The University of North Carolina (UNC) men’s basketball team defeated Notre Dame 84-51 to mark Senior Night. Cormac Ryan, a graduate student guard, was among the seniors honoured. His great passion for the game has left a lasting influence on his teammates and coaches.
Cormac Ryan and the UNC
Ryan provides much more to the Tar Heels than simply points. He’s known for being tough and fierce and is constantly committed to defence, avoiding players like Notre Dame’s Markus Burton, who had been averaging 27 points in his previous three games but was restricted to only nine against UNC.
Ryan isn’t often the team’s top scorer, but his leadership and defence are critical to their success. It’s true, according to head coach Hubert Davis, who credits Ryan’s “competitiveness to step up and defend” as a major factor for the team’s success.
“I always just go out and compete,” Ryan remarked. “I really, and I say this with all due respect, I could care less who we’re playing. I try and bring the same level of intensity and fire to every game.”
Cormac believes he is passionate about the game, despite his serious demeanour. He always gives his all, regardless of who he’s playing against, and he brings the same fire and intensity to each game. Ryan’s former Notre Dame friends, like Matt Zona, know how determined he is and claim he “hates losing.”
He is more than just a valuable asset on the court; he also sets a positive example for his younger friends and also has a strong sense of community and loves his fellow seniors’ triumphs, ensuring that they leave the course “on a high note.”
Ryan’s friends often make fun of him since he is more mature, but it is evident that he enjoys the game and cares about his team. He is a valuable asset to the UNC programme, and his impact will extend far beyond his final season in Carolina Blue.
“He brings so much to this team that allows us to be successful,” head coach Hubert Davis remarked following last week’s win over North Carolina State. “Not just the shooting and his leadership, but his competitiveness to step up and defend.”
