It was the basketball event of the night. Two of the biggest rivals in American sport, Duke and North Carolina, faced off in Durham, on the floor of the Cameron Indoor Stadium, for the last of Coach K.’s career at Duke.
After 42 years at the helm of the Blue Devils, the legendary tactician, winner of five NCAA titles (and three Olympic gold medals with Team USA), retires at the end of this 2021/22 season, and the meeting of this night therefore marked the final round of his career at home, against North Carolina. The former “Dukies” had come in droves for the occasion, and they were treated to a breathtaking spectacle.
A high level game
The first half is pretty balanced. Despite an absolutely ghostly Caleb Love (0/8 to start the match), the Tar Heels are in contact and remain focused in the hostile atmosphere.
To compensate for the complicated departure of the leader, it is the duo RJ Davis – Armando Bacot who hold the house for the visitors. On the side of Duke, the “freshman” Paolo Banchero is the man for the job. At ease like a fish in water at mid-range, the strong winger makes the Tar Heels suffer in the racket.
At the end of the first period, we think we will witness the first break of the game: Duke sticks a 14-0 to North Carolina and the gap increases significantly for the first time (37-28). But the visitors have the respondent and under the impetus of RJ Davis, who notably plants a 3-point shot at the buzzer, they pick up just before the break (41-39).
The Tar Heels serene during the second act
The second half reached a fairly impressive level of play. First, Caleb Love wakes up: after his 0/8 entry and a discreet first half (7 points), the leader recovers his ideas after the break: he scores 15 points (22 in total) , including several important baskets to respond to the “show” Banchero, which continued in the second half (23 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in total). But the very good momentum of the future “lottery pick” suffered a sudden breakdown in the home stretch: elusive until then, the “freshman” began to stall. His shots are short, his “drives” suddenly less sharp.
UNC senses that a breach is opening and takes advantage of it. While Duke’s attack stalls, like Paolo Banchero, that of the Tar Heels unfolds at the best of times: with only five minutes left, RJ Davis scores an important basket in the racket, Caleb Love serves brilliantly Armando Bacot on “pick-and-roll” and Brady Manek plants two award-winning shots (5/10 behind the arc in total). The disaster scenario for Duke is looming: UNC points to +8 (79-71).
Despite a final reaction (too late) in the minutes that followed, Duke failed to come back and took the consequences of his slump earlier in the second period in the face. The final buzzer sounds in a thunderous Cameron Indoor: North Carolina wins 94-81 and spoils Coach K’s historic evening.
Hubert Davis, the coach of UNC, relieved
At the head of North Carolina, Hubert Davis, former Tar Heel, who took over from legend Roy Williams after having been an assistant in his staff for several years, concluded his first regular season in style, with a memorable victory at the rival in such a particular context.
After the match, in the locker room, he enjoyed with his players and one can feel the relief after acquiring such a victory, after a game that was certainly mentally and physically exhausting.
Coach K. frustrated
After the match, the Cameron Indoor Stadium’s tribute and farewell ceremony to its iconic coach was held. Before the various speakers took the floor, it was the main interested party who came forward at the microphone. For a… surprising sequence.
« I’m sorry, what happened tonight was unacceptable. he analyzed coldly, before asking the fans, who were starting to applaud, to let him finish. ” Please shut up, let me finish. Tonight was unacceptable. But the season as a whole has been largely acceptable, and it’s not over. »
The frustration was palpable for Coach K., beaten sharply by his biggest rival for his last at home. The Tar Heels have indeed ruined the party…
