With the score tied and just seconds remaining in the North Carolina junior varsity basketball team’s Tuesday night win against Pitt Community College, head coach Jerod Haase called a timeout and drew up a game-winning play.
As the huddle broke, he urged his team to “play with poise, play hard, and play smart.”
The plan worked, and moments later senior forward Matt VanHoy caught a pass from sophomore guard Christian Pulliam and converted a three-point play to put the Tar Heels ahead for good with six seconds remaining.
“In the end of the game, we got a shot, time-wise, exactly when I wanted it,” head coach Jerod Haase said. “Christian made a great play in front of the net.”
The Tar Heels held a comfortable lead for most of the first half. In the second period, the game tightened as the pace and intensity picked up significantly.
The Bulldogs’ defensive pressure in the second half disrupted the Tar Heels’ offense. The Bulldogs scored 35 points off 19 turnovers in the game.
“I think their pressure in the second half really took a toll on us,” Haase said. “We didn’t do a good job hanging on to the ball under pressure and I think that’s what got them back into the game.”
Junior forward Kyle Currie hit two critical shots down the stretch to keep the Tar Heels’ hopes alive. With just less than five minutes remaining, Currie nailed a 3-pointer from the left wing to put the Tar Heels back ahead by one point. Currie then sunk a baseline jumper to go up by two with less than a minute left.
“Connor (Flynn) pushed the ball up the court and got me the ball in space at the right time,” Currie said. “I was able to knock it down.”
