CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina senior wing Leaky Black met with the media Friday afternoon to discuss his game and his team as the Tar Heels prepare to host Florida State on Saturday at the Smith Center.
Black was asked about his confidence after a recent uptick offensively, if he’s noticed teams are defending him different than before he started hitting shots, how that opens things up for other guys, his leadership, and even the buzz his mom generated with her cheering for the Tar Heels during their win at Clemson on Tuesday night. Plus, much more.
Above is the full video of Black’s Q&A session, and below are some notes and pulled quotes from what he had to say:
*Black has scored in double figures only three times this season, but each effort has come over Carolina’s last six games. He scored 10 points in a win over Virginia Tech on Jan. 24, 13 in an overtime win at Louisville on Feb. 1, and 11 on Tuesday night in a two-point victory at Clemson.
Over his last six games, Black has shot 17-for-27 from the field, including 8-for-15 from three-point range. In addition, he is 9-for-11 from the free throw line in this stretch, handed out 19 assists against just five turnovers, and is even getting it done on the defensive end blocking eight shots, registering five steals, and disrupting other teams’ better scorers.
One thing that appears to have recently been born out of Black’s uptick in production is how teams are defending him. It appears players are going out on him more than before.
“I have noticed that,” Black said. “Usually, they just see me out on the court and kind of turn their head and box out. Lately, they’ve been running the close out, and that’s opened up the lane for me and my teammates.”
*As a byproduct of Black’s improved scoring and efficiency and opponents paying him more attention, he says it has opened up stuff for teammates.
“Absolutely,” he said. “Me knocking down outside shot gives ‘Mando (Armando Bacot) more space to work down low, because my man isn’t helping so much on him. And that gets him going.”
*With the official word that Dawson Garcia won’t be back this season, Hubert Davis said Friday Black and Justin McKoy will have to play some more at the four spot. Black actually started at the four as a sophomore in a loss at Louisville and has played there some this season, more so recently. His comfort zone might be more on the wing or even at the point getting teammates involved, but if he has to play four some, he’s fine with it, in addition to the rotation as a whole.
“I don’t mind at all,” Black said. “We have the next-man-up mentality, and I feel like I’ll do my job at the four and five whenever the team needs me to be there. We all have confidence in Puff, Dontrez, and Kerwin to step up and fill the wing positions.”
*More specifically, however, what does Black see himself bringing to the four spot?
“I feel like I can guard everyone – one-through-five,” he said. “And offensively, if they put a big man on me, I can put them in a pick-and-roll switch so Caleb and RJ can work off the big. There’s a lot of things we can do with it.”
