By Mark Carroll - Blog Coordinator
Team Stackhouse clashed with Body of Christ in the second match-up of the evening, as both teams sought to defend their undefeated records.
Team Stackhouse Chris Lightner got the crowd roaring immediately with a highlight slam to begin the game. Former Texas Longhorn and Enloe High School star P.J. Tucker knocked down a pair of free throws and his teammate Madison Jones dropped in a lay up as their team took a quick 6-0 lead.
Rhode Island star Akeem Richmond followed a Johnny Thomas miss for Body of Christ's first score of the game, but Team Stackhouse continued to rack up points of its own. Tucker continued to take advantage of second chance buckets as Team Stackhouse took a 16-10 lead into the second period of play.
Team Stackhouse came out storming in the second quarter, getting inside baskets right away. Tucker continued to put on a show, increasing the advantage to 25-10 on a reverse lay-up and rejecting Thomas' shot attempt just seconds later. Body of Christ's Adarius Pegues hit a jumper from the baseline for two of his team's 10 points, but his team trailed by 31-16 at the half after a dunk by Tucker with 6.8 seconds left.
Freshman phenoms Harrison Barnes and Reggie Bullock showed up at halftime along with North Carolina teammates John Henson and Justin Watts. Watts suited up for Team Stackhouse as his fellow Tar Heels gave their support from the stands. Watts gave his team a boost coming off the bench, spinning into the lane and putting in a lay-up and stretching the deficit to 16.
In the fourth quarter, Watts picked up where he left off, earning second chance points, scoring on a fast break lay-in and showing off his jumper as he swished in a mid-range shot. Watts had 10 points on the night.
Body of Christ fell victim of a major scoring drought, unable to hit a shot in the first five minutes. Thomas got a hot hand toward the end of the game, however. The Body of Christ forward hit four trey balls in the final five minutes for 12 of his 21 points, but it was not enough for a comeback, as Team Stackhouse came away with the win in convincing fashion, 59-45.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Team Navy 73 Lucky Seven 65
By Mark Carroll - Blog Coordinator
Former N.C. State star Courtney Fells and Lucky Seven started off strong Thursday night, dropping many early buckets on Derrick Wiley and Team Navy. It was the first game for Lucky Seven since their blowout win over Coaches in Christ on July 8.
Lucky Seven's Jeremy Wise, who played college hoops at Southern Miss, led his team early in the contest knocking down a three that extended a first quarter lead. South Florida guard Justin Leemow joined Wise in the early scoring spree, hitting a trey of his own and dishing out an assist to Charlie Manning to give Lucky Seven a 25-14 lead after the first period.
Team Navy came clawing back immediately in the second quarter as Corey Evans rose up to the challenge and pushed for a comeback. Evans' three pointer just minutes into the the second quarter tied the game at 29-29. Former N.C. State forward Damon Thornton, making his first appearance of the summer at the Greater N.C. Pro-Am, ended Team Navy's run with a lay-in to reclaim the lead, but Evans continued to dominate on the other end. Team Navy's Kendall Smith was successful on his second of two free throws with 2:23 remaining in the quarter as his squad took a 40-39 advantage into halftime.
Thornton's two-handed slam to begin the second half was a sign of things to come, as jaw-dropping dunks were thrown down on both sides of the court throughout the third period. It appeared Team Navy was about to run away with the game after a two-handed jam by Wiley (game-high 18 points), but Thornton's old-fashioned three point play and Leemow's perimeter shooting kept Lucky Seven well within reach. Team Navy's Dominique Sutton showed tremendous elevation with a powerful dunk to end the third period, as his team held on to a 58-55 lead.
Leemow turned up the heat in the final quarter, immediately hitting a shot behind the arc for three of his 13 points, and finding his way to the free throw line just seconds later after being fouled on a three point attempt. Sutton displayed impressive offensive ability, getting physical as he muscled his way to the rack and helped maintain the lead for Team Navy. Lucky Seven's Tavares Alston found his way to the line after being fouled on a shot from three point land with 26.8 seconds remaining, but only cut the deficit to four after hitting just one of three free throws. Sutton pulled down the rebound and hit a pair of free throws on the other end to seal the deal, leading his team to a 73-65 victory.
Former N.C. State star Courtney Fells and Lucky Seven started off strong Thursday night, dropping many early buckets on Derrick Wiley and Team Navy. It was the first game for Lucky Seven since their blowout win over Coaches in Christ on July 8.
Lucky Seven's Jeremy Wise, who played college hoops at Southern Miss, led his team early in the contest knocking down a three that extended a first quarter lead. South Florida guard Justin Leemow joined Wise in the early scoring spree, hitting a trey of his own and dishing out an assist to Charlie Manning to give Lucky Seven a 25-14 lead after the first period.
Team Navy came clawing back immediately in the second quarter as Corey Evans rose up to the challenge and pushed for a comeback. Evans' three pointer just minutes into the the second quarter tied the game at 29-29. Former N.C. State forward Damon Thornton, making his first appearance of the summer at the Greater N.C. Pro-Am, ended Team Navy's run with a lay-in to reclaim the lead, but Evans continued to dominate on the other end. Team Navy's Kendall Smith was successful on his second of two free throws with 2:23 remaining in the quarter as his squad took a 40-39 advantage into halftime.
Thornton's two-handed slam to begin the second half was a sign of things to come, as jaw-dropping dunks were thrown down on both sides of the court throughout the third period. It appeared Team Navy was about to run away with the game after a two-handed jam by Wiley (game-high 18 points), but Thornton's old-fashioned three point play and Leemow's perimeter shooting kept Lucky Seven well within reach. Team Navy's Dominique Sutton showed tremendous elevation with a powerful dunk to end the third period, as his team held on to a 58-55 lead.
Leemow turned up the heat in the final quarter, immediately hitting a shot behind the arc for three of his 13 points, and finding his way to the free throw line just seconds later after being fouled on a three point attempt. Sutton displayed impressive offensive ability, getting physical as he muscled his way to the rack and helped maintain the lead for Team Navy. Lucky Seven's Tavares Alston found his way to the line after being fouled on a shot from three point land with 26.8 seconds remaining, but only cut the deficit to four after hitting just one of three free throws. Sutton pulled down the rebound and hit a pair of free throws on the other end to seal the deal, leading his team to a 73-65 victory.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Body of Christ 65 Coaches in Christ 55
By Mark Carroll - Blog Coordinator
Fans from all around the triangle traveled to McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium on Tuesday night to catch a glimpse at the likes of John Henson and Tracy Smith. Those who stuck around for the final game of the evening were fortunate enough to see yet another outstanding performance by Johnny Thomas.
Thomas, a wing forward who is transferring from N.C. State to Marshall, scored 31 points and 24 points in his first two outings, respectively. His success on the court continued as he led Body of Christ against Roderick Brown and Coaches in Christ.
Body of Christ took an early lead as Thomas scored the first points of the game on a three pointer, and Adarius Pegues swatted away a pair of shots on the other end. Detwon Rodgers contributed to the first quarter scoring, following on a Thomas miss to increase Body of Christ's lead to 12-6. Despite the early run, Brown took matters into his own hands for Coaches in Christ, scoring on multiple dunks. Brown's teammate, Terrence Sutton, put in a two point bucket with eight seconds to go to give Coaches in Christ a 16-14 lead at the end of the period.
In a low scoring second quarter, Body of Christ had trouble getting shots to fall. Brown got to the free throw line for Coaches in Christ, but was unable to put in the buckets that could have pulled his team away. He eventually hit the second of two free throws with 39.9 seconds left in the half, and his team took a 28-23 lead into halftime.
Brown opened things up in the third quarter with a breakaway dunk for two of his 15 points, but Thomas hit a free throw to convert a three point play and followed it with a three pointer just seconds later. Thomas eventually got a put-back basket on a Scott Grable miss to tie the game at 33-33. With just over three minutes to go in the third period, Stephen Woodson hit a three to give Body of Christ their first lead of the half. It appeared that Body of Christ would hold on to the lead until Elliot Williams hit a three at the buzzer to give Coaches in Christ a 48-47 advantage.
As in past games this summer, the fourth quarter was Thomas' time to be the star. Just a few minutes into the final quarter, Thomas dropped in three quick baskets, which made for six of his 24 points, to give his team a 57-50 lead. T.J. Holman's three point play for Coaches in Christ would bring the game within four, but it was not enough. Body of Christ's Michael McKey and Akeem Richmond hit their free throws down the stretched, sealing the win for their team, 65-55.
Fans from all around the triangle traveled to McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium on Tuesday night to catch a glimpse at the likes of John Henson and Tracy Smith. Those who stuck around for the final game of the evening were fortunate enough to see yet another outstanding performance by Johnny Thomas.
Thomas, a wing forward who is transferring from N.C. State to Marshall, scored 31 points and 24 points in his first two outings, respectively. His success on the court continued as he led Body of Christ against Roderick Brown and Coaches in Christ.
Body of Christ took an early lead as Thomas scored the first points of the game on a three pointer, and Adarius Pegues swatted away a pair of shots on the other end. Detwon Rodgers contributed to the first quarter scoring, following on a Thomas miss to increase Body of Christ's lead to 12-6. Despite the early run, Brown took matters into his own hands for Coaches in Christ, scoring on multiple dunks. Brown's teammate, Terrence Sutton, put in a two point bucket with eight seconds to go to give Coaches in Christ a 16-14 lead at the end of the period.
In a low scoring second quarter, Body of Christ had trouble getting shots to fall. Brown got to the free throw line for Coaches in Christ, but was unable to put in the buckets that could have pulled his team away. He eventually hit the second of two free throws with 39.9 seconds left in the half, and his team took a 28-23 lead into halftime.
Brown opened things up in the third quarter with a breakaway dunk for two of his 15 points, but Thomas hit a free throw to convert a three point play and followed it with a three pointer just seconds later. Thomas eventually got a put-back basket on a Scott Grable miss to tie the game at 33-33. With just over three minutes to go in the third period, Stephen Woodson hit a three to give Body of Christ their first lead of the half. It appeared that Body of Christ would hold on to the lead until Elliot Williams hit a three at the buzzer to give Coaches in Christ a 48-47 advantage.
As in past games this summer, the fourth quarter was Thomas' time to be the star. Just a few minutes into the final quarter, Thomas dropped in three quick baskets, which made for six of his 24 points, to give his team a 57-50 lead. T.J. Holman's three point play for Coaches in Christ would bring the game within four, but it was not enough. Body of Christ's Michael McKey and Akeem Richmond hit their free throws down the stretched, sealing the win for their team, 65-55.
Team Jamison defeats Team 212, 73-59
By Mark Carroll - Blog Coordinator
After losing in an overtime heart-breaker on Thursday night, Team Jamison looked to defeat C.J. Wilkerson and Team 212 to get back on the right track.
Wilkerson came out with an impressive first quarter, scoring his first points on an old-fashioned three point play and following it with four successful free throw attempts. Team Jamison scored several buckets on their own at the other end, including a two-handed slam by Duke's Miles Plumlee. Seth Curry, Plumlee's teammate from Duke, did not appear to be phased by his struggles from three point range on Thursday night, as he hit a deep perimeter shot with 14 seconds left in the quarter. Team Jamison held on to a 17-9 lead as they entered the first intermission.
In the second quarter, Plumlee picked up right where he left off, dominating in the post and putting in an early jam. Wilkerson continued to find his way to the free throw line, hitting all six of his free throws in the second period. N.C. State's Scott Wood hit a three for Team 212 with 50 seconds to go to cut Team Jamison's lead, but his team still trailed by four at the half.
Curry took over the game in the second half, as he immediately went off on a scoring rampage. He showed his versatility on both ends, knocking down three pointers, driving to the basket, hitting the mid-range jumper and even rejecting a Landon Clement shot out of bounds. Plumlee followed on a rare Curry miss to extend Team Jamison's lead even further. By the end of the quarter, they held a 50-35 advantage.
Plumlee and Curry proceeded to build onto their lead in the fourth quarter, but Team 212's Charles Futrell stepped up to provide some scoring for his team. Despite Curry's 22 point effort, Futrell slammed down a reverse dunk at the end of the quarter for two of his 20 points. Team Jamison still rolled away with a 73-59 win.
After losing in an overtime heart-breaker on Thursday night, Team Jamison looked to defeat C.J. Wilkerson and Team 212 to get back on the right track.
Wilkerson came out with an impressive first quarter, scoring his first points on an old-fashioned three point play and following it with four successful free throw attempts. Team Jamison scored several buckets on their own at the other end, including a two-handed slam by Duke's Miles Plumlee. Seth Curry, Plumlee's teammate from Duke, did not appear to be phased by his struggles from three point range on Thursday night, as he hit a deep perimeter shot with 14 seconds left in the quarter. Team Jamison held on to a 17-9 lead as they entered the first intermission.
In the second quarter, Plumlee picked up right where he left off, dominating in the post and putting in an early jam. Wilkerson continued to find his way to the free throw line, hitting all six of his free throws in the second period. N.C. State's Scott Wood hit a three for Team 212 with 50 seconds to go to cut Team Jamison's lead, but his team still trailed by four at the half.
Curry took over the game in the second half, as he immediately went off on a scoring rampage. He showed his versatility on both ends, knocking down three pointers, driving to the basket, hitting the mid-range jumper and even rejecting a Landon Clement shot out of bounds. Plumlee followed on a rare Curry miss to extend Team Jamison's lead even further. By the end of the quarter, they held a 50-35 advantage.
Plumlee and Curry proceeded to build onto their lead in the fourth quarter, but Team 212's Charles Futrell stepped up to provide some scoring for his team. Despite Curry's 22 point effort, Futrell slammed down a reverse dunk at the end of the quarter for two of his 20 points. Team Jamison still rolled away with a 73-59 win.
Team Navy 66 Hendrick of Durham 62
By Mark Carroll - Blog Coordinator
Kyrie Irving made his Greater NC Pro-Am debut with Hendrick of Durham as he faced Charles Ward and Team Navy. Irving, the incoming freshman point guard at Duke, received a lot of hype coming out of high school, and his play early on against Team Navy made it clear that he would not disappoint on Tuesday night.
The first quarter featured excellent finishing on both ends, with Irving and Team Navy's Derrick Wiley both hitting shots while getting fouled. No three pointers were made in the opening period, but players found other ways to rack up points and excite the crowd. Team Navy's Charles Ward slammed in a halfcourt alley-oop in the final minute, and his team took an 18-17 lead into the second quarter.
Team Navy got off to a quick start in the following period. N.C. State's Kendall Smith knocked down a pair of free throws, and just seconds later scored on a lay-up after rebounding a free throw missed by Wiley. Irving answered with the first trey of the game, scoring three of his 14 first half points.
While Irving's play was nothing short of phenomenal, the rest of Hendrick of Durham was struggling. Team Navy took advantage as Corey Evans threw down a two-handed slam. Ward added to the lead with a windmill jam, and later extended his team's lead to 11 after tossing the ball off the glass and slamming it down with authority in what may have been the highlight of the game. Hendrick of Durham's Michael Deloach eventually slowed down Team Navy's run by knocking down two free throws, but his team trailed 38-29 at halftime.
Despite the halftime deficit, the third quarter was all Hendrick of Durham needed to get back in the game. Irving continued to get points from the charity stripe, and his teammates began to feed off his effort. Deloach tied the game at 43-43, and Irving hit two more free throws to give his team its first lead of the half. Team Navy's Dominique Sutton got a lay-in at the buzzer, tying the game at 45-45 entering the final period of play.
Wiley scored a quick five points to give his team the early lead. After a Sutton dunk with 5:42 remaining, Team Navy appeared to be running away with the game as they held a 56-47 lead. Irving and NCCU sophomore Nick Chasten kept their team in the game with immediate scoring. Chasten knocked down a shot from three point land with under a minute to go to cut the lead to two, and Hendrick of Durham got the ball back after a Navy turnover with 17.9 seconds to go. After melting some time off the clock, Deloach drove to the basket, but was unable to hit the tough lay-up. Team Navy escaped with the victory, 66-62.
Kyrie Irving made his Greater NC Pro-Am debut with Hendrick of Durham as he faced Charles Ward and Team Navy. Irving, the incoming freshman point guard at Duke, received a lot of hype coming out of high school, and his play early on against Team Navy made it clear that he would not disappoint on Tuesday night.
The first quarter featured excellent finishing on both ends, with Irving and Team Navy's Derrick Wiley both hitting shots while getting fouled. No three pointers were made in the opening period, but players found other ways to rack up points and excite the crowd. Team Navy's Charles Ward slammed in a halfcourt alley-oop in the final minute, and his team took an 18-17 lead into the second quarter.
Team Navy got off to a quick start in the following period. N.C. State's Kendall Smith knocked down a pair of free throws, and just seconds later scored on a lay-up after rebounding a free throw missed by Wiley. Irving answered with the first trey of the game, scoring three of his 14 first half points.
While Irving's play was nothing short of phenomenal, the rest of Hendrick of Durham was struggling. Team Navy took advantage as Corey Evans threw down a two-handed slam. Ward added to the lead with a windmill jam, and later extended his team's lead to 11 after tossing the ball off the glass and slamming it down with authority in what may have been the highlight of the game. Hendrick of Durham's Michael Deloach eventually slowed down Team Navy's run by knocking down two free throws, but his team trailed 38-29 at halftime.
Despite the halftime deficit, the third quarter was all Hendrick of Durham needed to get back in the game. Irving continued to get points from the charity stripe, and his teammates began to feed off his effort. Deloach tied the game at 43-43, and Irving hit two more free throws to give his team its first lead of the half. Team Navy's Dominique Sutton got a lay-in at the buzzer, tying the game at 45-45 entering the final period of play.
Wiley scored a quick five points to give his team the early lead. After a Sutton dunk with 5:42 remaining, Team Navy appeared to be running away with the game as they held a 56-47 lead. Irving and NCCU sophomore Nick Chasten kept their team in the game with immediate scoring. Chasten knocked down a shot from three point land with under a minute to go to cut the lead to two, and Hendrick of Durham got the ball back after a Navy turnover with 17.9 seconds to go. After melting some time off the clock, Deloach drove to the basket, but was unable to hit the tough lay-up. Team Navy escaped with the victory, 66-62.
State-Carolina Preview: What We Learned
Mark Carroll - Blog Coordinator
Although the match-up between Team Stackhouse and Team McGladrey was different in many ways from a true North Carolina-N.C. State game, many things can be taken from this game. Here are a few conclusions that can be made after Tuesday night's game:
-Harrison Barnes vs. C.J. Leslie will be one of the top storylines in the rivalry this season. This battle features two of the top 10 recruits in the 2010 class, and each of the two is expected to have an immediate impact on their program. Barnes offers a fundamentally sound game as one of the most mature recruits to ever come into North Carolina, while Leslie's length and athleticism fuels his ability to become a human highlight reel. The potential is there for both to be lottery draft picks as soon as next year, and fans will compare the two throughout this season.
-Reggie Bullock's size will ultimately make him one of the toughest guards to defend in the conference. At 6'7'', he is much taller than a normal shooting guard. He also uses his 185-pound frame to bully defenders who cannot match his size. Whether he is using his height to prevent his perimeter shots from being blocked, or using his body to muscle his way inside, Bullock will give opposing teams a headache when the ball is in his hands.
-Lorenzo Brown will start immediately at N.C. State. Although Leslie and Ryan Harrow may be ranked higher on recruiting boards, Brown offers a skill-set that fills a huge hole in N.C. State's line-up. While the incoming recruiting class adds some much-needed talent and depth, giving coach Sidney Lowe the opportunity to take advantage of many starting line-up scenarios, there is no way to leave Brown off the list. His three ball is deadly, his ball-handling is impressive and his ability to find the open shot makes him the scorer that the Pack has been looking for.
Although the match-up between Team Stackhouse and Team McGladrey was different in many ways from a true North Carolina-N.C. State game, many things can be taken from this game. Here are a few conclusions that can be made after Tuesday night's game:
-Harrison Barnes vs. C.J. Leslie will be one of the top storylines in the rivalry this season. This battle features two of the top 10 recruits in the 2010 class, and each of the two is expected to have an immediate impact on their program. Barnes offers a fundamentally sound game as one of the most mature recruits to ever come into North Carolina, while Leslie's length and athleticism fuels his ability to become a human highlight reel. The potential is there for both to be lottery draft picks as soon as next year, and fans will compare the two throughout this season.
-Reggie Bullock's size will ultimately make him one of the toughest guards to defend in the conference. At 6'7'', he is much taller than a normal shooting guard. He also uses his 185-pound frame to bully defenders who cannot match his size. Whether he is using his height to prevent his perimeter shots from being blocked, or using his body to muscle his way inside, Bullock will give opposing teams a headache when the ball is in his hands.
-Lorenzo Brown will start immediately at N.C. State. Although Leslie and Ryan Harrow may be ranked higher on recruiting boards, Brown offers a skill-set that fills a huge hole in N.C. State's line-up. While the incoming recruiting class adds some much-needed talent and depth, giving coach Sidney Lowe the opportunity to take advantage of many starting line-up scenarios, there is no way to leave Brown off the list. His three ball is deadly, his ball-handling is impressive and his ability to find the open shot makes him the scorer that the Pack has been looking for.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Team Stackhouse 82, Team McGladrey 72
By Mark Carroll - Blog Coordinator
McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium was filled to capacity by 7 PM Tuesday night - over an hour before tip off of the most anticipated game so far this summer. The Greater NC Pro-Am had a State-Carolina ring to it as North Carolina's Harrison Barnes and Team Stackhouse squared off with N.C. State's C.J. Leslie and Team McGladrey.
Team Stackhouse's roster consisted of five Tar Heels, four of which are current players and one who is a recruit of the 2011 class. Team McGladrey boasted five current Wolfpack players, including the highly touted incoming freshman trio of Leslie, Ryan Harrow and Lorenzo Brown. Class of 2012 commitment Joseph Uchebo joined his future Raleigh teammates in the action.
Ironically, former Texas star P.J. Tucker scored the first basket of the game with a lay-up in the opening minute. Brown quickly responded with a put-back dunk on the other end. It was immediately clear that neither team was going to start out hesitant.
As the first quarter progressed, fans for each team erupted as highlight plays occurred on both ends. Leslie made a leaping effort to reject Barnes on a drive, previewing a match-up that will gain national attention in the winter. Harrow showed off his range with an early three pointer, as Team McGladrey got off to a quick start.
Team Stackhouse was not to be put away early, however. Forward John Henson made a statement right away, following a Barnes miss with a thundering two-hand slam. Junior guard Justin Watts contributed with a baseline jumper, and Bullock added scoring of his own just minutes later, using his size advantage on Brown to muscle his way to the basket for two points. Barnes increased the lead to five with a tomahawk slam that brought the crowd to its feet, but Team McGladrey's C.J. Williams ended the run with a trey ball from the top of the key. At the end of the quarter, Team Stackhouse held the advantage, 18-16.
The first four points of the second quarter came from Team McGladrey, as star forward Tracy Smith powered his way to two points in the post and Leslie followed just seconds later with a steal and a strong two-handed jam. Their lead was short-lived, as Team Stackhouse got perimeter baskets from Barnes, Bullock and E.J. Williams. Bullock missed a three point attempt at the buzzer, but Team Stackhouse still went into halftime with a 41-32 lead.
Fans remained on the edge of their seats in the second half as both teams continued to fight for a win. At the beginning in the half, Team McGladrey got excellent post play from Smith and Leslie. Brown added a long-range bucket for three of his 15 points to compliment the play from down low and trim the margin. With 1:45 remaining in the third quarter, Leslie threw down a reverse slam for two of his 21 points to cut the lead to three.
Just as it appeared that Team McGladrey held all the momentum, Team Stackhouse's P.J. Hairston killed the run by converting an old-fashioned three point play. Barnes and Bullock added a couple buckets of their own, and took a 61-51 advantage into the final period.
Team Stackhouse tried to pull away early in the fourth quarter, as Bullock and Barnes both knocked down three pointers immediately. Brown answered with two deep threes for Team McGladrey, and an alley-oop from Harrow to Smith cut the deficit to 75-67 with two minutes remaining. The eight point difference was too much to overcome, as Team Stackhouse hit their free throws down the stretch and pulled off their third win of the season, 82-72.
While the game was not a true match-up between the two tobacco road rivals, Watts claimed that it was an important contest.
"It's a good chance to play with my teammates and get that chemistry we're going to need for this year," Watts said after the game. "It's also fun and it allows people to come out that can't afford to come to the games to watch us and get a sight at what we look like."
Watts also gave a lot of credit to Barnes (25 points) and Bullock (30 points), as he looks forward to playing with the two in the upcoming season.
"Those guys are great to play with. They're great teammates. Playing with people like that makes them better and makes you better."
If Tuesday night's game was any indication, Tar Heel fans can look forward to their team as a whole getting better.
McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium was filled to capacity by 7 PM Tuesday night - over an hour before tip off of the most anticipated game so far this summer. The Greater NC Pro-Am had a State-Carolina ring to it as North Carolina's Harrison Barnes and Team Stackhouse squared off with N.C. State's C.J. Leslie and Team McGladrey.
Team Stackhouse's roster consisted of five Tar Heels, four of which are current players and one who is a recruit of the 2011 class. Team McGladrey boasted five current Wolfpack players, including the highly touted incoming freshman trio of Leslie, Ryan Harrow and Lorenzo Brown. Class of 2012 commitment Joseph Uchebo joined his future Raleigh teammates in the action.
Ironically, former Texas star P.J. Tucker scored the first basket of the game with a lay-up in the opening minute. Brown quickly responded with a put-back dunk on the other end. It was immediately clear that neither team was going to start out hesitant.
As the first quarter progressed, fans for each team erupted as highlight plays occurred on both ends. Leslie made a leaping effort to reject Barnes on a drive, previewing a match-up that will gain national attention in the winter. Harrow showed off his range with an early three pointer, as Team McGladrey got off to a quick start.
Team Stackhouse was not to be put away early, however. Forward John Henson made a statement right away, following a Barnes miss with a thundering two-hand slam. Junior guard Justin Watts contributed with a baseline jumper, and Bullock added scoring of his own just minutes later, using his size advantage on Brown to muscle his way to the basket for two points. Barnes increased the lead to five with a tomahawk slam that brought the crowd to its feet, but Team McGladrey's C.J. Williams ended the run with a trey ball from the top of the key. At the end of the quarter, Team Stackhouse held the advantage, 18-16.
The first four points of the second quarter came from Team McGladrey, as star forward Tracy Smith powered his way to two points in the post and Leslie followed just seconds later with a steal and a strong two-handed jam. Their lead was short-lived, as Team Stackhouse got perimeter baskets from Barnes, Bullock and E.J. Williams. Bullock missed a three point attempt at the buzzer, but Team Stackhouse still went into halftime with a 41-32 lead.
Fans remained on the edge of their seats in the second half as both teams continued to fight for a win. At the beginning in the half, Team McGladrey got excellent post play from Smith and Leslie. Brown added a long-range bucket for three of his 15 points to compliment the play from down low and trim the margin. With 1:45 remaining in the third quarter, Leslie threw down a reverse slam for two of his 21 points to cut the lead to three.
Just as it appeared that Team McGladrey held all the momentum, Team Stackhouse's P.J. Hairston killed the run by converting an old-fashioned three point play. Barnes and Bullock added a couple buckets of their own, and took a 61-51 advantage into the final period.
Team Stackhouse tried to pull away early in the fourth quarter, as Bullock and Barnes both knocked down three pointers immediately. Brown answered with two deep threes for Team McGladrey, and an alley-oop from Harrow to Smith cut the deficit to 75-67 with two minutes remaining. The eight point difference was too much to overcome, as Team Stackhouse hit their free throws down the stretch and pulled off their third win of the season, 82-72.
While the game was not a true match-up between the two tobacco road rivals, Watts claimed that it was an important contest.
"It's a good chance to play with my teammates and get that chemistry we're going to need for this year," Watts said after the game. "It's also fun and it allows people to come out that can't afford to come to the games to watch us and get a sight at what we look like."
Watts also gave a lot of credit to Barnes (25 points) and Bullock (30 points), as he looks forward to playing with the two in the upcoming season.
"Those guys are great to play with. They're great teammates. Playing with people like that makes them better and makes you better."
If Tuesday night's game was any indication, Tar Heel fans can look forward to their team as a whole getting better.
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