Hubert Davis shares value of having Puff Johnson back to full health

North Carolina coach Hubert Davis is glad to have Puff Johnson back on the court. The Tar Heels forward missed three games with a knee injury before returning Feb. 4 against Duke.

Johnson has now played three games since his return and showed his value Saturday against Clemson. He finished with eight points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal across 18 minutes in the 91-71 victory. That prompted praise from Davis in his postgame press conference.

“It’s huge (to have him back),” the coach said. “Puff, because of his size, he’s versatile. He can play the small forward (and) power forward position. He’s a guy that can stretch the floor. He can rebound. He’s an excellent offensive rebounder. Also, when he gets a defensive rebound, he has the ability to bring up the ball and make a play.

“Having him in the lineup and being able to plug him in many different ways is huge. It hurts us when Puff is out of the rotation. When he’s healthy and able to play, he gives us some really good minutes coming off the bench.”

Johnson has played the role of sixth man for UNC this season, averaging 4.3 points and 2.7 rebounds in 15.9 minutes per game. Having him back healthy should provide a major boost for the Tar Heels as they fight to earn an NCAA Tournament bid.

North Carolina (16-9, 8-6 ACC) is squarely on the bubble at the moment. The Tar Heels snapped a three-game losing streak with their win Saturday, but there is still a lot of work to do. They are currently among the “last four in” according to ESPN expert Joe Lunardi’s latest projections after finishing as national runner up a season ago.

UNC has a chance to earn a resume-building victory when it takes on No. 15 Miami at 7 p.m. ET on Monday in Chapel Hill. If the Tar Heels are to win that game, Hubert Davis knows the energy that Puff Johnson brings off the bench will be vital.