Excitement in the Air (Part 2): UNC Welcomes Jamie Cherry

What else is there to be excited about for North Carolina Women's Basketball this season?  There's a new face on the roster.  UNC signed one player in the 2014 class.  North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year Jamie Cherry joined the North Carolina Women’s Basketball team this year.  (photo is from www.goheels.com)

 

An article on www.goheels.com provides some great details on the new Tar Heel. http://www.goheels.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=209306249

 As a fan, what is not to love about her.  She’s small but powerful, is quick, has a nice jumper, doesn’t appear afraid of contact and to me, what’s really important?  She is passionate about being on the team.  Every team has or should have a goal to sign their state’s top talent if the academics work unless the team just doesn’t currently have a need in the player’s position and in my humble opinion getting Jamie (Cherry) is going to pay off big time. 

By her own account, she grew up admiring UNC great Ivory Latta and more than one person told me I would see the similarities between them once Jamie arrived.  What UNC Women’s basketball fan isn’t going to be excited hearing that.  But that’s a notion I placed in the back of my mind.  You want to see each player be free to walk their own path and have their own identity.  Besides, there’s only one Ivory Latta.  But she’d be coaching Jamie and how great would that be for her to learn directly from UNC’s most successful point guard.

I’ve had two chances to watch Jamie now.  Just two; but, I came away excited about what she will contribute to the program.  I imagine her heart was beating almost out of her chest in the moment.  Must seem like ages ago sometimes that she gave UNC the verbal.  Then finally it was game day, even if it is an exhibition and she’s first in line when they run out on to the court (since they come out by height).  She left her mark on the game scoring in double figures.  She came off the bench in the first half once they got her jersey from the locker room.  We’ll just call that a slight delay due to a wardrobe malfunction.  I’m sure she will look back on it and laugh.  I can just imagine how her teammates are giving her some good natured kidding on this one. Chalk it up to off the charts excitement. (photo is from www.goheels.com)

 

She’s not shy about shooting and hit a few nice shots and was good at the free-throw line.  And she got those chances at the free throw line because she was super aggressive on the offensive end using her quickness to drive to the basket.  What I was most impressed with though was the defensive intensity I saw. Defense can take a team a long way and is a staple of Carolina Women’s Basketball.  It also carries with it a stiff learning curve for freshmen; but, I saw her keeping people in front of her, staying low, exerting pressure on the ball and using her feet well.  As she settles in I can see her wreaking havoc and taking advantage of every minute she is on the court.

 

As a fan one of the advantages we have in women's basketball is that we get to see the players develop over a four year career and our lone freshman has a tremendous upside.  She’s definitely one of my reasons to be excited about the season.