They’re No. 1
South Carolina and A’ja Wilson, right, sit atop the final women’s basketball poll,
GLENDALE, ARIZ . North Carolina has prided itself on continuity in recent years, and it has paid off in back-to-back appearances in the NCAA title game.
The Tar Heels — who have had no oneand-done players recently and no transfers out since 2011 — have done it with upperclassmen.
Last year’s runner-up team was led by seniors Marcus Paige and Brice Johnson; this year’s finalist has been powered by a mix of juniors and seniors.
If North Carolina is going to make it three in a row in 2018, the Tar Heels will rely on upperclassmen. But they again will have to make up for significant losses. Gone will be:
uKennedy Meeks. The 6-10, 260pound force in the paint is a senior. He averaged 12.7 points and 9.4 rebounds during his senior season, and he lifted the Heels into the title game with 25 points and 14 rebounds in the semifinals. His presence down low will not be easily replaced.
uAlso: 6-9 power forward Isaiah Hicks (11.8 points, 5.4 rebounds) and guard Nate Britt.
Justin Jackson, though he still has a year of eligibility, is projected as a firstround pick in the NBA draft. The Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year, who could take over games on the offensive end, averaged 18.3 points.
The cupboard for Roy Williams won’t be bare, particularly in the backcourt. Point guard Joel Berry II (14.5 points, 3.6 assists), a tough-as-nails junior, has been playing the last couple of games with two sprained ankles. Guard Theo Pinson is a key factor on the court and off.
Also on the roster: Luke Maye (6-8 sophomore), the hero of the regional final against Kentucky; Tony Bradley (6-11 freshman); and Kenny Williams (6-4 sophomore). Some draft sites have projected Bradley as a late first-rounder even though he never started and averaged only 7.1 points.
The next recruiting class could make a difference for Williams, who has had trouble landing top recruits amid the NCAA investigation of a long-running academic scandal.
“Maybe I’m not as good or we’re not as good, but in the first 10 years we recruited 26 McDonald’s All-Americans,” Williams said Sunday. “And the last three I think we got one. I don’t think I got that dumb that quickly. So it was the doubt that people could put in — some of them directly, some of them indirectly. But still bringing up the doubt was something that was hard to deal with.”
Among the commitments for next season is high-scoring Jalek Felton, a 6-3 guard and top-100 recruit from Mullins, S.C., and the nephew of former Tar Heel Raymond Felton. Jalek Felton committed two years ago despite the uncertainty with the NCAA probe and has stuck with Williams and the Tar Heels.
Also on the list: 6-10 forward Sterling Manley of Pickerington, Ohio; 6-4 guard Andrew Platek of Northfield, Mass.; and 6-9 forward Brandon Huffman of Raleigh, N.C.
Five-star Kevin Knox, a 6-9 forward from Tampa and a McDonald’s All-American, has the Tar Heels among his four finalists. Duke, Kentucky and Florida State are the others.