UNC-Winston-Salem State Exhibition: Hubert Davis Postgame Q&A

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — North Carolina breezed past Winston-Salem State 95-53 on Wednesday night at the Smith Center, in the final exhibition tune-up of the preseason for the Tar Heels.

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Caleb Wilson led all scorers with 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Jarin Stevenson (11 points), Henri Veesaar (10 points) and Seth Trimble (10 points) added double-figure scoring efforts. The Tar Heels shot 33-for-66 from the field (50 percent), including 12-of-32 from 3-point range (37.5 percent). UNC struggled at the free-throw line, shooting just 68 percent (17-for-25) on the night.

The No. 25 Tar Heels open the regular season on Monday night against Central Arkansas at home, before their highly anticipated matchup against No. 19 Kansas. Here’s the postgame press conference video, and some noteworthy comments from UNC coach Hubert Davis after Wednesday night’s exhibition victory.

What were the issues for your team in the first half tonight?

Hubert Davis: “I don’t know. I don’t know if we were nervous, or if it’s the first time this group has been at home and played on our home floor, but just the lack of energy, effort, and attention to detail wasn’t there in the first half, and that was the exact opposite in the second half. And I think that’s why we played so well in the second half, just the energy picked up, effort, specifically on the defensive end, finishing, and I thought we were more disciplined defensively in the second half. We finished possessions with the rebound, and that allowed us to get out in transition. It says that we had 12 fast break points, but I felt like we had more. Just felt like we were always on the run in the second half.”

During the second half, you guys shot well from 3-point range. Afterward, guys were talking about how a lot off those shots came from ball movement and they were off catch-ready shots. Are those the shots you envision this group being able to create?

Davis: “I’ve been clear and definitive. I’m a dominate points in a paint type of guy, and that’s where you generate those open threes. I want to dominate points in the paint through post penetration, offensive rebounding, and live in the paint, live at the free throw line and put max pressure on the rim. So we’ve got to do a better job of being stubborn and persistent in terms of attacking a basket and getting into the paint and finishing around the basket. I think in the first half, we missed eight layups around the basket, and moving forward, that’s just not going to work.”

Jarin Stevenson hit a couple of those 3s in the second half. With his size, does he give this team a dimension maybe it hasn’t had in the past?

Davis: “Well, I mean, his ability with his size. He really can guard one through five. So it gives us the versatility on the defensive end to be able to do different things because of his ability to be able to do that. Unfortunately, where I found out that he could do that was against us last year on RJ (Davis). So he does a really nice job of getting around screens, and he can move his feet. He’s disciplined defensively, and he can also rebound the basketball. I was really happy with him being able to hit some shots in the second half. I’ve got to get him more shots, just because he’s so talented on the offensive end as well.”

There were less one-handed passes tonight than after BYU. Were you happier with what you saw as far as the ball security tonight?

Davis: “Yeah, we had some at the last couple of practices. And I just was straight up and honest with them, I just don’t understand that. I said you’re not getting more playing time if you throw a one-handed pass. That doesn’t impress me at all. I want simple and sound plays, make the easy play, and I felt like our guys were doing that, and their understanding that those little things are really the difference makers in regards to being successful is being consistent in the fundamentals on both ends of the floor.”

What was going through your mind after Caleb Wilson’s huge dunk in the first half?

Davis: “I wanted him to get back on defense. It was, it was a beautiful finish again. You know, not many people can do that. He’s very gifted, and his ability to finish above the rim with traffic is something that he’s already done. And expect them to do the remainder of the season.”

How important is it to have those highlight plays? Does it add any energy or emotion to have a play like that?

Davis: “It got the crowd going and but it didn’t resonate with us in the first half. Yes, you can draw energy from plays like that. Energy and effort plays are like you just need one person to do it, and then one other person does it, and then now you have the whole team to do it. But I’m trying to get them to understand that what brings us to energy and effort and what fuels us is defensively and rebounding the basketball.”

Do you feel like you’re satisfied that this team is ready for the start of the regular season on Monday?

Davis: “Doesn’t matter. It starts on Monday. I mean, we’ll have tomorrow off. We’ve got three days of preparation, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I like the exhibition games that we played, and it really has identified things that we’re doing well and things that we need to improve on, and we’ll be prepared and ready for a good Central Arkansas team on Monday night.”

Did you feel like the 3s your team took in the second half were more in-rhythm than in the first half? And more in-rhythm than the 3s from the other night against BYU?

Davis: “I would agree with you on that, especially in the second half. They were generated off of a drive. They were generated off of throwing the ball in the post. They were generated off an offensive rebound in transition, and then, also the swing-swing. Like, okay, that’s a good shot. Boom. Let’s get a great shot. And so when the ball moves, and you got ball movement, player movement, I think you usually shoot a high percentage. So I agree with you. In the second half, I felt like the threes were better and they were coming in a better way.”