According To Bruce...

(Bruce Young, aka The Man of Many Talents, in spite of his horrible taste in music, is THI's social coordinator, official bureaucrat, no-longer-available bachelor even though he's still our International Playboy, back seat driver, back alley brawler, world traveler, Restaurateur, Rupp Rude Boy, beach boy, photographer and resident Tar Heels' fan)

​Where has the ACC Basketball Season gone? It felt like it just started and now the ACC Tournament is upon us. An ACC Tournament, mind you, in the hot bed of ACC Basketball – Brooklyn, New York – now that is something I can't believe. Well it is what it is and our Tar Heels will go in riding high after whipping the evil empire on Saturday night.

As the Tar Heels enter post season play, they're one of, if not the, best teams in the country. As I've stated many times, even though the best team doesn't win all the time, I believe after last year, the Heels have motivation that no other team brings to the table to get the job done.

Earlier on Sunday, Justin Jackson was voted as the ACC Player of the Year after a fantastic season. This is really unbelievable if you look back at Justin's career during his 3 years at Carolina. We were told from the very beginning of his career he was a very good shooter. I, for one, never saw it. They told us he was a very good defender. I saw glimpses of it, but not all the time. Tar Heel fans everywhere said he wasn't tough enough.

What we see from Justin Jackson from the beginning of his junior year to where he is now is nothing short of incredible. The young man gained confidence from working on his game during the summer after the NCAA Title game. Along with his hard work and the confidence being shown him by his teammates and coaches, Justin became an assassin from behind the arc all year and gave Carolina what they it needed to take the necessary steps forward after the team lost Brice Johnson and Marcus Paige last year.

Kennedy Meeks is also someone who improved in a large measure from his junior to his senior year. While not winning any post season awards, Kennedy had a solid regular season. We all know he had his ups and downs while here at Carolina and he's not always played up to the expectations everyone had of him. His senior year has been a totally different story. He's been a double-double machine most of the season and rock solid when the Heels needed him down low. Kennedy must play well down the stretch for the Heels to return to the Final Four.

Joel Berry II, who had his coming out party nationally in the National Championship Game last year, came back to Chapel Hill and had a super junior year. He took over the leadership role from the departed Marcus Paige and led this team to the ACC Regular Season Title. While, Joel didn't play his best in most of the high profile games this year, he was the man on Saturday night against the evil empire with a game-tying high 28 points. His steady play all year earned Joel a spot on the 2nd-team All-ACC squad.

Tony Bradley, Nate Britt and Luke Maye started the season slow. But how these three young men have grown into very good ACC players and solid contributors to the Heels. Each young man came off the bench all season, giving starters valuable rest time, with very little drop off in play, which bodes well for the Tar Heels in the upcoming ACC and NCAA Tournaments.

Isaiah Hicks didn't have the senior year we all thought he might. Having said that, he showed flashes of brilliance several times during the season. Especially Saturday night against Duke with a strong 21-point, 9-rebound performance. For this team to win it all in Brooklyn and Phoenix, Isaiah will have to stay out of foul trouble and stay on the floor. I believe he can get the job done partially because he'll get away from ACC officials who have targeted this young man all year. It feels like he comes into every game with 3 fouls already on him. Just saying!

This brings me to what I believe is the final piece of the puzzle that makes the Tar Heels the team to beat. That young man's name is Theo Pinson. Even though his points per game will not wow you when you look at the box score, Tar Heel fans everywhere know when you look at his line after each game, he fills the stat sheet in every category. To me, he is the glue that has kept this team together on and off the court. His off-the-court presence cannot be overlooked by any means. He is a jokester, a mentor, a confident player his teammates have so desperately needed during the grind that is known as the ACC Regular Season. Every championship team needs a Theo Pinson-type player on its roster. He may not win any post season awards, but he is just as valuable as any player on this team for them to cut down the nets in Brooklyn and Phoenix. GO HEELS!!!!