North Carolina is going to be extra cautious with junior point guard Joel Berry II during this week after he went to the locker room during part of the first half in Sunday’s win over Kentucky.
Consistently bothered by a sprained ankle during the NCAA tournament, Berry will rest a lot this week, according to North Carolina head coach Roy Williams as he is going to make sure his floor leader is as healthy as possible heading into Glendale.
“Right now I’m scared to death because I just don’t know,” Williams said to reporters about Berry’s Final Four status.
Without Berry in the lineup for part of the first half, North Carolina was able to sustain its lead on Kentucky as veteran backups like Nate Britt and Stillman White provided valuable minutes. Williams said in yesterday’s postgame that Berry actually sprained his right ankle during Saturday’s practice and hurt his left ankle during Sunday’s game against Kentucky.
Berry returned in the second half and finished with 11 points for the game as his health will be a major focal point for North Carolina’s title hopes this weekend.