UNC Basketball: Freshman Day’Ron Sharpe impresses in first game

UNC Basketball freshman Day’Ron Sharpe got his college career off to a great start on Wednesday night in the Tar Heels’ win

Things got off to a slow start for the UNC Basketball team in their first game of the 2020-21 college basketball on Wednesday night but they turned it on in the second half en route to a 79-60 win over College of Charleston.  Roy Williams watched his team jump out to an early lead only to see Charleston tie it in the second half before the Tar Heels pulled away. While there were some struggles in terms of shooting the ball and on defense, there were also a few bright spots. Among them was freshman center Day’Ron Sharpe.

The former five-star recruit out of Winterville, North Carolina is one of six prospects in UNC’s 2020 class and going into this year, many had big expectations for the 6-foot-10 Sharpe. In his first game of his college career, Sharpe impressed and flashed signs of his potential.

Sharpe finished the game  with a double-double scoring 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting and grabbing 10 rebounds as he played 22 minutes off the bench for the Tar Heels. While Sharpe didn’t start the game, he still played starters minutes which is a sign of what we can expect in terms of Williams’ rotation.

Following the game, his teammate Armando Bacot had praise for him:

"“Day’Ron, he is a beast, as you can see. He is really good on the boards. I thought I was good on the boards last year, but man he might shatter the double-double record with the way he is on the boards.”"

It’s one game and while it was a little sloppy, we got a glimpse of the talent that Sharpe and his fellow freshmen have. This UNC team will be deep off the bench and if Sharpe gets better as the year goes on, then the Tar Heels will have another legit big man in the post to compliment ACC Preseason Player of the Year Garrison Brooks.

For more on Bacot and other UNC Basketball players, please check back with Keeping It Heel.