The UNC basketball program has gotten off to a hot start this college basketball season.
North Carolina has won its first three games of the season, including a dominating home victory over the 25th-ranked Kansas Jayhawks. However, their momentum took a deflating turn when reports came along that senior captain Seth Trimble suffered a broken bone in his left arm, an injury that required surgery. It has been reported that he will miss approximately 6-8 weeks of action if all goes well.
Despite this news, the depth that the Tar Heels built this summer will be on full display and could potentially be a blessing in disguise. Here are three players who have to step up to fill the void left while Seth Trimble is on the mend:
Luka Bogavac
The 22-year-old guard from Montenegro had an ongoing battle with the NCAA this summer as he tried to gain eligibility for the season. He was finally cleared to play right less than an hour before tip-off for the season opener against Central Arkansas.
With no exhibition games under his belt, Bogavac has been learning the college game from game to game. Even though his shooting splits aren't great, shooting only 36% from the field and 26% from three-point range, the eye test suggests he will soon become a big-time scorer. He has gone on record, despite the Tar Heels winning convincingly, that he himself is not satisfied with his play so far.
The way he can create his own shot and get to wherever he wants on the floor gives the Tar Heels even more weapons on the offensive end. He is most likely to remain the starter while Trimble is injured, and with more minutes to play, the better his feel for the game will be. He is not the same defender as Trimble, but his offensive capability and long-range shooting will almost certainly make up for it.
Jonathan Powell
The sophomore guard, a transfer from West Virginia, was one of the first acquisitions that Hubert Davis recruited during the summer. Powell showed great promise on the offensive end during his freshman season, and his ability to stretch the floor and create at his size gives the Tar Heels much-needed firepower.
Despite all his capabilities, he played spotty minutes through the Tar Heels' first two games. However, in the first game without Trimble, Powell saw an increase in playing time and produced well when on the floor. With his new opportunity, Powell will now have a great chance to showcase exactly what he is capable of, and give the Tar Heels even more long-term depth when Trimble eventually returns.
Kyan Evans
Evans, a junior transfer from Colorado State, has had major shoes to fill since joining the team.
Long-time Tar Heel RJ Davis finally graduated and moved on to achieve his dream of playing in the pros. Having to fill the position of a former ACC Player of the Year is no easy feat, but the confidence that Kyan Evans has shown throughout his time at Colorado State, and especially during the NCAA Tournament last year, shows he is more than up for the challenge.
Tar Heel fans are not used to watching this type of guard run their team. He isn't aggressive and looking for his shot like the alumni before him. However, he has been in complete control of himself and the offense and is more than willing to make the extra pass, which has made the Tar Heels look like a well-oiled machine at times.
Despite the positives, such as taking care of the floor and shooting efficiently from the field with Trimble out, the ball will be in Evans's hands even more, and he will have to be much more shot-dominant if the Tar Heels want to compete with the best in the ACC. He has the ability and is always in control, but he can't hesitate to take the shot; he needs to let it fly, gain his confidence, and not be worried about the result. He can't play like he did in the first half against Kansas, but exactly how he played in the second half. If he can play with that same type of energy and charisma, along with the aggression and confidence he's showcased at times, it will make Tar Heel fans everywhere happy with the results.
The Tar Heels have a lot of things to figure out about this team, with their glue guy being on the shelf for a while. Thankfully, they have two weeks to try their best to figure it out and see what works before their ranked showdown with the number No. 17-ranked Michigan State Spartans. This is the most hype the UNC basketball program has had in quite some time, and this team has the makings of making a deep run not only in the ACC but also in the NCAA tournament.