UNC Basketball Fantasy Match-up: ’07 Versus ’14

Who hasn’t played fantasy football? The answer is nearly no one. Well, here at KeepingItHeel.com, we have a strong fantasy matchup for you. Take this Roy William 2013-2014 UNC team and put them in a no-holds-barred, cage match against the Roy William squad of 2006-2007. There will be only one team that walks away with the prestige. There will be only one team that walks away with the bragging rights. There will only be one team that walks away, period. There will be blood! …Okay, that one got away from me. Let’s take it back a notch. The question is: Which team wins, the ’07 Tar Heels or the ’14 UNC squad?

The ’07 Chapel Hill team was a strong one. The majority building blocks of the 2009 National Championship team were in place with this team. Such players as: Marcus Ginyard, Ty Lawson, Dancin’ Danny Green, Brandan Wright, and Tyler Hansborough were all underclassmen. It was a young team that used this season to come together and eventually become the national champions as upper classmen.
This year’s 2014 squad is a bit of an anomaly. UNC has risen to the occasion of losing their premier scoring threat for the entire season (P.J. Hairston) as well as a bumpy mid-season streak of one win with four losses. They now find themselves as the #14 seed in the nation with major wins over #3 Louisville, #1 Michigan State, #11 Kentucky, #2 Syracuse, #25 Pittsburgh, and #5 Duke. They consistently put Tar Heel fans on the edge of their seats.
So, all that being said, who wins in a head-to-head?
2007’s Tyler Hansborough would beast Kennedy Meeks, let’s be honest. Meeks is a big body with a smooth post game and a soft touch on his jumper. He is only going to improve. However at this time, he would struggle against Hansborough’s tenacity on the block and rebounding game. Hansborough’s motor would just be too much for Kennedy Meeks. The young man might rise to the occasion to a point, but Tyler would put up at least 15 and 8 on him.
2007’s Ty Lawson versus 2014’s Marcus Paige would be the match-up all Tar Heel nation would want to see. Lawson was a great pass-first point guard, as is Marcus Paige, naturally. Ty Lawson had a sweet drive and mid-range jumper. Paige is a strong slasher and finisher. Who takes it? It’s hard to say. Marcus Paige has done more for his team this year than Lawson had done, mostly as a necessity he score. MP takes it.
2007’s Marcus Ginyard would be that squad’s best answer against 2014’s James Michael McAdoo. Ginyard was a defensive specialist, springy and athletic. However, McAdoo has too many weapons on the block for Marcus. JMM really does it all. He’s a rebounding machine, a defensive weapon (his game against Jabari Parker), and a strong finisher. Ginyard would struggle to close him down. JMM takes it.
2007’s Danny Green was a strong spot up shooter as well as finisher. He was always jumping all over the place. We all remember his performance with the San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs last year. However, 2014’s J.P. Tokoto would diminish Green’s overall impact in a man-to-man matchup. Tokoto has really found himself in this year’s team. The man always flashes to the basket without the ball and that’s an easy way to score when defense’s break down. This year’s J.P. takes it against ‘07’s Green.
So, this year’s squad slightly takes a 3-1 edge over 07’s team on individual matchups. However, basketball is a team sport. Hansborough, Lawson, and Green are all solid names in the NBA. They were the building blocks of an eventual championship. This year’s 2014 UNC team is a dangerous squad, holding an outside chance of stealing an NCAA championship—as they often rise to their opponent’s talent level. Against the 2007 team though, the Tar Heels of yesteryear walk away with the victory.
As the ’07 team only made it to the Elite Eight though, I’ll re-write this article if this year’s squad brings a banner to Chapel Hill. Championships always talk.