University of Virginia Library

Pre-Game Interview

Tar Heel Stars Talk To CD

By Ted McKean
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Saturday afternoon before the
game, Mount Vernon Motel. All-America
Larry Miller reclines on
his bed, muscles rippling. In another
room, Charlie Scott, clad in
a pair of shorts, rubs lotion into
his sinewy legs.

CD: First off, Larry, why did you
choose to go to Carolina?

Miller: In addition to a good
basketball program, Carolina has a
good atmosphere- good people,
good parties.

CD: What other schools did you
consider?

Miller: Duke and Michigan State.

CD: To what do you attribute
North Carolina's success this season?

Miller: Depth, versatility, and
teamwork. There are no animosities
on our team-we are all best
of friends on and off the court.

CD: How great is the student
support for the team?

Miller: Not as good as you think.
We are somewhat taken for
granted. It's our own pride that
wins us games.

CD: What would you say is your
role on the team?

Miller: I have to do a little bit
of everything-play defense, score,
rebound. Grubar is our playmaker.
He's very unselfish.

CD: Does Carolina really miss
Bobby Lewis this year?

Miller: At times a lot, at times
Charlie (Scott) makes up for it.
Lewis was more consistent. Charlie
has unlimited potential though.
He should be an All-American next
year, definitely. If I weren't on
the team, he'd probably be All-America
this year.

CD: How did Carolina recruit
Charlie Scott?

Miller: We were honest with him.
He's a different kind of Negro,
not run of the mill-very intelligent.
I personally told him that he could
be on a real winner if he came
here. The situation for Negro girls
is also good in Chapel Hill.

CD: Do you think you can win
the ACC Tournament?

Miller: We should get into the
finals at least. The hardest part
is to win in the Conference.

CD: Do you think then that the
Tournament is unfair?

Miller: I don't think it's fair if
we go undefeated. It's not really
needed.

CD: How good is the ACC compared
to other conferences, like the
Big Five?

Miller: It's one of the top three
in the country, pretty well balanced
usually. Our top teams can
compete against anyone. Take
Duke of course, and South Carolina
and N.C. State-they could
play with anyone.

CD: What about Dean Smith's
coaching?

Miller: He's a real smart coach;
a tactician and fundamentalist.

CD: How do you think you'll
do in the NCAA Tournament?

Miller: We'll have to get by the
ACC Tournament, Davidson, then
the Ivy winner, before we face
either Houston or UCLA. Our only
loss has been to Vanderbilt, when
we thought we were invincible, if
that's an indication.

CD: What do you do in the summer
to stay in shape?

Miller: Not enough, but I do play
some. If you come to Catasaqua,
I'm the fat guy on the court.
I was up to 240 at one point this
summer.

The interview then shifted to
Charlie Scott, North Carolina's
prize sophomore, and only
incidentally a Negro.

CD: Charlie, why did you choose
North Carolina?

Scott: There are a lot of Negroes
in the school. I liked the cosmopolitan,
congenial atmosphere. It's
a good place for a basketball player
as well as a student.

CD: Were you contacted by Virginia?

Scott: Yes, Mr. Gibson did talk
to me, but my final choices were
Carolina, Duke, and Davidson. I
wanted to go to school in the South.

The interview was cut short, as
Scott had to leave shortly for the
night's game.