Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Basketball: What to watch for in 2016-17

By Blake Cockrum

Mar 27, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Kenny Williams (24), guard Nate Britt (0), and forward Kennedy Meeks (right) react during the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the championship game in the East regional of the NCAA Tournament at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 27, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Kenny Williams (24), guard Nate Britt (0), and forward Kennedy Meeks (right) react during the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the championship game in the East regional of the NCAA Tournament at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 7
Next

Can Isaiah Hicks fill the void left by Brice Johnson’s departure?

Mar 17, 2016; Raleigh, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Isaiah Hicks (4) attempts to dunk the ball in front of Florida Gulf Coast Eagles forward Marc Eddy Norelia (25) during the first half at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

Foul trouble.

Two words that separate Isaiah Hicks from putting up pedestrian numbers or ones similar to those we saw Brice Johnson achieve during his senior season.

Hicks spent much of his junior season in foul trouble. Last season there were19 times he had four or more fouls in a single game. That means 19 times he was limited to sub-optimal minutes on the court, often hampered by unnecessary or over-aggressive fouls.

Having said that, no one questions Hicks’ heart or intensity. In fact, it’s often that intensity that helps him find his way to the bench after a couple of quick fouls.

Hicks is an extremely gifted athlete and talented basketball player. He has the potential to echo the type of All-American season that Brice Johnson had in 2016. He even had analysts on a national stage clamoring for him to start in place of fellow junior Kennedy Meeks (looking at you Jay Williams).

Can he use better judgment and self-control on the defensive end of the court to avoid the fouls that often kept him out of games for extended periods of time?

The Tar Heels will need him on the court more than ever in the upcoming season. Without Brice Johnson to anchor the UNC offense, it’ll be on Hicks’ shoulders to be their front court safety valve.

Home/UNC Basketball