Black Responds To Benching With Enhanced Play

CORAL GABLES, FL – Coaches often say the bench can be a great motivator.

Wanna play? Do the job and do it the right way.

Pretty simple stuff, which is why Roy Williams’ decision to not start three regulars for the Georgia Tech game last week made sense even to the guys that weren’t in the opening lineup.

Among them was Leaky Black, a 6-foot-8 junior who started last season and was seemingly entrenched until the Tar Heels went to Atlanta. He hadn’t played to his potential in recent games, and his dismal defensive grade in a loss at NC State the week before was enough for Williams to make a statement.

Senior Garrison Brooks and freshman point guard Caleb Love joined Black on the bench to start the game. They ended up getting close to their typical allotment of minutes, but there is a pride thing that goes with starting, and any competitive athlete will feel wounded if that is taken from them. Black included.

“It kind of hurt me,” he said after the loss to the Yellow Jackets. “But then again, I’m not playing the way I need to be playing right now. So, it was like a reality check. In life, if you’re not doing your job, the boss is going to get somebody to come do it for you.”

In the two games since, Black has given Williams every reason to regain his trust in the Concord, NC, native. Last Saturday, he hit the game-winning shot to beat Notre Dame and finished with eight points, four rebounds, three assists and no turnovers. But Tuesday night here inside Watsco Center, Black took his game up a couple of notches on a night the Tar Heels desperately needed it.

He scored a career-high 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting, including converting all four of his 3-point attempts, grabbed nine rebounds, handed out three assists, had two steals and even blocked a shot. And, with the score tied and 14 seconds left to play following a Miami basket, Black ran the point and found Andrew Platek leading to his game-winning basket with three seconds left.

Yet, as pleased as his coach was following Carolina’s 67-65 victory over the Hurricanes, he wants more from Black. Roy Williams was nowhere near being satisfied.

“This is not the best I've seen him play,” the coach said. “He shot the ball really well, 4-for-4 from three, so that was big. But, at the same time, I always expect Leaky to be great defensively and be very intelligent. And his drive in there and the charge late in the game was not a very smart play.

“But he's been sensational at times defensively… But he can be much better defensively and he can make better decisions with the ball.”

Williams is always pushing his teams. Even in their open walk-through practices during the NCAA Tournament, he’s always imploring them to get better, so as much as he appreciates Black’s play, he won’t fully approve until after the season. If even then.

That is what legendary coaches do and is a reason they have their places in history. Platek, however, and always an uplifter, was happy to heap praise on his teammate.

A senior, Platek has been a firsthand witness to Black’s process as a Tar Heel, and he couldn’t have been happier following Tuesday’s win, not for himself after converting the game-winning shot, but for Black.

“I think he was kind of pissed off at his play, and he definitely took it personally and changed the way he played, which is major respect to him,” Platek said. “If you don’t like the way you’re playing or the minutes you’re getting, if you’re not starting, then it’s up to you to fix it.

“I think he did take it personally, and this is the best stretch I’ve seen him play in my career with him, and I’m super proud of him.”

Black shook the tree some and has come out with a healthy disposition.

“I think it’s just confidence,” he replied, when asked what has fueled his play the last two games, before steering it more toward the team in general.

“I don't think we could play any worse than what we did in the NC State game or last year, so I feel like you’ve just gotta have confidence. North Carolina’s gonna have a game and we need to score some points. So, I felt like it was just my night.”

And it came at a good time, because the Tar Heels certainly needed it, and they need more similar performances from Black moving forward.