As a new season approaches for the UNC basketball program, they are looking to build off a run to the Final Four a year ago. A Final Four in which they beat Duke for the second time in three meetings last season, ending the Blue Devils’ season and Coach K’s.
Former Blue Devil Paolo Banchero said he still thinks about that UNC loss to this day when he was making the media rounds for the NBA Draft back in June. But his former teammate had a different opinion on the game.
Among the Blue Devils that are returning this year is guard Jeremy Roach, a player who took strides in his sophomore year and developed into one of the better guards in the ACC. Roach’s focus is on the upcoming season but he was recently asked about that loss to UNC. For Roach, he thinks that because UNC lost in the title game “it worked out.”
When asked about the Final Four & plays that stuck with him, Jeremy Roach talks about the foul he picked up with about a minute left guarding UNC’s RJ Davis. Adds at the end:
“But it all worked out. We didn’t win, but obviously UNC didn’t win the Championship, so it’s all good.” pic.twitter.com/yPTwTaM20e
— Carolina Blitz (@KeepBlitzin) September 27, 2022
That’s an interesting way of looking at it.
I mean, Roach is right that UNC didn’t win it all which may have helped lower the sting of the loss. BUT the Tar Heels did end Coach K’s career and denied him the shot at another title while earning bragging rights in the moment.
We can’t fault Roach for thinking this way. It’s not a terrible answer but UNC fans will tell you that the Final Four game still meant something.
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