UNC basketball: Day’Ron Sharpe gives North Carolina’s frontcourt an edge
Lennie Rosenbluth. Sam Perkins. Cole Anthony. Day’Ron Sharpe.
That’s it. That’s the list of North Carolina players to record a double-double in points and rebounds in their first game for the Tar Heels. Sharpe’s feat was noteworthy in that he had to come off the bench during the Tar Heels’ 79-60 win over College of Charleston on Wednesday in order to do so.
The 6-foot-10 freshman from Greenville, North Carolina, scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in his debut — and also had two assists, a blocked shot and no turnovers — in just 22 minutes of play.
Sophomore forward Armando Bacot believes Sharpe just served notice on what’s to come this season.
“Day’Ron, he’s a beast, as y’all can see,” Bacot said during a postgame video conference. “I thought I was pretty good on the boards, but he might shatter the double-double record the way he is on the boards.”
Bacot had 11 double-doubles last season, which was two shy of tying Antwan Jamison from the 1995-96 season for the most all-time in program history by a freshman.
“Mondo was close to beating it, and I feel like we all are good players in the paint,” Sharpe said. “It means a lot from one of my teammates, definitely a fellow big to say that.”
Although senior Garrison Brooks led Carolina with 11 rebounds, Sharpe was most effective on the offensive boards. He had five, which helped UNC outscore Charleston 30-10 in second-chance points.
It’s just one game, but Carolina might need his offensive rebounding help more than he knows. The Heels shot just 4 for 18 from 3-point range, including 1 for 10 in the second half.
“I don’t really focus on it, I just go to the boards,” Sharpe said. “I’m a big guy, I like to move, (with a) high motor. So I’m going to try to help my team win wherever I can help them at.”
That was the least surprising to Brooks, who said Sharpe brings that kind of energy all the time in practice, “just being himself.”
UNC coach Roy Williams said 7-foot freshman Walker Kessler and freshman Puff Johnson both missed practice time while being quarantined due to COVID-19 protocol. Kessler played just four minutes because of it. The Heels frontcourt didn’t need a fourth player in the rotation against the Cougars thanks to the way Sharpe played off the bench.
The plan was actually to start Sharpe in the second half, but Williams said he changed his mind once he picked up two fouls in the first half.
“It was a coin flip kind of thing with who I was going to start with the bigs because Day’Ron’s had such a magnificent preseason,” Williams said. “He already had the two fouls, and I didn’t want to start him and get the third foul so quickly.”
That may have been the only drawback from Sharpe’s debut. He got himself out of position a few times, which led to him picking up three fouls shortly into the second half. It may be something to keep an eye on because he’s so active on the floor.
The presence of Sharpe has already helped lift the frontcourt in practice. Last season, the Heels had so many injuries, including to Sterling Manley, that they were limited to having Justin Pierce and Brandon Huffman as the primary backups. Pierce was an undersized power forward and Huffman, who transferred to Jacksonville State, had limited talent. They weren’t able to push Brooks and Bacot the way Sharpe has been able to do.
“We compete very hard among each other; I think it’s our job to make each other better every day,” Brooks said. “It’s an advantage for us because … I think we have like one of the best frontcourts in the country.”