By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — The stars are aligned in more ways than one as Coach Courtney Banghart enters her fifth season as Carolina’s women’s basketball coach.
A deep, talented roster with six players who were five-star recruits and five others who were four-star recruits has all the elements to contend for a national championship this year. With more talent on the way, her program has set a foundation to sustain long-term success.
So Banghart is talking about winning an NCAA title, right? If that’s what you think, you don’t know her.
The players make their goal is clear to anybody entering their Carmichael Arena dressing room. To the left of door, the players have taped a cardboard sign reading, “DO NOT ENTER final four team loading …”
Banghart quickly made three points about the sign at UNC’s media day.
—If she put up the sign, it would have been “something a little nicer than a box from the trash they use or something.”
—She isn’t the sort of coach who would put up a photo of the Final Four as motivation, which she sees as a gimmick.
—Such a proclamation only gives her another reason to get after her players in practice.
“I think it’s something about you don’t come into the locker room, you’re not thinking like this and living like this,” said Banghart, giving her interpretation of the sign. “So they’re just giving me whiteboard material. If that’s what you’re saying, then when you start to get a little finicky about playing time, let’s talk about ‘this is what you said you wanted.’ “
Banghart doesn’t talk about national titles.
“I don’t, but I’m a realist,” Banghart said. “I know they do. And the more they talk great, the more I get to yell in practice. If that’s what you want, this, this, this and this aren’t good enough. But I also don’t want to squash their dreams. You shouldn’t come to the University of North Carolina if you’re afraid to try to win a national championship. So I tell him to have courage be vulnerable, and work reps.”
The players have their eyes on the big prize, but Banghart’s focus is on how she can help them get there. She would love that end result, but she’s not thinking about that now.
“We don’t need all the gimmicks and all of that,” said Banghart, adding that if you want to be a top-five draft pick or want to have Final Four potential, “there are things that have to happen. You have to have to grow day to day, you have to get better week to week, you have to put the time in.”
Shining stars
Five stars
Ciera Toomey, No. 4 in high school Class of 2023
Teonni Key, No. 9 in Class of 2021
Deja Kelly, No. 10 in Class of 2020
Lexi Donarski, No. 14 in Class of 2020
Indya Nivar, No. 20 in Class of 2022
Anya Poole, No. 49 in Class of 2020
Four stars
Kayla McPherson, No. 17 in Class of 2021
Paulina Paris, No. 27 in Class of 2022
Reniya Kelly, No. 30 in Class of 2023
Alexandra Zelaya, No. 89 in Class of 2020
Rylee Grays, No. 90 in Class of 2023
Even with the news this week that one of those five-stars — stretch-four freshman Ciera Toomey (along with Indiana Player of the Year Laila Hull) is redshirting this season, Banghart still will have the versatility to put UNC in the national championship conversation.
But she isn’t having that conversation.
“There’s no replacement for discipline or reps in work and in life,” she said. “I don’t know the ceiling of this team yet. I’ll know more as we ebb and flow and grow. I love our schedule because we’ll have a lot of opportunities to do that. But I don’t know yet.”
That schedule includes games against some of the top teams in the country, including South Carolina, UConn, Virginia Tech, and possibly Iowa.
“I think it always comes down to how your group rolls through it,” Banghart said. “How do they ride it? And it’s some luck and timing involved as well for for part of that too. Who’s healthy when, all that good stuff. So I don’t know the ceiling. I really worked hard for the roster that’s here and I’m really happy it’s here.”
Gone from last season are three graduates (Eva Hodgson, Malu Tshitenge and Ariel Young) and two transfers (Kennedy Todd-Williams to Ole Miss and Destiny Adams to Rutgers).
Newcomers replenish the talent, though, with three transfers (Lexi Donarski from Iowa State, Maria Gakdeng from Boston College and Indya Nivar from Stanford) and five freshmen (Toomey, Hull, RyLee Grays, Reniya Kelly and Sydney Barker). Barker is a walk-on from Durham who played in the East-West Game last summer. The other four were players of the year in their states, and two (Toomey and Kelly) won state titles as seniors.
The depth should allow Banghart to increase the tempo.
“I hope so,” Banghart said. “Anytime that we can use our depth to our advantage, we will plan to do so and it’s not only utilizing the skills and talents of our current team, but it exhausts maybe some of the stars that we’re going to see on the other side of the ball.”
She claimed momentarily to forget that the Final Four this season is in Cleveland, although she’s well aware.
“It’s October,” Banghart said. “I’m not going to worry too much about what happens in April.”
Instead, she’s locked in on the process of putting the Tar Heels in position to get there.
| Date | Day/month | Time | Opponent/event (current ranks) | TV/ record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | ||||
| 30 | Thursday | L, 91–82 | No. 3 South Carolina in Atlanta | Exhib. |
| November | ||||
| 3 | Monday | W, 90–42 | vs. N.C. Central | 1–0 |
| 6 | Thursday | W, 71–37 | vs. Elon | 2–0 |
| WBCA Challenge Las Vegas | ||||
| 13 | Thursday | L, 78–60 | vs. No. 4 UCLA | 2–1 |
| 15 | Saturday | W, 82–68 | vs. Fairfield | 3–1 |
| ——————————— | ||||
| 20 | Thursday | W, 85–50 | at N.C. A&T | 4–1 |
| 23 | Sunday | W, 94–48 | vs. UNCG | 5–1 |
| Cancun Challenge Cancun, Mexico | ||||
| 27 | Thursday | W, 83–48 | vs. South Dakota St. | 6–1 |
| 28 | Friday | W, 85–73 | vs. Kansas State | 7–1 |
| 29 | Saturday | W, 80–63 | vs. Columbia | 8–1 |
| December | ACC/SEC Women’s Challenge | |||
| 4 | Thursday | W, 79–64 | at No. 2 Texas | 8–2 |
| ——————————— | ||||
| 7 | Sunday | W, 82–40 | vs. Boston Univ. | 9–2 |
| 14 | Sunday | L, 76–66, OT | vs. No. 10 Louisville | 9–3, 0–1 ACC |
| 17 | Wednesday | W, 84–34 | vs. UNCW | 10–3 |
| 21 | Sunday | W, 93–74 | vs. Charleston Southern | 11–3 |
| 29 | Monday | W, 90–38 | at Boston College | 12–3, 1–0 ACC |
| January | ||||
| 1 | Thursday | W, 71–55 | vs. California | 13–3, 2–0 |
| 4 | Sunday | L, 77–71, OT | vs. Stanford | 13–4, 2–1 |
| 11 | Sunday | L, 73–50 | at Notre Dame | 13–5, 2–2 |
| 15 | Thursday | 7 p.m. | vs. Miami | ACCN Extra |
| 18 | Sunday | 2 p.m. | at Florida State | The CW |
| 22 | Thursday | 8 p.m. | at Georgia Tech | ACCN |
| 25 | Sunday | 2 p.m. | vs. Syracuse | The CW |
| February | ||||
| 2 | Monday | 6 p.m. | at N.C. State | ESPN2 |
| 5 | Thursday | 7 p.m. | vs. Clemson | ACCN |
| 8 | Sunday | 2 p.m. | vs. Wake Forest | ACCN |
| 12 | Thursday | 6 p.m. | vs. SMU | ACCN |
| 15 | Sunday | 1 p.m. | at Duke | ABC |
| 19 | Thursday | 6 p.m. | at Virginia Tech | ACCN |
| 22 | Sunday | Noon | vs. Pittsburgh | ACCN |
| 26 | Thursday | 7 p.m. | at Virginia | ACCN Extra |
| March | ||||
| 1 | Sunday | Noon | vs. Duke | ESPN |
| ACC tournament | ||||
| 4–8 | Wed.-Sun | Gas South Arena, Duluth, Ga. | ||
| NCAA tournament | ||||
| 20–24 | Fri.-Mon. | First, second rounds | ||
| 27–30 | Fri.-Mon. | Regionals Fort Worth, Texas, and Sacramento, Calif. | ||
| April | ||||
| 3, 5 | Fri., Sun | Final Four Phoenix |
| Year | No. | Players | Pos. | Height | |
| Freshman | 5 | Liza Astakhova (LEE-zah uh-STAH-koh-vuh) | W | 6–2 | |
| Freshman | 7 | Nyla Brooks | W | 6–1 | |
| Brooks brings dazzling skills, confidence to UNC | |||||
| Freshman | 3 | Taliyah Henderson | W | 6–1 | |
| Long wait, journey for 5-star freshman Henderson after second knee surgery nearly over | |||||
| Freshman | 26 | Taissa Queiroz | G | 6–1 | |
| Queiroz came to USA from Brazil to chase her dreams | |||||
| Sophomore | 17 | Elina Aarnisalo (EH-lee-nah AHR-nee-sah-loh) | G | 5–10 | |
| Aarnisalo brings flash, IQ and pro experience to backcourt | |||||
| Sophomore | 0 | Lanie Grant | G | 5–9 | |
| Sophomore | 34 | Blanca Thomas | C | 6–5 | |
| Sophomore | 1 | Jordan Zubich | G | 5–11 | |
| RS sophomore | 21 | Ciera Toomey | F | 6–4 | |
| RS sophomore | 4 | Laila Hull | W | 6–1 | |
| Junior | 10 | Reniya Kelly | PG | 5–7 | |
| Junior | 15 | Sydney Barker | PG | 5–6 | |
| Senior | 2 | Nyla Harris | F | 6–2 | |
| It was hard for Harris to say ‘no’ to UNC again | |||||
| Senior | 24 | Indya Nivar | G | 5–10 |
Class of 2025
| Player | Rating | ESPN rank | Position | Height | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nyla Brooks | Five star | No. 13 | Wing | 6–2 | Alexandria, Va. |
| Taliyah Henderson | Five star | No. 27 | Wing | 6–1 | Vail, Ariz. |
| Taissa Queiroz | Four star | No. 77 | Guard | 6–1 | Santa Rosa, Calif. |
| Liza Astakhova | — | — | Wing | 6–1 | Moscow, Russia |
| Date | Day/month | Time | Opponent/event (current ranks) | TV/ record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | ||||
| 30 | Thursday | L, 91–82 | No. 3 South Carolina in Atlanta | Exhib. |
| November | ||||
| 3 | Monday | W, 90–42 | vs. N.C. Central | 1–0 |
| 6 | Thursday | W, 71–37 | vs. Elon | 2–0 |
| WBCA Challenge Las Vegas | ||||
| 13 | Thursday | L, 78–60 | vs. No. 4 UCLA | 2–1 |
| 15 | Saturday | W, 82–68 | vs. Fairfield | 3–1 |
| ——————————— | ||||
| 20 | Thursday | W, 85–50 | at N.C. A&T | 4–1 |
| 23 | Sunday | W, 94–48 | vs. UNCG | 5–1 |
| Cancun Challenge Cancun, Mexico | ||||
| 27 | Thursday | W, 83–48 | vs. South Dakota St. | 6–1 |
| 28 | Friday | W, 85–73 | vs. Kansas State | 7–1 |
| 29 | Saturday | W, 80–63 | vs. Columbia | 8–1 |
| December | ACC/SEC Women’s Challenge | |||
| 4 | Thursday | W, 79–64 | at No. 2 Texas | 8–2 |
| ——————————— | ||||
| 7 | Sunday | W, 82–40 | vs. Boston Univ. | 9–2 |
| 14 | Sunday | L, 76–66, OT | vs. No. 10 Louisville | 9–3, 0–1 ACC |
| 17 | Wednesday | W, 84–34 | vs. UNCW | 10–3 |
| 21 | Sunday | W, 93–74 | vs. Charleston Southern | 11–3 |
| 29 | Monday | W, 90–38 | at Boston College | 12–3, 1–0 ACC |
| January | ||||
| 1 | Thursday | W, 71–55 | vs. California | 13–3, 2–0 |
| 4 | Sunday | L, 77–71, OT | vs. Stanford | 13–4, 2–1 |
| 11 | Sunday | L, 73–50 | at Notre Dame | 13–5, 2–2 |
| 15 | Thursday | 7 p.m. | vs. Miami | ACCN Extra |
| 18 | Sunday | 2 p.m. | at Florida State | The CW |
| 22 | Thursday | 8 p.m. | at Georgia Tech | ACCN |
| 25 | Sunday | 2 p.m. | vs. Syracuse | The CW |
| February | ||||
| 2 | Monday | 6 p.m. | at N.C. State | ESPN2 |
| 5 | Thursday | 7 p.m. | vs. Clemson | ACCN |
| 8 | Sunday | 2 p.m. | vs. Wake Forest | ACCN |
| 12 | Thursday | 6 p.m. | vs. SMU | ACCN |
| 15 | Sunday | 1 p.m. | at Duke | ABC |
| 19 | Thursday | 6 p.m. | at Virginia Tech | ACCN |
| 22 | Sunday | Noon | vs. Pittsburgh | ACCN |
| 26 | Thursday | 7 p.m. | at Virginia | ACCN Extra |
| March | ||||
| 1 | Sunday | Noon | vs. Duke | ESPN |
| ACC tournament | ||||
| 4–8 | Wed.-Sun | Gas South Arena, Duluth, Ga. | ||
| NCAA tournament | ||||
| 20–24 | Fri.-Mon. | First, second rounds | ||
| 27–30 | Fri.-Mon. | Regionals Fort Worth, Texas, and Sacramento, Calif. | ||
| April | ||||
| 3, 5 | Fri., Sun | Final Four Phoenix |
Top photo courtesy of UNC Athletics Communications
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