Ellington picked UNC over 'Nova

When Wayne Ellington's mother Elaine first met Villanova coach Jay Wright Ellington was just a high school freshman living outside of Philadelphia.

The conversation between the elder Ellington and Wright had little to do with hoops.

Elaine just wanted to know the academic reputation of The Episcopal Academy where Wright's kids attended at the time and where Ellington would later star.

From that point on" it seemed inevitable that Ellington would become a Wildcat.

But everyone knows that didn't happen.

""He broke my heart" man — broke my heart Wright said Monday of Ellington's decision to attend North Carolina.

But I'm very" very happy for him. He's had a great career. And I know he loves it down there. …

""If a guy's going to go to Carolina or Duke"" you can't argue with that.""

After North Carolina defeated Oklahoma 72-60 on Sunday to advance to play Villanova in the Final Four" it didn't take long for reporters to ask Ellington about UNC's opponent.

Then Ellington didn't go into great detail about his relationship with Villanova — just that it was his runner-up and a hard choice. But on Tuesday" he spoke at length about his recruitment to Villanova.

""It was a tough decision for me" Ellington said.

Villanova is really close to my hometown" and I had a really good relationship with coach Wright. But I'm very happy with the decision that I made. …

""It just so happens that we get to play against a team that I'm very familiar with.""

Ellington said that he's played with or against many of Villanova's players either on Amateur Athletic Union teams or around Philadelphia.

The two players he's closest to are junior guard Reggie Redding and senior forward Shane Clark.

And given Ellington's friendships with some of the Wildcats"" he can expect a little more trash talk leading up to the Final Four and during Saturday's game.

""I got a couple phone calls" and people saying they're going to shut me down — they know how I play Ellington said Tuesday.

But it's hard not to look at this game and think about how Ellington could be on the opposite side.

Ellington hadn't made up his mind until a couple of months after UNC's 2005 Sweet 16 win against the Wildcats. And he claims that the game didn't determine his future school.

No" I didn't say anything like that. That wouldn't be fair.""

In Ellington's recruitment" UNC coach Roy Williams played the shooting guard film of Rashad McCants and Kirk Hinrich to show Ellington the type of things he could do if he went to North Carolina.

Those tapes might have helped the Tar Heels overcome the distance that separated Chapel Hill from Wynnewood" Pa.

""We knew that Villanova was a school that he was considering"" Williams said. We had to beat the distance.""

In the end"" the chance to compete for a national title every year was what made the difference for Ellington.

""Just the tradition" Ellington said.

I wanted a chance to be able to contend for a national championship" which sounds crazy now that 'Nova is in the Final Four.

""But back then it was clear that Carolina was the decision to make if I wanted to contend for a national championship.""

It was a difficult call for Ellington"" but one with which he's content.

""It's a decision that you gotta make for yourself"" and I feel like I made the best one for myself.""