WALDRON GRAIN & FUEL

03/06 15:49 CST North Carolina star Caleb Wilson breaks right thumb in practice and is out for the season North Carolina star Caleb Wilson breaks right thumb in practice and is out for the season By AARON BEARD AP Basketball Writer Caleb Wilson appeared close to returning for No. 17 North Carolina from a fracture to his left hand, just in time for the peak of March. Instead, the star freshman and high-end NBA prospect is abruptly done for the season after suffering a new injury. The school announced Friday that Wilson will need surgery after breaking his right thumb in a non-contact drill suffered during Thursday's practice. The news comes on the eve of a second matchup with No. 1 Duke, less than a week from the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament and roughly two weeks from the start of March Madness. It was a shocking change to Wilson's trajectory as the Tar Heels' scoring and rebounding leader inched his way back from the injury suffered in a Feb. 10 loss at Miami. He had been cleared for individual work late last week, and had shed his cast and was focusing on non-contact work like dribbling and shooting. Before Thursday's practice, coach Hubert Davis told reporters that Wilson was increasing his work but had yet to be cleared for 5-on-5 action. According to the school's release, Wilson was hurt while dunking later that day. The Tar Heels had gone 5-1 in his absence, including a home win against then-ranked Louisville and Tuesday's win against Clemson in UNC's home finale. And Wilson had been on the bench, eagerly jumping around and cheering on teammates with his left hand in the cast. Only now, the buzz that had built about Wilson's approaching return is gone. The 6-foot-10, 215-pound freshman from Atlanta was averaging team-highs of 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds, providing elite athleticism, intense competitiveness and go-go-go motor. He had also endeared himself to fans with his exuberant energy and public comments about wanting to make a mark in his time in Chapel Hill. He went out in his second game and dropped 24 points on 9-for-11 shooting in a win against Kansas and fellow top NBA prospect Darryn Peterson, saying afterward: "I want to let the world know who I am for sure." And he was a standout in the first meeting against the rival Blue Devils. Wilson had 17 first-half points in a one-man show that helped the Tar Heels hang in the game early, finishing with 23 points in a win that came on Seth Trimble's last-second 3-pointer in an epic finish to the storied rivalry. Wilson was injured in the next game at Miami, coming as he closed out on Noam Dovrat's 3-pointer from the top, with Dovrat hitting the shot while being fouled at the 5:34 mark and both players falling to the court. Wilson kept playing before checking out in the second half, then headed to the tunnel for evaluation by trainer Doug Halverson. He later returned with 8:47 remaining, his left wrist and palm area heavily taped as he finished with a season-low 12 points. The team said X-rays at the time were negative for a fracture, but additional imagining done after the team returned to Chapel Hill discovered the fracture in his left hand. That turned out to be his last action of the season, and his college career if he goes the expected one-and-done route with his high-lottery draft projection. The Tar Heels (24-6, 12-5) were locked into the No. 4 seed at next week's ACC Tournament regardless of Saturday's outcome at Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium in the regular-season finale. The Blue Devils have won seven straight since that Feb. 7 loss at UNC, a neutral-court win against then-No. 1 Michigan and last weekend's 26-point win against now-No. 13 Virginia. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball