CHAPEL HILL, NC – Hubert Davis put together a handbook before the season started and distributed a copy to each of his North Carolina players, most of whom were new to the program. Printed on the cover, arranged in a circle, the names of every team member were printed.
It was a symbolic gesture designed to stress the importance of togetherness.
“He just meant that a team is a circle,” junior center Henri Veesaar said. “Everybody’s in it. We all fight for each other and everybody’s equal, especially during this part of the season.”
Veesaar, a transfer from Arizona, said that Davis’ message serves as a constant reminder to keep “everybody in the circle and not let anybody pull you out.” It’s a philosophy that will be severely tested as Veesaar and the 17th-ranked Tar Heels face what has suddenly become an uncertain postseason.
Just when it seemed as though UNC was ready to get back to full strength with the return of star freshman Caleb Wilson from a fractured wrist suffered seven games ago, perhaps as early as Saturday’s regular-season finale rivalry rematch against top-ranked Duke, the outlook changed dramatically when it was announced that the team’s leading scorer and rebounder had suffered another injury.
According to a UNC spokesman, Wilson broke his right thumb while dunking in a non-contact drill at practice on Thursday. He has undergone surgery to repair the damage and will be sidelined for the rest of the season.
The 6-foot-10 forward is averaging 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds and is considered a certain lottery pick in this year’s NBA Draft. His latest setback will take some of the shine off the most anticipated game of the regular season at Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Although the first matchup between the neighboring blue bloods will best be remembered for the buzzer-beating three-pointer by Seth Trimble that produced a dramatic 71-68 victory, the Tar Heels would never have been in a position to pull out the victory if not for Wilson’s work earlier in the game.
Matched head-to-head against Duke’s Cameron Boozer, the soon-to-be ACC Player and Rookie of the Year, Wilson almost singlehandedly kept UNC within 12 at halftime by scoring 17 of his team’s 29 points during the opening 20 minutes. He finished with 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting.
“Obviously, he’s a really good player,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said. “He had a really good first game against us.”
It was a performance that only whetted his appetite for more. In his postgame comments, Wilson stated that he was looking forward to meeting the Blue Devils again at Cameron, where he could play the role of villain. The fact that he won’t get the opportunity will clearly change the dynamic of Saturday’s rematch, even though it won’t change Duke’s preparation for the Senior Night game.
“Ultimately, it can’t change our game plan in terms of what our defensive focus is,” Scheyer said. “Look at their record without (Wilson). They’ve done a good job. They’re really good. But for us, it’s playing Duke defense, regardless. It’s a good challenge either way for our defense.”
UNC is 5-1 since Wilson was sidelined, with the only loss coming on the road to rival NC State in a game in which Veesaar was also missing from the lineup.
Even without their best player on the floor, the Tar Heels still boast one of the biggest, most productive frontcourts in the country. Not only has Veesaar, a 7-foot transfer from Arizona been steady all season while averaging 16.5 points and 8.4 rebounds, but wing Jarin Stevenson and deep reserve Zayden High — both 6-foot-10 — have increased their production significantly in Wilson’s absence.
“The guys have really (stayed together) this year,” Davis said on Thursday, before Wilson’s latest injury. “I think that contributes to being able to still be successful with the adjustments, with the changes after losses, to be able to regroup and just continue to move forward.
“I said that this is a tight group, and we have to stay together,” he continued. “There are going to be good times, there are going to be sunny and clear sky days, but there are also going to be some windy and rainy days. And through those days, we have to stay connected.”
The challenge to do so just got tougher now that the Tar Heels will be forced to play the most important games of their season with Wilson’s name removed from their circle. Or at least, forced into the role of cheerleader from the bench rather than game-changer on the court.
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