Hubert Davis announced on Monday that freshmen Ian Jackson and James Brown had practiced and will be available when the UNC basketball program heads to Oahu to play the University of Hawai'i, and for the Maui Invitational.
Hubert says James Brown and Ian Jackson had full practices yesterday and will be available in Hawaii
— Tar Heel Illustrated (@HeelIllustrated) November 18, 2024
The absence of the freshmen duo wasn't acutely felt against American, when the Tar Heels took a nine-point halftime lead and opened it up in the second half for a 52-point winning margin. But next week at the Maui Invitational, UNC will have to play three games in three days, and it may be asking too much of the current roster to shoulder all of the minutes without Jackson and Brown.
Ian Jackson is the one to watch. The former 5-star guard from the Bronx, New York, has started from the bench but had a big impact in the loss at Kansas. He played 15 minutes in the crucible of Allen Fieldhouse and came out of the other end with 10 points on 4-5 shooting (2-2 from three).
Jackson has the RJ Davis gene, or maybe it's something you catch from drinking the water up in New York. He can create off the bounce either to attack the rim or create space for the shot. He puts defenders in decision dilemmas, and it can be especially useful if the offense breaks down or it gets late in the shot clock.
James Brown has only appeared in the Kansas game so far this season. He came on because the rest of North Carolina's posts were in first-half foul trouble. He is one of only five players 6-foot-7 or taller, and Hubert Davis will need him to keep his post players fresh and manage foul trouble.
Dayton features several players with size, including 6-foot-10 Jacob Conner (6.5 ppg), 6-foot-11 Isaac Jack (9.5 ppg), 6-foot-8 Zed Key (12.7 ppg), seven-foot-1 Amael L'Etang (6.3 ppg), and 6-foot-8Hamad Mousa (3.3 ppg). The quality of Dayton's opponents has been meh, but that size still needs someone to stand opposite. James Brown should get a chance to show his stuff while spelling Jalen Washington and Jae'Lyn Withers, who will need to save some juice for potential showdowns with Auburn or Iowa State and Connecticut or Colorado/Michigan State.
It'll be all hands on deck once North Carolina gets to Maui. Hubert Davis can breathe a sigh of relief now that he has Jackson and Brown back in the fold.