UNC JV basketball overcomes slow start for 104-70 win over Pfeiffer

It’s no secret the North Carolina junior varsity basketball team likes to push the pace of its games. But the Tar Heels’ slow start wasn’t fast enough for their frustrated coach on Thursday night.

Pfeiffer didn’t back down from the challenge in the opening minutes of its showdown with UNC in the Smith Center, but the Tar Heels were able to run away with a 104-70 victory.

Early on, the Falcons took it to UNC (5-1). Pfeiffer immediately jumped into a full-court press, which forced several turnovers and open shots. Three early 3-pointers gave Pfeiffer a 9-3 lead, and the Tar Heels were dumbfounded.

“They hit us in the mouth,” head coach Hubert Davis said. “Their speed and ability to hit threes — it caught us off guard.”

Davis soon called for a mass substitution, pulling all his starters from the court.

“I’ve always believe the No. 1 motivation to a player is sitting on the bench, so I wanted to send a message,” he said.

After being knocked around, North Carolina was able to settle into the game after several minutes. The Tar Heels eventually took the lead, but Davis still wasn’t satisfied with the effort.

A timeout with 6:23 remaining in the first half saw UNC up 40-33. Then a loud bang was heard throughout the Smith Center.

It was Davis’ clipboard smacking against the hardwood.

“He got mad, but it was needed,” sophomore forward Jeremy Werden said. “I think we did a good job responding to what he told us during that timeout.”

That gave the Tar Heels the boost they needed, closing out the half on a 20-5 run to take a 60-38 lead.

The second half went a lot smoother for UNC. Though there were a lot of turnovers, the lead was never in jeopardy. With the margin growing, the Tar Heel bench was able to see plenty of action.

The Falcons’ speed was their strength, but it was inevitably their downfall.

Once UNC found the key to the Falcons’ press, they got more layups and open shots. The Tar Heels turned up the speed past Pfeiffer’s comfort level, forcing the Falcons to lose control of what they wanted to do.

Balanced scoring fueled North Carolina, which had five players break double digits in the scoring column.

Sophomore guard Caleb Ellis led the team with 15 points, 11 of which came in the first half. Werden amassed 13 points on the night for UNC, including nine in the game’s opening period.

This win puts the Tar Heels back on track. After dropping their first game last week, they have picked up two wins in a row.

“I think we were looking for a better overall game for us,” Ellis said.

“I know it’s going to be listed as a ‘W’ in the books, but we’re always looking forward and always trying to get better.”

@YonaDagalosi  

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