Keeping It Heel
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A surprising player inspired North Carolina's second half comeback vs. Kansas

In a locker room full of veterans, one of the UNC basketball program's freshmen ignited the troops.

By Nick Delahanty

Oct 12, 2024; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward James Brown (2) on the free throw line in the first half at the Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Oct 12, 2024; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward James Brown (2) on the free throw line in the first half at the Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
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The UNC basketball program put together a very disappointing first-half of play against the No. 1-ranked Kansas Jayhawks, one that put them down 15 points heading into the locker room.

North Carolina's roster is full of veteran players, including guys like RJ Davis, Seth Trimble, Jae'Lyn Withers and Jalen Washington who have been around the program for quite some time. With the Tar Heels needing a halftime boost, it wasn't one of the veterans who provided the spark in the locker room.

It was freshman James Brown.

Brown made his official UNC basketball debut late in the first half, being called upon with the Tar Heels big men each experiencing foul trouble. Brown closed out the half with a buzzer-beating layup, as his energy and fire he displayed in his limited action continued well past his opportunity to play.

Both Trimble and Withers talked about how Brown spoke up to spark the troops before the coaching staff entered the locker room. It's a speech that the veterans definitely appreciated from the freshman big man:

"He came in the game and made a really big play at the end of the (half). So his emotions were fired up and he was ready to go. I don't think we were at the level of his emotions, and he realized that. And he snapped, he snapped. And we absolutely needed that, so I loved that he did that." - Seth Trimble

"We decided that we weren't going to keep taking punches," Withers said. "We were going to punch back. … I would say it initially started with one of our freshmen, James Brown. He came in with a lot of intensity (at halftime), saying that they haven't worked as hard as us. Just trying to get us going, saying different things. And when 'HD' (Hubert Davis) came in, he matched his energy and we fed off of that." - Jae'Lyn Withers

We all know what happened next, as the UNC basketball program sparked a comeback from being down as many as 20 points during the second half. Although the Tar Heels ended up losing the game, the fight showed throughout the second half was very encouraging to see this early in the season.

This goes to show you that sometimes you need a spark, even from guys you wouldn't expect them from. Brown wasn't afraid to speak up and encourage his teammates, a trait that should bode well for him as his UNC basketball career progresses.

The next time the UNC basketball program needs a halftime spark, make sure James Brown is given the floor to speak. Based on Friday night, he seems to know the right things to say to his teammates to get them to rally together.

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