Dec. 10, 2011
Box Score 
CHAPEL HILL -- The JV men's basketball team will take a two-game losing streak into Winter Break. The Tar Heels lost to Sinclair Community College 87-85. Conner Flynn missed a three pointer at the end of regulation to win the game.
Coach Jerod Haase says, despite suffering their third loss of the season, he is pleased with his team's devotion.
"They're upset when we lose and happy when we win," he says. "They like to see each other do well, which means that they're invested and that we've become a team."
"There's nothing better than being involved when the guys care."
Overall, Haase says he is pleased with his team's performance, but the players need to control the ball better. The Heels committed 20 turnovers.
"We're gonna have some turnovers," says Haase, "but when you approach double digits, and certainly when you commit 20 turnovers, that means we're careless."
North Carolina was able to make up a seven-point halftime deficit with 13 minutes remaining in the game. The Heels pushed their lead to as many as seven points before the Tartan Pride began their comeback, led by Gavin Shulmann and Charlie Byers, who finished with 26 and 24 points respectively.
The Tartan Pride took the lead at 76-75 with seven minutes left. The teams traded baskets with Sinclair's lead oscillating between one and three points until there were two minutes remaining when Trent Maddux hit a three, which gave the Tartan Pride a six-point lead and prompted Haase to call a time out.
Out of the time out, Flynn found a cutting Christian Pulliam for his 12th assist to cut the lead to four. After a Sinclair turnover, the Tar Heels had the chance to make it a one-possession game. The Heels almost committed a turnover before Denzel Robinson gathered the ball in the paint and scored a basket.
The Tar Heels then committed two fouls to put Byers on the line for the bonus free throw attempt. Byers missed the front end of the one-and-one with 15 seconds left, and Flynn studied the defense before cutting to the basket.
The referee blew the whistle and began to signal for an offensive foul before he pointed to the floor and said Sinclair's Trent Maddux was inside the defensive arc.
Flynn went to the foul line with a chance to tie the game, but he missed both attempts. Jonathon Bibbs missed the first bonus free throw. Matt Vanhoy, who finished with a team-high eight rebounds, grabbed the miss and immediately called time out.
From the baseline, VanHoy threw a wild pass toward the offensive sideline. Pulliam and Maddux both went for the ball, and the referees determined Maddux hit the ball out of bounds.
The Tar Heels had the ball on the sideline with two seconds left. Haase called another time out.
Flynn got the inbounds pass and took the ball to the top of the key. He fumbled it as he was going up with the game-winning shot. He was still able to get a shot off, but it didn't hit the rim, and Sinclair was able to hold on for the 87-85 victory.
Kyle Currie led the Tar Heels with 15 points. Robinson, Pulliam, VanHoy and Manor were the other Tar Heels in double-figures.
North Carolina has a month off for Winter Break. They take the court again Jan. 10 against Massanutten.
Haase says he wants his team to come back from the holidays a less streaky team.
"I want them to develop some consistency," he says. "I feel like they lack that killer instinct."
