Basketball '89The Daily Tar HeelFriday, November 17, 198921
Lone soph Davis
By ERIC WAGNON
Staff Writer
Unlike this year's team which is
overflowing with six freshmen, last
year's UNC squad boasted only one
new face. It seemed all the attention
last season focused on the ones that
got away Billy Owens, Walt Wil
liams and Christian Laettner among
a host of others.
That left UNC coach Dean Smith
with only a rather unheralded, 6-foot-4
guard named Hubert Davis to show
as his 1988 recruiting class.
As the lone Tar Heel freshman
last year, Davis learned what it was
like to be the new kid on the block.
"Last year I kind of doubted myself,
especially coming out against differ
ent crowds and playing against teams
like Indiana," Davis said.
Davis added that even the Smith
Center could be nerve-racking for a
freshman. "I was a little bit more
nervous here (in the Smith Center)
than on the road," he said. "On the
road no one knew you, and I kind of
liked the crowd booing and going
against you.
"He (Smith) told me that it would
be very hard for me to play here,"
Virginia
The bad news for Holland is that
the football team is headed for a New
Year's Day bowl game, and Kirby
will not be available until the start of
the conference slate.
Holland can rest assured, though,
knowing that his point guard, Crotty,
will be there for the duration.
He shot only 44 percent from the
field last year, but he turned it on
when it really counted, averaging 62
percent in the NCAA tournament.
While Holland has some holes to
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Hubert Davis
Davis said. "He said that with the
range of talent here, I probably
wouldn't get any playing time."
Smith, however, may have under
estimated Davis' role in the UNC
program. Last season, Davis ended
up averaging 7.1 minutes and 3.3
points a game.
fill in the backcourt, his frontcourt
should be small but fairly solid. The
Cavaliers' frontcourt situation could
have been excellent, but center Brent
Dabbs left the team in the offseason.
Crotty said that the lack of a true
center may affect Virginia's playing
style. "We're definitely going to be
forced to run this year, because we
don't have any real big men."
Virginia is well-stocked at forward
with Matt Blundin, who was a pleas
ant surprise for Holland last year, Stith,
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gladly sheds rookie iafoe
Davis worked his way into Smith's
system, appearing in 35 of 37 games,
and into the hearts of the Smith Cen
ter crowds. The sight of No. 40 trot
ting onto the court inevitably led to
chants of "Huuubert, Huuubert!"
One feature of Davis' game that
does not show up in the statistics is
his fluid, silky shooting style. Cor
rect form translated into good num
bers in this case, as Davis shot 51
percent from the floor. However, he
could manage only 31 percent from
three-point territory.
"We told Hubert to work on in
creasing his range," Smith said. "He
has a very nice shot just inside the
three-point line and I imagine he has
worked on it."
Davis added that his problem last
year was not really a physical prob
lem of not having enough shooting
range but more of a lack of aware
ness of the three-point line. "I worked
a lot on my three-pointer, trying to
get my feet behind the line and get
more notice of where I was," Davis
said. "Sometimes (last year) I stepped
on the line a lot."
If Davis has improved in that as
pect of his game, it would be of the
from page 9
newcomer Ted Jeffries, Kenny Turner
and Curtis Williams. 6-9 senior Jeff
Daniel would be the closest thing to
a true center, but he averaged only
1 .8 points per game last year.
The game that reflects the top story
of the season, however, will be Dec.
1 when the Cavs travel to Davidson.
The game will inaugurate the Wild
cats' new 6,000-seat basketball arena
and also give Davidson fans a chance
to see another new fixture on their
campus: their new athletic director.
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utmost benefit for the team, consid
ering the graduation of three-point
threats Bucknall and Jeff Lebo.
Davis also worked on his defense
over the summer. "One of my main
problems last year was playing off
the ball," he said. "I'd usually try to
play my man while the ball was on
the other side, and I didn't have time
to help that side."
Smith said this fall that Davis'
work over the offseason looks like it
will pay off this season. "Hubert looks
improved to me," Smith said. "He
looks more confident, which is with
any sophomore. To me, it's a huge
jump from freshman to sophomore.
They're scared to death as freshmen,
then they come in as sophomores and
feel like they belong."
Davis agreed." As a freshman, you
really don't know what to expect. As
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a sophomore, you come in and you
know the ropes. You're just more
relaxed and a better ballplayer."
Even as a freshman, Davis was
surprisingly effective under the bas
ket. While Davis' totalled only 27
rebounds, 12 came on offense.
Most players do not have such a
small difference between offensive
and defensive rebound totals. Espe
cially for guards, the defensive re
bound mark usually far outpaces the
offensive total.
While North Carolina is tradition
ally well-stocked with blue-chip prep
phenoms, Davis, who was not highly
touted out of high school, has man
aged to fit into Smith's system with
his hustle and shooting ability. Espe
cially if Davis has improved his three
point shooting, he should see increased
playing time this year.
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