We have been waiting all season for this type of highlight from last season’s #1 rated high school player, Harrison Barnes. After all, Barnes was the first ever freshman selected to the Pre-Season NCAA All American Team. But success has come slow in his first season on Chapel Hill as he struggled to average double figures in scoring for most of the first half of the season as his rebuilding Tarheels also stumbled out of the gate, even falling out of the Top 25 after being a pre-season Top 20 selection.
But fast forward to February and it seems that the fabulous freshman has gotten his mojo back to the tune of averaging nearly 18 ppg and 8 rebounds this past month. As a result, the Tarheels have surged back into the Top 20, behind an 8-1 mark in the month, including 6 straight victories heading into a crucial contest against the rival Duke Blue Devils with the #1 seed in the upcoming ACC Tournament on the line.
Barnes’ NCAA learning curve was obviously a little steeper than that of other elite level prospects in the 2010 HS Class like Jared Sullinger at Ohio State and Tristan Thompson of Texas, who helped pay immediate dividends from day one. But his season stats(13.9 ppg, 5.6 rebs, and 1.4 ast) are on the rise behind a pretty impressive 2nd half which has seen him be much more aggressive with the rock on the perimeter, helping to open things up down low for teammates Tyler Zeller (14.6 ppg, 7 rebs) and John Henson (11.3 ppg, 9.6 rebs, 3.2 blk) to do their thing in the paint.
One of the highlights of Barnes’ freshman season, besides this facial against Clemson and his poster dunk against Kentucky has to be his game winning 3 point shot he drained recently to best Florida State, who were without the injured Chris Singleton. Barnes rose up and sank the eventual game winner with only 3 seconds remaining to seal the victory for UNC.
While this one may be the most dramatic, Harrison has connected on a game winner or go ahead shot in another 4 contests this season. I wonder if this will improve his stock in everyone’s 2011 NBA Mock Draft?
Check out Dick Vitale calling Harrison Barnes game winning trey vs FSU:
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen also provides content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
