Comments on: THF Countdown #25: 1990

By: DeanForever

DeanForever — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:24:18 +0000

Ah! Fresh upon my return from the week-long sojourn into the great white north and…a countdown! Awesome.

The ’90 squad emptied their tank against Oklahoma, THE team to beat in that region. That win almost negates the mediocre moments in that it allowed us (I was twelve at the time and sported a blue Tar Heel on my cheek for the game-while watching it on television in Hoosier country!)a few days of unabashed pride. It was like, “Yeah, we weren’t exactly great this year…but we just took down the #1 seed!” What a call at the end of the game. Davis was too nervous to take the shot, so Fox kept it and kissed it off the glass. That is one of the most significant shots in UNC basketball history in that it helped preserve both the 20-win streak and the streak of consecutive Sweet-Sixteen appearances…which ended with a talented, loaded, “paper champion” squad in 1994…oh dear, I had to mention them.

By: Wilf

Wilf — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:43:26 +0000

I think it was the 1989 ACC tournament that Reid was MVP, JB. We beat dook for the championship. If that wasn’t the game Ferry was shut down it was for sure the game dook was.

By: JBowling

JBowling — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:44:08 +0000

Do you recall that game THF?

By: JBowling

JBowling — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:57:21 +0000

I do remember one game JR Reid had against Duke, and he defended Danny Ferry and he shut him down. I mean, shut him down!

By: Tar Heel Fan Alum

Tar Heel Fan Alum — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:11:31 +0000

Lynch was one of my favorite Tar Heels because he always worked so hard, much like Hansbrough. He was a relentless rebounder and a pretty good scorer around the rim, if I recall correctly. I watched him a number of times in the pros and he was always solid. J.R. Reid, both in college and the pros, was all about unfulfilled potential.

By: Heels Perspective

Heels Perspective — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:51:22 +0000

THF,

I believe Jimmy Braddock was the PG in 1983. He was serviceable at best but in all due respect, the lack of great PG that year left that team limited.

I do remember the Rick Fox drive and shot to defeat a great OU team.

By: DSchwind

DSchwind — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:39:17 +0000

Unfortunately, that JMU game is part of the reason why Roy still holds onto timeouts like they’re a precious metal, rather than using them to break momentum for the other team (see, Final Four 2008, Elite Eight 2007).

By: C. Michael

C. Michael — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:49:24 +0000

The year after.

By: JBowling

JBowling — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:33:33 +0000

Didn’t we go to the final four the next year? Or was it the year before?

Thanks

By: Tar Heel Fan

Tar Heel Fan — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:43:05 +0000

Interesting question. Rice actually posted some good assist numbers over 200 each season he started. He also tied Rick Fox for most steals on the team in 1990. Derrick Phelps was not nearly as effective an assist man but that could be in part to the fact George Lynch became a facilitator of the offense from the post. Here is a list of the starting PGs for UNC starting in 1982.

1982: Jimmy Black
1983: Steve Hale
1984: Hale/Kenny Smith
1985-87: Smith
1988-89: Jeff Lebo
1990-91: King Rice
1992-1994: Derrick Phelps
1995-1996: Jeff McInnis
1997-2000: Ed Cota
2001: Ronald Curry
2002: Adam Boone
2003-2005: Raymond Felton
2006: Bobby Frasor
2007-Present: Ty Lawson(with Quentin Thomas and Frasor mixed in)

The general feel looking at this list is King Rice was the least of these guys save the Doh years. Statistically, Frasor was not as good as Rice in terms of assists and Rice posted the best A/TO in UNC history in 1991. So perhaps my assertion was a bit out of school, but based on how I remember these guys Rice always was lower in my mind. Maybe it was that funky three point shot that he had.