Zeller's sacrifice helps Tar Heels make Final Four

DETROIT

Tyler Zeller's big gamble six weeks ago has helped North Carolina back to the Final Four.

The decision to return in mid-February, after Zeller missed most of the season because of a broken left wrist, cost him a season's eligibility, which he could have been preserved by redshirting.

But Zeller, a 7-foot freshman forward, only wanted to help the team, and he thought that any playing time would be a bonus for next season.

"It was definitely a tough decision, but I've never regretted it since I made it," Zeller said.

Zeller will come off the bench again Saturday when UNC plays Villanova in the national semifinals. His role is to let starters Tyler Hansbrough or Deon Thompson rest for a few minutes or sit if they're in foul trouble.

Zeller broke his wrist Nov. 18, in a fall at the end of a win against Kentucky, and missed 23 games before returning Feb. 18 against N.C. State. He's back to 100 percent and has little or no pain in the wrist, but he admits that he has been playing catch-up on the court.

"I'm missing the experience all these guys have this year," Zeller said. "And that's something you can't really get without playing. It's one of those things that I'm trying to get as much as possible as quick as possible, and be able to help them out."

Zeller has played in all four of UNC's NCAA Tournament games and is averaging seven minutes, a far cry from the 22.5 minutes he averaged playing the first two games of the season in place of the injured Hansbrough. Zeller is averaging 2.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in the tournament and had eight rebounds in 13 minutes in a first-round win over Radford. He looks comfortable playing again and with each game seems a little more assured taking shots or going for rebounds.

Coach Roy Williams is also growing more confident about when he can play Zeller.

"It's been beneficial for the team," Williams said. "Deep down, I wish I could give him more minutes now. I think that would be more beneficial to him. We talked about it and we said, ‘It's got to be the team first.'

"He missed so much time that he didn't have opportunities to gain his confidence against someone maybe not quite as big or strong as who he's been playing against recently."

Williams did not expect Zeller to return and at one point said that bringing him back for just a handful of games would be stupid on his part.

Zeller lifted weights with his right arm after surgery to continue growing stronger for next season, then began running. He started doing small things in practice to help, and he and Williams started talking about a possible comeback.

Zeller wasn't sure at first that he could recover sufficiently to play this season.

"It never seemed realistic," he said. "It was one of those things where I said, `I've got to lift weights; I've got to get stronger so I can come back this year,' but it never really seemed realistic until Coach called me in. I was like, ‘I might be able to do this.' Still at that point I was a little iffy about doing it."

More talks with Williams followed, and Williams and Zeller had a teleconference with Zeller's parents back home in Washington, Ind.

"I was really the only one ever afraid because my dad told me it was my decision," Zeller said. "My mom told me it was my decision.

"My dad actually said at one time, ‘It's up to you and Tyler,' talking to Coach. And Coach was like, ‘It's not up to me, it's up to him.' They gave me their input and told me what was best for me, and I just went with that."

The risk was in the amount of games Zeller might play -- as many as 14 or as few as seven, depending on what UNC did in the ACC and NCAA tournaments. Saturday's game will be his 12th.

Guard Wayne Ellington said he wasn't surprised that Zeller came back.

"That's his character; that's the kind of guy he is," Ellington said. "He always thinks team first. He knew that he could contribute and help us. In any little type of way, he knew that he wanted to come back and do that for us."

Freshman guard Larry Drew didn't expect Zeller to return but looking back understands why a comeback was possible.

"I'm not going to say he was in misery," Drew said. "I remember the day after it happened. He told me he had broken his wrist and he was probably going to be out for the season but he was all smiles.

"I was like, ‘If somebody told me my season had ended, I would be pretty upset.' He kept his head up, and I admire him for that. It's his attitude."

Zeller said he learns something every game. The process started his first night back, when he played eight minutes and had two points, three rebounds and four fouls in an 89-80 win over N.C. State.

"I wasn't sure that I'd be part of (the Final Four)," Zeller said. "It all worked out. I thank God every day that it all worked out so well."

■ Bill Cole can be reached at bcole@wsjournal.com
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