Chansky’s Notebook: Bacot’s Challenge

Armando Bacot will have to play a different role against Virginia.

The Tar Heels have a big home game against the Cavaliers on Saturday, half a game ahead of them 3-1 and 9-5 in the ACC standings, compared to Carolina's 10-4 record.

Coach Tony Bennett is one of the most disciplined mentors in the game with a particular emphasis on his pack-line defense, which is designed to keep the ball as far from the basket as possible while effectively defending the 3-point line. Is.

So far this season, UVA hasn't lived up to Bennett's standards before, during, and after his 2019 national championships. Wahoo has three players in the low double digits and doesn't shoot the ball well. They also have negative rebounding margins for the season.

So you think this means another double-double heyday for Abby of Carolina? Not really because Bacot would be the primary focus of the Virginia defense, which would double-team or trap the ball every time he got it.

The pack-line places three players on the perimeter and they and the UNC wing will try to read each other's movements. Bakot may have a slight size advantage, but it will be difficult to pivot his patented side toward the basket or be forced to take a harder shot.

Bacot will need to be even more mobile to get the ball on fewer blocks with a chance to score. Or he has to turn it back out. He is a good passerby, and Hubert Davis should be positioned to catch his guard and shoot or seek Bacot for re-entry, perhaps somewhere above the rim for a lob.

This Tar Heel team is harder to defend than in recent seasons because it has a lot of weapons. AB moves into the points and rebounds, and Caleb Love becomes a scoring force if his shot is running early. RJ Davis, Brady Manek and Dawson Garcia, even if he plays, bring double points in the game.

Opponents have to match their discipline to beat 'Hus' in any season. So if Bacot can't catch the ball with a clear path to the basket, the guys on the periphery will have to break open for an outlet pass and work to get the best shot from there.