The Carolina basketball team had a strong showing against Winston-Salem State, scoring 95-53 in an exhibition match. Four players, including Caleb Wilson, Henri Veesaar, Seth Trimble, and Jarin Stevenson, stood out by reaching double figures.
Caleb Wilson was a highlight, dominating the game with 23 points and 10 rebounds. His shooting was impressive—he made 9 of 13 shots and hit all five free throws. As a freshman, Wilson is quickly becoming a player to watch.
While the first half was a bit rough, the second half saw Carolina’s height and skill take over. In the first half, they struggled with three-point shooting, hitting only 3 of 12 attempts. However, they found their rhythm later, ending up with 12 of 32 from beyond the arc. Jarin Stevenson and Jaydon Young contributed valuable three-pointers.
With a notable size advantage, Carolina controlled the paint, outscoring their opponents 36-16 in that area and dominating the boards with a 49-31 rebounding margin. Luka Bogavac didn’t play, which may have affected perimeter shooting, but the team managed well without him.
Wilson was a key player in the first half, scoring 17 points in just 13 minutes, including an exciting dunk that got the crowd on their feet. His recent comments on dunking mechanics in a podcast interview are worth checking out for basketball fans.
Recalling past defensive greats like John Henson, this year’s team seems to have a pretty disruptive edge. Veesaar and Wilson, along with Jarin Stevenson and Zayden High, have the length to challenge opposing teams, which could be crucial in close games.
Head coach Hubert Davis stressed the need for better ball control in practices following a game against BYU. The team showed improvement by limiting careless turnovers to just eight during this game.
Looking ahead, all eyes are on the regular-season opener against Central Arkansas on Monday at 7 PM. After that, they’ll face a tough matchup against Kansas on November 7.
With a promising roster and solid performance, it looks like an exciting season ahead for Carolina basketball.
