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Projected UNC basketball starter cleared moments before Monday's season-opener
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- Projected UNC basketball starter cleared moments before Monday's season-opener
College basketball season is officially here. On Monday night, the North Carolina Tar Heels begin their highly-anticipated campaign against Central Arkansas.
One of the greatest question marks heading in Monday's season-opener focused on Luka Bogavac , the 22-year-old, international wing who played four seasons of professional basketball overseas. The NCAA previously cleared Bogavac , but he didn't appear in either of UNC's preseason contests.
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Great news. Just moments before Monday evening's tip-off, North Carolina officially announced Bogavac's clearance to play.
This means that Bogavac can play right away, which is a huge benefit for the Tar Heels . Jarin Stevenson started both preseason matchups – at BYU and against Winston-Salem State – but Bogavac provides UNC with a more experienced option.
Given Bogavac's absence from live game action, with the exception of North Carolina's Blue-White Scrimmage in October, don't be shocked if he plays very few minutes Monday night. Bogavac still practiced with his teammates while awaiting an officially eligibility decision, though, so he may play starting minutes.
With Bogavac now back in the fold, UNC likely rolls with him and West Virginia transfer Jonathan Powell at the wing. Stevenson started at small forward in both preseason contests, showcasing his needed versatility for the Tar Heels, but he likely sees more minutes at power forward with Caleb Wilson.
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Bogavac brings a needed perimeter shooting element to North Carolina, which looks for that consistent 3-point shooter all great teams have. Ian Jackson and Drake Powell proved to be top options from beyond the arc a season ago, but both are now gone.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC's Luka Bogavac cleared moments before Monday's season-opener
