Brady Manek reveals plan to slow down Paolo Banchero

Brady Manek and Paolo Banchero have both put together strong seasons for their respective programs, and now they’re set for a marquee matchup in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday night.

In what will mark the third meeting of the season between North Carolina and Duke, Manek and Banchero will again be matched-up with each other and going toe-to-toe – especially with a national championship game appearance on the line. Heading into the big game, Manek was asked what his plan is to try and slow down Banchero on Saturday.

“He’s a really good player,” Manek said of Banchero. “He’s tough. He shoots it well. He drives it well. He’s a big guy. He’s hard to guard. So, just trying to limit as much as possible and just play hard.”

Banchero – a former On3 Consensus five-star recruit – has played a big role for Duke this season, averaging 17.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game on 47.8% shooting. In two games against North Carolina in 2021-22, Banchero has put up 13 and 23 points, respectively.

Looking at Manek, the veteran forward who’s playing his fifth season of college basketball is averaging 15.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game on 49.5% shooting. In two games against Duke in 2021-22, Manek has tallied 21 and 20 points, respectively.

A pair of standout players who consistently compete at the highest level, Saturday’s matchup between Manek and Banchero is bound to be another exciting battle.

No. 8 seeded North Carolina and No. 2 Duke are set to tipoff at 8:49 p.m. ET on Saturday at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, with TBS carrying the national broadcast. The winner will face the No. 1 Kansas/No. 2 Villanova winner in Monday night’s national championship game.

Manek: ‘I didn’t expect to be in this stage’ after transferring from Oklahoma

Meeting with reporters this week, Brady Manek was asked what it has meant to him to be able to transfer to such a storied program like North Carolina and make a Final Four run this season.

“It’s special,” Manek said. “When I decided to come here, I knew the history. I knew that North Carolina plays in big games. I didn’t expect to be in this stage, but the way the year has gone, the last month and a half for us, it’s been unbelievable. … And we’ve been playing really well and we’ve earned it – and that is why we are here.”