UNC Basketball: Black, Nance among top returning Super Seniors

Andy Katz has released his top returning Super Seniors list, as the UNC basketball program is represented by two of its current standouts.

Over the last couple of days, college basketball analyst Andy Katz has released his top-25 Super Senior rankings.

Prior to the start of the college basketball season, Katz, who refers to these rankings as “#KatzRankz,” typically goes by position, grade, and even breaks down the top players overall in an assortment of rankings lists.

With Super Seniors becoming more common in the college basketball world (due to the extra year of eligibility that players were given due to the COVID-19 pandemic), there are plenty of fifth-year players that will make an impact this season.

The UNC basketball program is fortunate enough to have two of the players on this year’s list.

To start, returner Leaky Black comes in at No. 16 on Katz’s ranking. During his time in Chapel Hill, the Concord, North Carolina native has been referred to as a “Swiss Army Knife,” as he does a little bit of everything in order to help the team succeed.

However, it’s his defensive prowess that stands out about his game. Especially during the 2021-2022 season, Black was a key contributor defensively, as he took the challenge of guarding the other team’s best offensive player. In most cases, especially in big-time moments, Black was successful, as many top-name players struggled while being guarded by the 6-foot-8 wing.

We may sound biased here, but considering what he brings to the table for the UNC basketball program, you can make the case that Black should be higher on this list.

The other current Tar Heel to make the list is Pete Nance, who just cracks Katz’s top 10.

Nance, the transfer forward from Northwestern, is coming off a very strong senior season for the Wildcats. Over 30 games played, the 6-foot-10 standout averaged 14.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game, as his ability and skillset should transition nicely into the UNC basketball program’s system.

Both players are well-deserving of this preseason recognition, and will each have a major role in determining how far the UNC basketball program goes this season.

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