26 Basketball ,87-,88Friday, November 20, 1987
Hungry.Madde fans excited
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ByCLAYHODGES
Stall Writer
It was Oct. 14 in Chapel Hill, the
day before the UNC men's basketball
team would begin official practice for
the 1987-1988 season, and Kevin
Madden sat on the front row of the
Smith Center talking with the media.
- He was wearing Carolina blue and
" white.
For many patient UNC fans, this
was a sight to behold. After a one-
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PRESENTED DY COKCERTSOUTIIERN PROMOTIO!: .
year layoff due to acaderhic difficul
ties, Madden is back in uniform and
ready to make up for lost time.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Madden
could very well be one of the best
athletes on the team and his impact
on the current edition of the Tar Heels
could be limitless. With a physique
that resembles former Maryland All
. American Len Bias, Madden will take
the court this fall with two years of
experience in the UNC system and
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HILL 929-0297
a refreshing maturity about the game
and his role with the team.
"I want to do anything. I can to
help out the team," Madden said. "I
try to tell the freshmen to listen to
coach Smith and stay on top in the
classroom and everything will work
out."
Although things have begun to
work out, last year's layoff was
mutually painful for the team and for
Madden, and his decision not to
transfer was a major one.
"I talked with my family about
transferring, but I would have had
to sit out a year no matter where I
went," Madden said. "It was in my
'. best interests to stay."
Madden was eligible to play last
year by NCAA academic standards,
yet he failed to meet the requirements
coach Smith expects of his players,
and the decision was made to red
shirt the Staunton, Va., native.
"Kevin has pride academically
now," added coach Smith. As he
currently stands, Madden is on
schedule to graduate with his fresh
man class.
Madden did not spend the past
year idly. He worked out with the
team consistently, concentrating on
his ballhandling and improving his
defense. Although he could not play
in games, and perhaps because of that
fact, Madden had no trouble gener
ating enthusiasm for the practices.
"I had (Joe) Wolf and J.R. (Reid)
on me," Madden recalled. "There was
always competition."
As a freshman, Madden made
some recurring mistakes, yet left
behind many statistics that showed
considerable promise. He connected
on 59.1 percent of his shots from the
floor, and converted just under 70
percent of his free-throw attempts. If
his work during the past year pays
off, he should cut down considerably
on his turnover rate 34 as a
freshman despite averaging just 10.7
minutes a game.
Madden has already proven his
desire to be a leader. In the first Blue
White game, he scored 22 points,
including consecutive 3-pointers at
the close of the contest as his White
team tried to rally. Although the
Whites came up one point short in
the end, Madden's performance in the
game was a healthy indication of his
future potential.
"Last year Kevin always took the
leadership over the blue team in
practice," Smith said. "We are hoping
he will play much better this year than
in his freshman year."
The Tar Heels are uncharacteris
tically deep at the position Madden
will assume this season, small for
ward. Junior Steve Bucknall will also
battle for time at the position, and
has improved considerably since his
arrival two years ago. Freshman Rick
Fox will also play small forward.
Although Madden is clearly the
favorite to take the starting role, he
remains modest about his future.
"You can only have five guys on
the court at a time," Madden said.
"Ill be happy if Buck plays, and if
I play. I just want to do my best when
I'm in the game."
Madden looks forward to sharing
the frontcourt duties with' preseason
All-American J.R. Reid. The pres
ence of Madden under the boards
should reduce the defensive pressure
on Reid. Likewise, if an opponent
chooses to double and triple-team
Reid, Madden will be open for a
damaging offensive counterpunch.
"J. RV is a 4 greai '"athlete to' play
Sophomore swingman Kevin Madden will be firing many jumpers
this season to make up for lost time
with," Madden said. "He is very
unselfish and hopefully. I can help
take some of the pressure off him."
Madden's versatility is such that he
could help the Tar Heels at the big
guard position. He has improved his
ballhandling and his consistency with
his outside shot, thus giving coach
Smith additional depth in his inex
perienced backcourt.
"IVe been working on my jump
shot, and I could play both positions,
but it would be difficult to learn," said
Madden, who quickly added, "If
Coach could simplify -it for me, I
could do it."
"Kevin has the athletic ability to
play two positions, and we may need
him to come in at guard for us at
times," Smith said. "He could learn
to play both positions."
Madden is excited about the
prospects of the coming year, and sees
the 87-88 Tar Heels with a much sense of purpose, he is reay to let
difTerenf style th'ah'the year before "Everyone know.' ' X --v
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"We will be a much quicker team
than last year, even though Kenny
(Smith) is gone," said Madden. "We
will miss Joe (Wolf) and Pop (Dave
Popson), but I think. I can take up
the slack."
Madden has nothing but praise for
the incoming freshmen, King Rice
and Rick Fox, and believes they will
be a great asset to the team.
"Rick will give us depth and can
help us with rebounding. King has
worked on his jump-shot, and has
improved 100 percent," said Madden.
Madden looked back to the year
he spent on the sidelines as a learning
experience, and said he doesnt regret
his decision to stay with the team.
"Last year was the first year IVe
not played basketball in a long time.
I was able to get my life together." -
Kevin Madden is back. And, with
renewed confidence and a strong