It’s a shame that Tyler Nickel isn’t already suiting up for the North Carolina Tar Heels. They could use him this year to stay alive for March Madness. Nickel is one of the three players in the school’s 2022 recruiting class, but he remains alone at the top of the all-time scoring list in Virginia.
This comes as he put up another spectacular performance on Tuesday night for East Rockingham High School. At this rate, he could be everything the Tar Heels need when he becomes part of the team next year.
Tar Heels Commit Stands Alone
Nickel is a 6’8″, 210-pound forward from Elkton, VA. This past Tuesday, he scored 37 points in a victory over Strasburg. With that, his career total of scoring points has risen to 2,804. This surpasses the 2,801 record set by Mac McClung, a former Gate City star and current South Bay Lakers guard.
Nickel broke the record with a breakaway dunk during the fourth quarter. The East Rockingham crowd roared at Nickel’s accomplishment and gave him a long-standing ovation. He then hugged his coaches and parents and took the ball off the court. That’s going to be a collector’s item one day.
Nickel On Course for a Bright Future
Nickel is number 81 in the recruiting class of 2022. He continued to sink two free throws in the final quarter of the game, sealing the win for his team, who will now face Madison County in the semifinals of Region 2B Tournament.
Nickel will be taking the court for the remainder of the season. He’ll do something he has been doing all season: build on a record with his name attached.
Tar Heels Need Help This Season
It’s a shame Nickel isn’t able to help the Tar Heels this season. They’re on the verge of missing out on March Madness next month, although they still have a shot. The team has qualified for the ten last tournaments, which is the fourth-longest streak of active participation in the country.
However, this streak is in danger. The team is now on the margin of the NCAA tournament, also known as the bubble, after not meeting preseason expectations.
Adding victories is the best way to get out of the bubble. Inconsistent play is the main reason why most teams find themselves in this spot. North Carolina can quickly get out of this group by putting together a string of wins.
To get in, you don’t have to beat all the best; you only have to be better than the rest. UNC achieved this feat on Saturday. The Tar Heels, coming off their first really bad loss of the season, a nine-point home defeat to Pitt, traveled to Virginia Tech to claim their best win of this season.
According to NCAA’s NET rankings, North Carolina’s win against the Wolverines was not a Quad 1 win. The Tar Heels’ win against the Quad 1 Hokies on Saturday was their first and could have given them the boost they need to qualify for Selection Sunday.
