Dec. 12, 2007

Midseason Statistics in PDF Format

by Ben Baden

The Tar Heels junior varsity men's basketball team is undefeated at 5-0 this season, with their most impressive win coming against a strong Laurinburg Prep team, 90-74, on Nov. 15.

The team has been off the court since late November and won't return until January 9 against Central Carolina Community College. The Tar Heels are averaging 98.8 points per game and are only allowing an average of 74.8 points per game.

"We do want to score a high amount of points," said head coach Jerod Haase. "That's the style we want to play."

The team has five players averaging over 10 points per game. James Gallagher leads all scorers with 14.6 points per game, shooting 58% from the field and 50% from the three-point line. He is followed by Marcus Wilson who averages 13 points per game and leads the team in rebounds averaging 6.2 per game.

Ford Tanner and Terrence Petree are averaging just over 11 points per game, while Petree leads the team in assists with three per game and steals with just below three per game. Brad Jones is the only other player averaging double figures with just over 10 points per game. The Tar Heels are shooting well as a team, currently averaging 56.5% from the field, 32.8% from behind the arc and 70.2% from the free-throw line. Haase has only positive things to say about his undefeated team.

"This team has done a good job of taking what we want to do and doing it," Haase said.

He said there isn't any single player that leads the team as he lets all the second year players rotate as captains.

"They're all focused on how the team does," Haase said.

The junior varsity's only consistent problem all season has been turnovers as they are averaging about 20 per game. Haase said he is disappointed with their careless turnovers, but he said he won't be telling his team to slow their play down any time soon.

Haase said the team will be back on the court Jan. 9 with only a few days of practice behind them as they prepare for the bulk of their schedule.

The junior varsity team plays three perennial powerhouses in Fork Union Military Academy on Jan. 31, Hargrave Military Academy on Feb. 10 and Montrose Christian, Kevin Durant's former high school, on Feb. 16.

Haase said he would be surprised if the junior varsity team had ever beaten Laurinburg, Fork Union and Hargrave in the same year.

He also said Montrose is one of the top five schools in the country this year, as they finished No. 22 last year, according to USA Today.

Fork Union defeated the Tar Heels by 8 last year and Hargrave handed the Tar Heels their worst loss of the season last year.

"Last year the games were extremely competitive, said Robert Johnson, second-year player and starting point guard. "They're something to look forward to since we don't have an end of the year tourney."

The junior varsity team will also make their only road trip of the year, traveling to Louisburg, N.C. to play Louisburg College on Feb. 7. It seems the junior varsity team will have their work cut out for them in the new year.