NEW ORLEANS, La. — The point guards in Monday night's North Carolina vs. Kansas men's basketball national championship game have both played in a championship game before — and it was against each other.
"It was a good game," University of Kansas point guard Dajuan Harris Jr. said when asked about the Missouri Class 5 boys state championship game from March 2019.
Harris was the point guard for Rock Bridge High School in Columbia.
Caleb Love, who starts for the Tar Heels, was on the other bench as the point guard for Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis.
"I still have a salty taste in my mouth on that one," Love said.
That's because Harris's Bruins got the best of Love's Cadets 63-59 that day, though Love was game's brightest star with 28 points.
"He was killing us, but we ended up getting some stops late," Harris said.
Love would go on to be a McDonald's All-American, while Harris was an under-the-radar recruit.
"He played great, too," Love said of Harris.
Now, the two Missouri natives meet again in another championship game — albeit on a much bigger stage.
"It will probably be another great game against us," Harris said. "I'm looking forward to the challenge. I'm ready."
As for Love, whose UNC squad is a four-point underdog to the Jayhawks, he's eager for a measure of revenge.
"It will be great to kind of get my get back," Love said with a smile.
