We got our first glimpse of UNC basketball freshmen Ian Jackson and Drake Powell in the Tar Heels' season-opening win against Elon. Powell saw the floor for a solid 17 minutes, while Jackson played for 12. The duo combined to score ten points off the bench, and there were many things to like in their limited playing time.
Head coach Hubert Davis spoke about their debut performances after the game, impressed with the way they have been developing so far.
“I really love how they bought in defensively. They do a good job, not particularly on the stat sheet, but they do a really good job of rebounding the basketball. And then on an offensive end, they can create, make shots, and so they're going to play a ton of minutes this year.”
Jackson showed how effective he could be in Hubert Davis’s fast-paced offense on Monday night, scoring his first career points as a Tar Heel on a transition lob from Elliot Cadeau. Although the five-star recruit finished with just five points against Elon, Jackson led North Carolina in scoring with 21 points in the exhibition matchup against Johnson C. Smith and should continue to add points off the bench for the Tar Heels.
Powell scored just five points as well, but he finished Monday night's victory with two assists, two rebounds, one steal and one block, proving to be effective in all aspects of the game.
UNC basketball fans should be excited for the future of this team, as these two players should only get better as they continue to develop and gain chemistry with the team. Davis finished his remarks on the freshmen by saying, “We need them to step up and be big. And I’m so glad that they’re here.”