Jan. 12, 2008

By Ben Baden

CHAPEL HILL - The Tar Heels started slow in their early morning game on Saturday, but finished strong as they defeated Asbury College (Wilmore, Kentucky), 79-61.

The junior varsity team lacked some intensity in the first half as they were only leading by seven at the half, but head coach Jerod Haase was able to fire up his team in the locker room at halftime as they finished off Asbury in the second half.

"I was upset with our intensity level late in the first half and our attention to detail," said Haase. "We made sloppy mistakes because we had a big lead."

Starting guard James Gallagher led the way for the Tar Heels finishing with 14 points.

"Coach wanted to pound home the idea of boxing out because it will be important in our next games," said Gallagher. "We executed and played pretty solid defense and didn't allow them to get it inside in the second half."

Brad Jones, despite re-aggravating a back injury and not playing much of the second half, was the only other player to finish in double figures with 12.

After the game Haase said the athletic director at Asbury is one of his friends from The University of Kansas, where Haase played basketball in college, and Asbury traveled all the way from Kentucky because he wanted their team to experience Carolina basketball.

The Tar Heels are moving into the difficult part of their schedule as they face Davidson County Community College Saturday at 12:30 p.m.

"Davidson County is coached by a former Carolina JV player and they will play our style," said Haase. "They do have the leading scorer in the nation and we will have to play well to compete with them."