Thompson dominates as Heels win exhibition

CHAPEL HILL -- Senior Deon Thompson has recorded just two 20-plus-point games in his North Carolina basketball career. Judging by the Tar Heels' 107-59 exhibition victory over Belmont Abbey on Friday night, he's poised to post quite a few more.

Thompson, who spent the last two seasons starting in all-everything Tyler Hansbrough's shadow, scored 23 points on 11-for-12 shooting at the Smith Center. Granted, it was against a Division II team that doesn't have a player taller than 6 feet 8, but the 6-9 forward's focus and aggression - especially amid so many other tall talents on UNC's roster - is a good sign for a team that lost its other four starters from last year's national title squad.

The sixth-ranked Tar Heels open the regular season Monday against Florida International.

"Deon and Marcus [Ginyard], particularly, made me feel very comfortable," coach Roy Williams said. "Deon's not going to go 11-for-12 every night, but I wish he would."

Indeed, Williams has been careful not to put too much offensive pressure on Thompson, saying "you can harm someone's play if you expect them to take over for someone who's just left. He's got to be a little bit better, and if he's a little bit more than that, that's fine, but I don't want to put that kind of stress on him, that you've got to score 23, or we're not going to do very well."

Still, told he looked more comfortable around the basket, Thompson seemed to agree, "... Maybe because I don't have a four-year All-American next to me - that might be the biggest thing. A lot of space, and my teammates are actually looking for me. We don't have as many scorers, so maybe me scoring the ball just shows up more than me scoring the ball last year or the previous years."

The game began with spotlight introductions, a nod to the updated lighting system at the Smith Center and Williams' desire to add a little NBA-style sizzle to the season.

Junior Will Graves got the start at small forward, joined in the first lineup by sophomore point guard Larry Drew II, senior Ginyard at shooting guard, sophomore Ed Davis at one forward and Thompson at the other.

Belmont Abbey, located just outside of Charlotte and coached by Carolina graduate Stephen Miss, was scrappy, even taking a 2-0 lead when Andre Fells buried a baseline jumper. But Thompson buried UNC's first two shots to make it 4-2, then he dunked twice to make it 11-4.

Even as Carolina's lead grew to double digits, the Crusaders kept it interesting by peppering five first-half 3-pointers (they were 7-for-23 from beyond the arc for the game). Richard Barbee led them with 15 points, and Chad Patus chipped in with 12.

But they were no match for UNC's defense or height, as Thompson had 16 points by halftime and backup forward Tyler Zeller added 13 (he finished with 17).

UNC led 57-31 at the break, and the Crusaders didn't score their 10th point of the second half until about nine minutes in. By then, Thompson had scored three more buckets to surpass the 20-point mark.

For the Tar Heels, the outcome must have felt good after a performance in a closed scrimmage at Vanderbilt last Sunday that Williams deemed "yucky."

It definitely felt good for Thompson.

"For me, being a senior, I've got to be accountable for myself and my teammates, so being a leader only helps me to show up every night," he said.

North Carolina 107, Belmont Abbey 59

Belmont Abbey: Phillips 3-10 0-0 6, Patus 4-8 2-2 12, Barbee 6-13 2-2 15, Fells 3-9 0-0 7, Kuhlman 0-4 2-2 2, Parrry 0-3 0-0 0, Sheffey 2-5 0-0 5, Coucil 2-6 0-0 4, Good 2-7 0-0 5, Graves 0-2 0-0 0, Long 0-2 0-0 0, Exner 0-1 0-0 0, Beerse 1-3 0-0 3, Heiler 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 23-74 6-6 59.

North Carolina: Graves 2-5 2-2 6, Davis 5-9 3-4 13, Thompson 11-12 1-2 23, Ginyard 4-6 0-0 9, Drew 1-4 0-0 2, Henson 2-6 1-6 5, Zeller 7-11 3-5 17, Strickland 4-5 0-1 8, Watts 2-3 0-0 4, McDonald 0-4 0-0 0, Wear 3-6 2-2 9, Wear 3-7 1-2 7, Campbell 0-1 0-0 0, Petree 2-2 0-0 4, Thorton 0-0 0-0 0, Gallgher 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 46-81 13-24 127.

Three-point goals-Belmont Abbey 7-23 (Patus 2-4) North Carolina 2-8 (Ginyard, Wear 1-1). Fouled Out-None. Rebounds-Belmont Abbey 36 (Phillips, Patus 6) North Carolina 56 (Thompson, Henson 8). Assists-Belmont Abbey 16 (Kuhlman 5) North Carolina (29 (Ginyard 8). Total Fouls-Belmont Abbey 21, North Carolina 14. Technicals-None. Att.-18,137

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