When the No. 1-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels open their season Saturday against Pennsylvania it looks as though they will do so without the services of the reigning national player of the year.
In a statement released by UNC Athletics on Wednesday" coach Roy Williams said senior Tyler Hansbrough most likely will not play against the Quakers.
""We've made the decision to hold Tyler Hansbrough out of action a little longer" Williams said in the release.
It's extremely doubtful that he would play against Pennsylvania" and I emphasize extremely doubtful.
""We will continue to evaluate him and have more information when it becomes available.""
Hansbrough has been sidelined since the last week of October when it was discovered that he had a stress reaction — a precursor to a stress fracture — in his right shin.
If he misses Saturday's game" it will end a streak of 108 consecutive games in which Hansbrough has played at UNC.
Top recruits sign with UNC
On the first day of early signing for high school basketball prospects Williams landed one of the biggest recruiting hauls in the nation.
The Tar Heels signed five players to National Letters of Intent giving North Carolina the top-rated class in the country according to Rivals.com.
The five include John Henson from Tampa Fla.; Leslie McDonald from Memphis Tenn.; Dexter Strickland from Rahway N.J.; David Wear from Huntington Beach Calif.; And Travis Wear from Huntington Beach" Calif.
""We are very excited about this class"" Williams said.
All five do a great job both in the classroom and on the basketball court.""
The No.1-rated class was Williams' second since taking the reigns of his alma mater.
He also brought in the top-rated class in 2006" when Brandan Wright Ty Lawson Wayne Ellington Deon Thompson Alex Stepheson and Will Graves signed with the Tar Heels.
Not to be outdone by her male counterpart North Carolina women's basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell inked a top-notch class Wednesday as well.
The four signed seniors are Krista Gross of Concord Waltia Rolle of Nassau Bahamas Cierra Warren of Rancho Cucamonga Calif. and Nyree Williams of Ellicott City Md.
Gross a 6-foot guard" highlights the group and is a four-time all-state performer.
""Krista is the best senior in North Carolina"" Hatchell said in a release.
She has tremendous versatility and can play all over the court.
""She can shoot the three and post you up"" and she is a very accomplished student.""
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
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Thursday, May 2, 2024
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