UNC Basketball: Looking at the City of Palms Classic

Class of 2019 UNC commit Armando Bacot and 2019 target Cole Anthony both put on solid showings at the City of Palms Classic Tournament. 

Members of the UNC coaching staff — including head coach Roy Williams — had their eyes and notepads focused on Fort Myers, Florida this week, where they watched 26 of the nation’s top high school squads face off at the 46th City of Palms Classic Tournament.

For North Carolina, in particular, eyes were squarely set on a pair of prospects: 6-foot-10 center Armando Bacot, who committed to Carolina in August, and 6-foot-3 point guard Cole Anthony, the No. 3 overall recruit in the class of 2019 according to the 247 Sports Composite Rankings.

Despite already securing the services of the five-star big man, as well as three-star point guard Jeremiah Francis, Roy Williams and company are hoping to add another top prospect to next year’s roster, one which will likely look far different from this year’s team that oozes experience and talent.

The senior trio of Luke Maye, Cameron Johnson and Kenny Williams are set to graduate at season’s end, and talented freshmen Nassir Little and Coby White could very well make the jump to the NBA if they finish the year strong. The Tar Heels could realistically be looking to fill as many as five spots in their rotation next season, which is exponentially harder considering the roles that are meant to be filled.

Simply put, the recruitment of Cole Anthony is vital to building a strong team next year, and although the Tar Heels are among his final list of six schools, UNC should remain wary. Anthony is their last shot at getting one more elite prospect, one who could completely change a program single-handedly.

Anthony’s talent and advanced feel for the game shouldn’t be understated. He has the ability to put a team on his back, and take over a game for periods at a time.

The 6-foot-3 dynamo did just that this week, putting on a show in each of the three games (2-1) he and Oak Hill Academy (VA) played at the City of Palms Classic:

• Monday vs. Riverview HS (FL): 25 points (8-16 FG, 3-6 3PT, 6-6 FT), 12 rebounds, 9 assists, 5 steals, 1 block, 4 turnovers, 3 fouls
• Wednesday vs. Olive Branch HS (Olive Branch MS): 19 points (6-12 FG, 5-9 3PT, 2-2 FT), 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 6 turnovers,
• Friday vs. Imhotep Charter School (PA): 33 points (8-20 FG, 1-8 3PT, 16-17 FT), 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers, 3 fouls

In a short three-game stint, Anthony averaged 25.7 points, nine rebounds, 6.3 assists, 3.3 steals and one block per game. Perhaps, more impressive than those gaudy averages were the shooting percentages he boasted on such high volume. He finished shooting 45.8 percent from the field, 39 percent from deep, and 96 percent from the foul line, all of which combined for an astronomical 71.3 true shooting percentage.

To start the week, Anthony played within the confines of the offense, picking his spots and setting up his teammates for good looks. As a result, Oak Hill cruised to victory, winning their first two games by a combined 56 points.

However, a DNP for five-star center Kofi Cockburn left the Warriors shorthanded against Imhotep Charter School, where Anthony’s 33-point effort — which included an attempt at single-handedly overcoming a 21-point halftime deficit — wasn’t enough to give Oak Hill a win that would’ve advanced it to the championship game.

Wins and losses aside, Anthony provided college coaches and scouts with plenty of evidence that his talent is unmatched among other guards in his class.

But enough with Cole Anthony. He’s incredible, yes, but missing out on him wouldn’t mean that UNC would be left empty-handed. Far from it, in fact. After all, Bacot — the No. 20 prospect and No. 6 center according to the 247 Sports Composite — offers a skillset that is ideal for both the college game and the high-octane offense that Roy Williams runs.

Sturdy yet nimble, the IMG Academy (FL) star leverages his width on the boards, where he’s able to either get opportunistic put-backs on offense, or grab defensive rebounds and quickly initiate a fast break. Primarily a below-the-rim finisher due to a lack of explosiveness, he often utilizes his soft touch in the form of flip shots and layups around the basket. And, although he doesn’t boast exceptional length, he’s still able to contest and block shots on occasion, especially when going up against smaller guards.

All of this was put on display in his first three games (2-1) with IMG Academy (FL) this week:

• Tuesday vs. Gray Collegiate Academy (SC): 17 points (8-9 FG, 1-4 FT), 11 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 fouls
• Thursday vs. Mountain Brook HS (AL): 13 points (6-6 FG, 1-1 FT), 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers, 4 fouls
• Friday vs. University School (FL): 10 points (5-8 FG), 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 2 fouls

To his credit, Bacot has consistently contributed to each of IMG Academy’s three victories, putting together averages of 13.3 points, seven rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 2.3 blocks, shooting 82.6 percent from the field (albeit on attempts that were essentially all at the rim).

Although he’s not regularly providing video editors with tons of material for highlight reels — he saves the high-flying dunks for his five-star teammates Josh Green (15 points, 2.3 rebounds, four assists per game) and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (20 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists per game) — he’s making plays that count, playing to his strengths and hustling on both ends of the floor. He throws down loud slams and sends shots into the stands on occasion, of course, but his game is more subtle compared to Green and Robinson-Earl.

And really, that’s okay. Bacot doesn’t need to use flash or finesse to stand out. He lets his game do the talking instead, taking care of the little things, and that’s likely something that put him on UNC’s radar in the first place.

Next: Is this 5-star big man leaning toward the Heels?Bacot and IMG Academy will resume play on Saturday afternoon in a fifth-place matchup against Olive Branch. Check back with Keeping It Heel to stay up to date with UNC basketball.