Back to basics: UNC's Ginyard working hard to get ready for tournament
It's time for North Carolina's Tar Heels to rest for a day or two.
Except Marcus Ginyard.
Coach Roy Williams said Monday that Ginyard can concentrate on something specific.
Layups.
"I told Coach that we needed to work on it," Ginyard said Monday. "Maybe the next couple of weekends I can make a couple of them."
If Ginyard agreed that area needed addressing, the coach pretty much responded with a "no kidding."
Ginyard's consistent performance helped culminate in the Tar Heels' Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championship Sunday against Clemson. Ginyard was voted to the all-tournament first team.
So just imagine if he had converted a few more shots around the basket.
"He came over during the game and said, ‘Coach, I must have the worst percentage on layups in the country," Williams said. "I told him, ‘If you don't, son, there aren't a helluva lot of guys below you."
On Friday night, the Tar Heels, who are the NCAA Tournament's No. 1 seed in the East Region, play the winner of tonight's Coppin State/Mount St. Mary's winner at the RBC Center in Raleigh. In theory, that assignment ought to be a slam dunk for North Carolina.
Meanwhile, Ginyard something else to ponder.
"I did tell him he has to learn how to make a layup," Williams said, almost having fun with the topic.
Those mishaps around the basket aside, Ginyard became so valuable during the ACC Tournament that Williams was reluctant to take him off the court during crunch time.
With forwards Deon Thompson and Alex Stepheson struggling and Williams opting to use point guards Ty Lawson and Quentin Thomas together on the floor, that moved Ginyard to the big forward - or so-called "4" spot.
Williams said that was the first time Ginyard had played that position in three seasons with the Tar Heels. And he did well doing it, the coach said.
Ginyard ranks fourth in scoring on the team with 7.6 points per game. He often puts forth workmanlike outings for the Tar Heels. He said it comes naturally because of what's going on around him.
"It would be crazy for you not to do the same thing," he said.
Which makes missed layups seem a little crazy, too.
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