After guiding North Carolina to the Final Four in his first season, Hubert Davis was overcome with emotion during the on-court interview with CBS following Sunday’s victory over Saint Peter’s.
Davis, who played for the Tar Heels from 1988 to ’92 and was an assistant coach under former head coach Roy Williams, waited a long time for an opportunity to lead a college basketball program.
After Williams retired following last season after a Hall of Fame career, Davis was promoted to head coach at the recommendation of Williams.
Davis and Williams have a very close relationship, and Williams was on hand on Sunday to watch Davis pursue his dream of coaching his alma mater to a Final Four.
“It’s perhaps, for me, the greatest moment in my basketball career. I’ve never had any more faith and love for one man and to think that he’s just won it—he’s been better than I ever was, right now,” Williams told Luke DeCock of the News & Observer.
An emotional Davis was caught on video during the trophy presentation pointing in the stands to Williams and shouting “thank you”.
While praise has been heaped on Davis for getting his players to gel at the right time of year, he pointed all credit back to the team.
“I’m just so happy for them,” Davis said.
“I really wanted this for them. I just desperately wanted this for them. I love these guys so much, they trusted me in my first year, they allowed me to coach them and allowed me to be in their life. I’m here because of them. It has nothing to do with coaching, it’s all them and I’m just … it’s tears of joy being able to be in their lives.”
Carolina will now head to New Orleans for the Final Four next Saturday against Duke. Tip-off on Saturday night will be at 8:49 p.m. ET and the game will be televised on TBS.
