The Tar Heels’ untimely loss on Sunday evening marked the end of an incredible run for two Tar Heels in particular on the Carolina basketball team.
Joel Berry and Theo Pinson committed to play basketball at UNC when the university was facing an investigation that could have brought the program to its knees. Then they went on to lead their team through controversy to two straight appearances in the Final Four, the second of which they walked away from with a national championship.
These two players meant the world to Roy Williams, which was clear in his postgame press conference after Texas A&M upset the Tar Heels in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.
“These two guys right here particularly have been involved in some of the greatest moments I’ve ever had.” – Roy Williams on Joel Berry & Theo Pinson. pic.twitter.com/1JT08NpqPI
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) March 19, 2018
“These two guys up here have given me so many thrills and have taken me for so many unbelievable rides. That’s the overwhelming feeling that I have right now,” Williams began. “It’s one of sorrow and sadness because we didn’t play as well as we wanted to play. I didn’t picture it ending like this. I pictured it ending with these guys having a huge smile on their face, but that’s not college basketball.”
“These two guys right here particularly have been involved in some of the greatest moments I’ve ever had and right now I’m very appreciative for them and I can’t think of any time when I’m sadder,” Williams concluded.
Of course, both Berry and Pinson had high praise for Williams as well, but their comments weren’t nearly as heartbreaking as their coaches. Nobody was more sad to see the Berry and Pinson era come to a close in Chapel Hill.