When the final buzzer sounded in the ACC tournament semifinal between North Carolina and Duke, all eyes were on Jae-Lyn Withers. The Tar Heels veteran had just been called for a lane violation with 4.1 seconds remaining—a moment that erased a game-tying free throw and ultimately contributed to North Carolina’s 74-71 loss to their archrivals.
As Withers walked through the postgame handshake line with tears streaming down his face, a teammate gently tossed a towel over his head—a simple gesture of protection and solidarity that speaks volumes about what true teamwork looks like.
We All Make Mistakes
Basketball, like life, is filled with moments where split-second decisions can have significant consequences. Withers’ lane violation wasn’t the first mistake made in a high-stakes game, and it certainly won’t be the last. Every player who has ever competed knows the feeling of making an error at a crucial moment.
What matters isn’t the mistake itself, but how we respond to it—and how those around us respond.
One Play Doesn’t Determine a Game
The narrative that emerged from the North Carolina locker room after the loss wasn’t about blame or finger-pointing. It was about perspective.
“It was a lot more to blame than a lane violation,” teammate Ven-Allen Lubin said afterward. “We made a ton of mistakes throughout the game. We were in that position trying to dig ourselves out of it.”
The Tar Heels had trailed by as many as 24 points in the second half. The fact that they were even in position to tie the game in the final seconds represented an extraordinary comeback effort by the entire team. The lane violation was just one of countless plays that influenced the outcome.
United as One
What stands out most about North Carolina’s response to the heartbreaking loss wasn’t just that no player blamed Withers—it’s how emphatically they rallied around him. When Seth Trimble was asked about the game’s conclusion, he immediately shifted focus to the collective effort: “We really had that game. I think we’re an overtime session away from winning that game. But I’m not bashing [Withers]. We do any other things different, and it’s a different game.”
Coach Hubert Davis refused to even address questions about the lane violation, instead emphasizing his team’s resilience and growth throughout the season. This unwavering support demonstrates what true team culture looks like—standing together through both triumphs and disappointments.
Learning from Mistakes
The most powerful lessons often come from our most difficult moments. For young athletes watching this scenario unfold, there’s an important takeaway: mistakes are not failures—they’re opportunities for growth.
North Carolina’s season had already been filled with adversity before this game, as RJ Davis noted: “Look at the trajectory of our whole season, the way we dealt with adversity and our perseverance, especially these last couple weeks.”
The Tar Heels had gone 9-3 in their previous 12 games, showing remarkable improvement and mental toughness. Each setback had seemingly made them stronger, more cohesive, and more determined.
We’ve All Been There
Everyone who has ever competed in sports—or faced challenges in any aspect of life—has experienced moments of regret. We’ve all missed shots, made errors in judgment, or fallen short when the pressure was highest. These moments don’t define us unless we allow them to.
What defines us is our resilience, our willingness to keep competing, and our commitment to supporting those around us when they face similar struggles.
A Team Worth Joining
The way Withers’ teammates and coaches rallied around him in a difficult moment exemplifies the kind of team culture that transcends wins and losses. They understood that basketball is ultimately about more than just the score—it’s about growth, connection, and character.
Jae-Lyn Withers is more than just that one play. He’s a talented athlete who has contributed greatly to his team throughout his career. The tears he shed walking through the handshake line weren’t just about disappointment—they reflected how deeply he cared about his teammates and their shared goals.
In the end, North Carolina demonstrated that true strength isn’t about never making mistakes—it’s about how we respond when mistakes inevitably occur. It’s about lifting each other up rather than tearing each other down. It’s about remembering that we succeed together and we fail together.
That’s the kind of team we should all aspire to be part of—not just in sports, but in every aspect of our lives.
