GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) – North Carolina’s Joel Berry II jogged around the court in the middle of a cavernous stadium Friday, casually lofting shots and playfully jousting in the post with teammate Theo Pinson.
There were no obvious signs of distress – neither awkward gait nor grimace of pain after landing on a jumper – from the ankle injuries plaguing him as the Tar Heels prepare to face Oregon in the Final Four.
Sure, Berry looks set for Saturday’s national semifinals. But it’s unclear how much those injuries will affect his play, and that has the Tar Heels in the awfully familiar position of dealing with injury drama surrounding their floor leader at the season’s most critical time.
“I don’t think there was ever a thought in our mind that he wasn’t going to play, just the type of guy he is,” Associated Press All-American Justin Jackson said. “But it does give us more confidence knowing that he’ll be out there with us.”
This is the third time in nine seasons that North Carolina (31-7) has prepared to play NCAA Tournament games with questions about the status of a top-flight point guard on a No. 1-seeded team.