 197 with Scottie Boykin edging Chip Ness 6-4, followed by another close decision when Jared Johnson beat Frank Abbondanza 2-0. No. 19 Sean Boyle then beat Cody Karns 20-5 for a five-point tech fall to push the Moc lead to 11.
Troy Heilmann got Carolina (2-2) on the board at 133, knocking off No. 14 Nick Soto 7-5 with a late rally. Heilmann trailed 4-0 before a takedown late in the second period and another early in the third tied the bout at 4. In the final minute, Heilmann got Soto on his back and earned two near fall points that ultimately made the difference.
Joey Ward gave the Tar Heels a second straight victory with a wire-to-wire win over Mike Pongracz at 141. Ward, who improved to 11-1 on the year, raced out to a 4-0 lead in the first period with a takedown and a two-point near fall and cruised to a 10-4 victory that pulled UNC within five.
But Chattanooga got two more decisions at 149 and 157 to take an 11-point lead into the final three bouts.
Ramos got things going with a high-scoring 24-8 tech fall win over Garrett Alexander. The redshirt freshman got three takedowns in the first period and added some back points in the second to take a 13-3 lead into the final period. Ramos eventually took a 15-point lead with just six seconds left in the bout to get the two bonus points for the technical fall and give Carolina a lifeline in the dual.
John Michael Staudenmayer then took care of business at 174 with a 6-1 decision over Levi Clemons to set the stage for Utley's dramatic finish.
Knowing that a bonus point win would guarantee the overall victory, Utley dominated the second period against Sean Mappes with a pair of near falls to take a 7-0 lead. Mappes started down to open the third, Utley escaped and added a takedown for a 10-0 major decision to complete the comeback. The Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, senior improved to a perfect 8-0 on the year with the victory.
Saturday night at Kell High School in Marietta, Georgia, Carolina fell to Purdue 19-12. Ward, Ramos, Utley and heavyweight Josh Lehner were winners for the Tar Heels, who fell behind early and couldn't rally against the Boilermakers.
UNC will return to the mat when the Tar Heels ring in the new year at the annual Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga. That event, which brings some of the nation's best talent together each year, is set for Jan. 1-2, 2015.
North Carolina 18, No. 20 Chattanooga 17
197: Scottie Boykin (UTC) dec. Chip Ness (UNC), 6-4 - UTC leads 3-0
285: Jared Johnson (UTC) dec. Frank Abbondanza (UNC), 2-0 - UTC leads 6-0
125: No. 19 Sean Boyle (UTC) tech fall Cody Karns (UNC), 21-5 (6:13) - UTC leads 11-0
133: Troy Heilmann (UNC) dec. No. 14 Nick Soto (UTC), 7-5 - UTC leads 11-3
141: No. 14 Joey Ward (UNC) dec. Michael Pongracz (UTC), 10-4 - UTC leads 11-6
149: Sean Greevy (UTC) dec. Christian Barber (UNC), 6-5 - UTC leads 14-6
157: Austin Sams (UTC) dec. Chris Mears (UNC), 5-2 - UTC leads 17-6
165: Ethan Ramos (UNC) tech fall Garrett Alexander (UTC), 24-8 (6:54) - UTC leads 17-11
174: John Michael Staudenmayer (UNC) dec. Levi Clemons (UTC), 6-1 - UTC leads 17-14
184: Alex Utley (UNC) maj. dec. Sean Mappes (UTC), 11-0 - UNC wins 18-17
Purdue 19, North Carolina 12
125: Luke Welch (P) dec. Cody Karns (UNC), 4-0 - Purdue leads 3-0
133: No. 19 Danny Sabatello (P) maj. dec. Matt Williams (UNC) - 10-1, Purdue leads 7-0
141: No. 14 Joey Ward (UNC) dec. Nick Lawrence (P), 3-2 - Purdue leads 7-3
149: Alex Griffin (P) dec. Joey Moon (UNC), 7-5 - Purdue leads 10-3
157: Doug Welch (P) dec. Chris Mears (UNC), 5-3 - Purdue leads 13-3
165: Ethan Ramos (UNC) dec. Pat Robinson (P), 5-3 - Purdue leads 13-6
174: Chad Welch (P) dec. John Michael Staudenmayer (UNC), 3-2 - Purdue leads 16-6
184: Alex Utley (UNC) dec. Tanner Lynde (P), 10-6 - Purdue leads 16-9
197: Patrick Kissel (P) dec. Chip Ness (UNC), 8-5 - Purdue leads 19-9
285: Josh Lehner (UNC) dec. Tyler Kral (P), 6-4 - Purdue wins 19-12

Lucas: Rapid Reactions

Article By Adam Lucas

1. Interesting strategy by Carolina to show some defensive wrinkles early. The Tar Heels played four possessions of straight 2-3 zone in the opening minutes, which seemed like a sound strategy against a Kentucky team that had struggled from the perimeter. But the 'Cats hit two three-pointers against the defense and also scored off an offensive rebound, and the Tar Heels spent most of the rest of the half in man-to-man.

Carolina also used one possession of fullcourt trap, which turned into a quick turnover, UNC basket, and timeout from John Calipari. The Tar Heels also turned a halfcourt trap into a turnover in the second half, and then added another wrinkle with a possession of 1-3-1 zone. None of the defensive attempts worked, as Kentucky shot very well from the field (56 percent overall, the best against Carolina this year) against every defense the Tar Heels deployed.

2. It wasn't too difficult to figure out how Carolina fell behind by 15 points at halftime. Kentucky controlled the game from the three-point line and the free throw line, piling up a 31-6 edge during the first 20 minutes on combined points off three-pointers and free throws.

For the game, UK scored 13 more points than UNC at the free throw line. 

3. Roy Williams has consistently said the Joel Berry II who has played the first month of the season isn't the real Berry. The freshman showed some flashes on Saturday afternoon against Carolina's toughest opponent of the season. Berry gave the Tar Heels some solid second-half minutes and didn't back down from the physical Wildcats.

4. For a team that has struggled on the backboards in some big games this season, Carolina did a credible job on the glass against a tall, athletic Kentucky squad. The problem, however, was that the 'Cats were simply making too many shots for the rebounds to become a factor.

5. Down the road, the most important part of Saturday's visit may be the sudden reemergence of Marcus Paige. The junior looked hesitant and a little indecisive in the first half, but then exploded for four three-pointers in the second half. If that puts him back in a groove--which he's struggled to find most of this year--that will be a much more important long-term outcome than one defeat.

The next Tar Heel to get on track might need to be Justin Jackson. The freshman continues to appear to be on the verge of a consistent breakout, but finished just 2-for-6 from the field with one rebound, and spent a good portion of the second half on the bench.

6. Kentucky does a lot of things well. But it felt like one of Saturday's biggest keys was the way they took every big Carolina turnover and turned it into not just a basket, but a high-flying dunk or a drilled three-pointer. It seemed like every time the Tar Heels turned the ball over in a big situation, Kentucky was at the other end dunking the ball within seconds. For the game, the Wildcats had a 23-13 edge in points off turnovers.

7. Rupp Arena is one venue you almost never see mentioned when debates about student seating come up. That's because all the UK students are in one end zone, with not a single side-court seat devoted to students. It doesn't especially impact the Rupp atmosphere, however, which consists mostly of a cranked PA system and much more of a pro-style environment.

Seymore Succeeding On And Off Court

Article By Adam Lucas

Sasha Seymore recently won one of the most prestigious post-graduate scholarships in America, the George J. Mitchell Scholarship, which will support his graduate study in Northern Ireland next September. Yet he fully realizes the reaction he receives from telling people about that honor tends to pale in comparison to telling them his other big news from the fall: making the Carolina varsity basketball team.

Seymore played two years of junior varsity basketball for the Tar Heels. He considered himself more of a soccer player when he arrived in Chapel Hill from New Bern High, but basketball was a way to stay in shape. After his first year of JV hoops, then-coach Jerod Haase sat down with Seymour. “You’re big enough to play on the varsity,” Haase told him. “You have the grades to play on the varsity. You have the right attitude. You don’t really have the basketball skill set yet, but making the varsity can be a realistic goal for you if you want it to be.”

“When I walked out of that room,” Seymore says, “I wanted to be on the varsity basketball team.”

And when Sasha Seymore wants something to happen, it tends to happen. He’s a Morehead-Cain Scholar who is majoring in economics and global studies. After his freshman year, he teamed with three friends to help start Kicking Across Carolina, and the trio proceeded to dribble soccer balls all the way across the state of North Carolina—Asheville to Morehead City—to demonstrate the power of sports to unite. He’s visited South Africa (“Where do you go to school?” a native asked him. “The University of North Carolina,” Seymore replied. “Oh, Michael Jordan!” was the response). 

He played two years of JV basketball, played club basketball as a junior (the varsity team had no spots open last year) and was one of two players selected for the varsity squad this year.

Despite all the extracurricular activities, he’s made A’s in every class he’s taken at Carolina except for two (he made A-‘s in those). And now he’s a Mitchell Scholar, which means next September he’ll spend a year in Belfast studying at Queens University. Seymore interviewed for the scholarship in Washington, D.C. in November and was notified later that same weekend that he is one of 12 recipients nationwide.

“From the standpoint of telling other people, making the North Carolina basketball team was a much bigger deal and other people got much more excited,” he says. “And for me, walking on the floor with the Carolina basketball team was a lifetime dream. It’s an incredible experience.

“It’s not like I’ve wanted the Mitchell Scholarship my entire life. But it does draw on all areas of my life, and a lot of areas on which I place a lot of value. People may not understand it quite as much, but it’s an accumulation of a long period of effort.”

Seymore’s studies in Belfast will focus on using sports as a method of conflict resolution. He’s done extensive research in that field, including the honors thesis he’s currently working on that evaluates sports as a method of conflict resolution in Israel and Palestine.

One of the organizations he’ll work with in Northern Ireland is Peace Players International, a group that uses basketball to bridge the gap between Protestants and Catholics. The group is a past recipient of ESPN’s Arthur Ashe Award, the same honor given to Dean Smith.

“In some of these interviews, a common question is what three people you’d want to sit down and talk with,” Seymore says. “One of mine is always Dean Smith. I actually reference him in my thesis because of what he did with Charles Scott.”

Smith would undoubtedly be incredibly proud to know that one of his Tar Heels has worldly ideas about the importance of sports.

“The big central theme about sports in general is humanism,” Seymore says. “All their lives people involved in these conflicts grow up thinking the other side is not human. One of the biggest issues with Northern Ireland, and the reason they are still so divided, is they have a segregated school system, with Protestants in one school and Catholics in the other. Children from ages four to 18 can go that entire time never talking to the other side.

“But if you put them on the same sports team, they can realize the other side cares about the same things they care about. Through sports, you can say something words can’t. You can channel that emotion into something good and start to break down barriers. That’s the power of sports. Is it enough to say we’re going to base the reconciliation of Northern Ireland entirely around sports? Maybe not. But it’s a powerful tool.”

Tar Heels Host Iowa In ACC/Big Ten

Article and Graphic by The North Carolina Tar Heels

North Carolina Tar Heels (5-1) will try to improve to 9-3 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge under head coach Roy Williams when it hosts Iowa (5-2) on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Smith Center.  After losing its first four ACC/Big Ten Challenge games, UNC has won nine of its last 12 outings in the event.
Wednesday’s game will be televised nationally by ESPN.  John Saunders (play-by-play) and Dick Vitale (analyst) will have the call.  Tipoff is set for 7:32 p.m.
Carolina is returning home after four consecutive games away from the Smith Center in seven days.  The Tar Heels went 3-1 during that stretch to improve to 5-1 this season, starting with a road win at Davidson and followed by a 2-1 performance at the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas over Thanksgiving.
Carolina is ranked No. 12 in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today coaches polls this week, dropping from No. 5 and No. 6, respectively, in the same polls a week ago.
UNC junior All-America Marcus Paige is a native of Marion, Iowa, located approximately 35 miles from the Iowa campus in Iowa City.
The Hawkeyes enter Wednesday’s game with a 5-2 record and are riding a three-game winning streak (victories over Pepperdine, Northern Illinois and Longwood).  Iowa’s losses this season came to Texas and Syracuse in the 2K Classic in New York, N.Y.
The Hawkeyes went 20-13 last season and lost in the NCAA Tournament first round in Dayton, Ohio, to Tennessee (which eventually reached the Sweet 16).  Four Hawkeye starters return from 2013-14, including forward Aaron White, who is averaging 16.7 points and 7.6 rebounds while shooting .587 from the field through seven games this season.
Carolina is 1-2 all-time against Iowa, beating the Hawkeyes in the most recent meeting 10 years ago in the championship game of the Maui Invitational.
UNC lost both of the first two meetings between the two teams.  On Jan. 7, 1989, Iowa defeated sixth-ranked Carolina 98-97 in the Smith Center in Chapel Hill.  On Dec. 9, 1989, the Hawkeyes downed No. 17 UNC 87-74 in Iowa City.
Wednesday will be the first meeting between Carolina and Iowa in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.  Roy Williams is 1-2 as a head coach against Iowa (0-2 at Kansas and 1-0 at UNC).
Carolina is 8-7 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge with all seven wins coming in the last last 10 years under Williams, who is 8-3 as a head coach in the event.  Last year, the Tar Heels upset No. 1-ranked Michigan State on the road.