UNC Basketball: Joel Berry to miss time with broken hand

UNC will be without point guard and leader Joel Berry for at least a month.

As we approach the start of the 2017-18 college basketball season in just two weeks, the University of North Carolina received some disappointing news.

On Monday, the program announced that senior point guard Joel Berry will miss at least 4 weeks with a broken bone in his right hand.

The school sent out the release but did not include when or how the injury happened.

Berry decided to return to UNC for his senior season after helping the program win their sixth national championship by beating Gonzaga in April.

The point guard was named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player, putting up impressive games against both Oregon and Gonzaga.

But now, when the Tar Heels open up the season on Nov. 10 against Northern Iowa, Berry will have to sit out.

With Berry out, sophomore guard Seventh Woods will likely assume the starting job to begin the season.

It also means freshman Jalek Felton could see an increase in action. Felton is a combo guard but could find himself playing more point guard early on in the season.

We don’t know for sure what head coach Roy Williams will do but we will find out soon enough.

As for Berry’s timetable, the injury is at least 4 weeks meaning he could be back in time for the Phil Knight 80 Invitational in Portland.

If UNC goes by today’s date as the timetable, 4 weeks would be on Nov. 20. Berry will miss the games against Northern Iowa and Bucknell.

The Tar Heels play at Stanford on Nov. 20 just before the PK80 tournament.

Berry averaged 14.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game for UNC in 2016-17.