Monthly Archives: June 2010

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NBAPA Top 100 Camp – Day One Report

 
Marshall Plumlee is holding his opponent off the boards at the NBAPA Top 100 Camp in Charlottesville, Va. BDN Photo

CHARLOTTESVILLE- The first day of the NBAPA Top 100 Camp is in the books and the Blue Devil Nation brings you highlights and thoughts from day one.   The talent level is a bit watered down with the likes of Austin Rivers, Quincy Miller and others making the Team USA U-18 squad.  Despite the absence of a few big names there are still plenty of intriguing prospects to watch and some of them will certainly make it to the league.

Michael Gbinije- Despite his disappointment of not making the USA U-18 team, Gbinije shook off jet lag to have a nice first day.  In his second game of the day, Gbinije scored seven straight points during a key stretch finishing with 17 for the game and leading his Spurs team to a 98-82 win over the Jazz.  Gbinije seemed to have benefited from the USA trials in that he was playing some really good on ball defense which showed improvement.  Gbinije is a solid player whose quiet demeanor makes some of his game go unnoticed but there is no doubt that he can be a solid contributor at Duke.

Marshall Plumlee- Marshall ended day one with 8 and 7 points in his two games.  He had one nice sequence when his team was down [private] by four.  Plumlee completed a three point play and after a defensive stop he called for the ball, was hit with the pass and then immediately hit a teammate cutting to the basket for an assist.  Plumlee will meet with the UVA staff before leaving but he recently talked with Coach K and Wojo and came away saying it was very positive.   I'll go ahead and tell you that I think Marshall will be a Blue Devil soon enough.  We have an interview coming with Plumlee.

Kaleb Tarczewski -The 2012 big man is listed as seven feet tall and despite being one of the younger players here, he is holding his own.  I fell for his game during last seasons AAU tournament and Duke has  been keeping tabs on him making contact.  He is of course the teammate of Alex Murphy who appears to be a Duke lean according to trusted sources.  Tarczewski is a strong kid who does not back down and despite not following the college game but one year, his game is promising.  In an interview you'll soon hear, Tarczewski said that he planned on visiting Duke.  If I were to guess I would say Kansas and Duke could be his early leaders but it is early.

J.P. Tokoto- UNC offered him one minute after midnight but according to his stepdad it is not a done deal.  Still, most feel if it were up to him it would be over.  Interestingly his scoring total in the first two games was a grand total of zero.  It has not helped Tokoto playing with his AAU teams 16-U team and his stock is falling - not too far mind you, but the lack of an outside game offensively is a glaring weakness.  Tokoto is still a top notch prospect and Duke is still in it from what I am told.

Tyler Adams- Mr. Bang loves to play the workhorse role and Duke loves that he is about anchoring the middle.  Adams had about 20 rebounds in his first two games and averaged 5.5 ppg.  Again, keep in mind that the teams have 12 roster players when looking at numbers.  Adams has a new drop step he is proud of and he indeed, loves to bang.  Solid day for the young and future Dukie Adams.

Notes - Future UNC player P.J. Hairston is the camps leading scorer but let me make this clear in that he is shooting more than anybody here. An awkward moment came when Jerry Stackhouse, a coach, had to be restrained from going after a ref.  Not one of his better moments and not what a role model should do.  The games were shortened tonight so that the players might eat pizza and watch the Lakers defeat the Celtics for the NBA title.  They played two halves instead of four quarters.  The kicker is that one of the games went four quarters and some prospects complained that their numbers would be down.  Anthony Davis is a man and he caught the eye of several talent scouts.  Deuce Bello averaged 10.5 ppg and was very impressive.  His athletic moves wowed many who watched his games.  Isaiah Austin averaged 5 ppg and plays with Tyler Adams on a 0-2 Celtics team.  FWIW, the teams are split up and named after NBA teams.  Another player who looked good was Rodney Purvis, a class of 2013 product who plays in Raleigh, North Carolina.  He lists UNC as his dream school but said Duke has shown interest in him. A UNC lead but his mom will play a big role in his decision but it sounds like she grew up a fan of the dark side as well.  We have an interview coming with him.  Former Duke standout Chris Duhon is working at the event as a mentor and coach. [/private]

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BDN checks in with Duke commitment Tyler Adams

Tyler Adams pushes Joseph Uchebo off the blocks during afternoon action at the NBAPA Top 100 Camp in Charlottesville (join BDN Premium for full site access and updates) - BDN PhotoCHARLOTTESVILLE - BDN is on the scene at the NBAPA Top 100 player developmental camp in Charlottesville, Virginia and we're hear to cover all of the true Duke prospects and commitments.  We caught up with future Blue Devil Tyler Adams who is playing for a very talented Celtics team.  After a slow start where he committed two turnovers, Adams controlled the boards and showed off a slimmed down figure.

You had a bit of a slow start before really turning it on in your first game on the Celtics team.  What is it like to play against good competition in the NBAPA type setting?

It's good, pretty good.  You get to see how you stack up against players you'll play against in college.  I feel pretty comfortable.

You told me one time that "I love to bang," and that stuck with me and fans even mention that quote when talking about you.  You were getting  a little physical out there with some elbow posturing.  Do you feel like you have to establish yourself out there?

Yeah, yeah.  Especially a guy like me[private]  that doesn't have a whole lot of athleticism.  You have to take advantage of what you have and a lot of guys don't like to bang so I take advantage of that.

Since you've committed to Duke do a lot of guys come at you harder?

Yeah, yeah, yeah and it's like a lot of people give me a hard time and wonder why I'm going to Duke because not everybody likes them.  So there are a lot of guys coming at me harder.

But you like Duke just fine?

Yeah! [smiling]  I love Duke!

Have you talked with any of the coaches of late?

Coach K called me a little over a week ago and I talked with Coach James a couple of weeks ago.  Coach K told me some things to work on and said he liked what he heard of my progress.

You've developed a good relationship with them ..

Yeah, yeah.  Especially Coach James.  I call him a lot on my own.

He's a good guy.

Yeah, he is.

Have you ever called him Dogg?

[Tyler looking puzzled]

They called him Nate "Dogg," at Duke and that's with two g's.  Call him that he'll like it. [jesting and setting Tyler up]

Oh, okay. [utters]  Dogg ...  [laughs], okay.

What does Coach James talk to you about.  What does he have you working on?

Well, he has me working on my offense and my face up game.   Today I took a couple of guys off the dribble and hit a little step back.  I've always had decent offense just not the aggressive attitude and that's what he wants me to work on.

You're on a pretty good team with J.P. Tokoto and Isiah Austin ...

I think were a pretty decent team with Perry Ellis and those guys.  Another thing I am working on is toning up my body.  I've lost a bit of weight and I'm lifting weights.  I like to run a lot to work on my endurance.  Sometimes when I am sitting around home, I'll get up and just run more than I used to.  I do some jump rope too.

What do you do when you chill in Mississippi?

I like to hang out with my friends.  Sometimes it's at the gym but if I'm not  with them I hang out with some of my girls.

Girls as in plural huh?

[laughs] Well, well, one girl, one girl.

Are you participating in any of the skills development here?

Yeah, I am a member of the breakfast club.  During our workout, I learned how to create space to where I can get a step back.  We get up real early and workout before the sessions start.

Tyler, it was good catching up to you and we'll talk again soon.

Alright, thanks man.  [/private]

Duke Basketball, USA Basketball

Future Blue Devils Kyrie Irving and Josh Hairston make Team USA squad

Austin Rivers joins Kyrie Irving and Josh Hairston on Team USA. Prospects Quincy Miller and Amir Williams also made the team - BDN Photo

Two future Duke Blue Devils were named to the Team USA U-18 roster earlier this afternoon.  Duke's point guard of the future Kryie Irving and Virginia native Josh Hairston  were named to the final roster after participating in the trials.

"When I heard my name it was a big relief, just the amount of talent that was out here and to just represent your country was big time. Everybody who came to the tryouts could have been on this team, everybody from the top to the last person on the list was very talented. I think the coaches put together the best 12 guys that meshed together and play well together so it’s an honor to be a part of that," said Hairston.

Hairston, who was not too happy when his name was not called out for the McDonald's All American and Jordan Brand All Star games, went into the trials with something to prove.

"I wanted to show the coaches I could rebound, that I could talk on defense, that I could run the floor and that I could be a leader. One of the things my dad told me before I came out here was to just go out there and work my hardest and that’s what I did," stated the future Dukie.


Kyrie Irving a will share the point guard duties with Abdul Gaddy and the experience should provide him with some great experience. "We’ve been working hard for about two-and-a-half days so coming out here and performing the way I did, I’m really proud of myself and all the guys that made it. We have a very talented team and we’re going for the gold." said Irving.

Kyrie Irving will be dribbling on Coach K Court in a Duke uniform next season, but first, there is a stop with Team USA. BDN Photo

Irving also mentioned that he was the youngest player on the court. "That’s going to be primary role next year is to be a leader on that team along with Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler, so just being a leader and being a point guard.
It will definitely help me. I’m the youngest player here; I’m playing with an older group. These are great players, competitive players, and it’s going to help me take my game to a whole another level."

Three Duke prospects also made the final roster.  Duke is all over Austin Rivers who made the team and is considered by many as a strong Duke lean.  When asked what he brought to the table, Rivers stated," I would say I bring leadership as someone you can count on in a game. Whatever you need me to do, I can do it. If you need me to score, I can score. If you need me to try to get someone the ball, I can get someone the ball. I’d say a little bit of everything. Whatever you need me to do, I’ll do it."

Quincy Miller of Quality Academy in Winston Salem and Detroit standout Amir Williams will join the future Dukies and Rivers on the team.

It’s a privilege to be named to the USA team. This is a great experience, a great time for me to go out and represent my country. It’s going to be a wonderful experience for me to play for this team, said Miller who list Duke and Kentucky on his list of schools.

BDN will follow Team USA closely in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for more as the team prepares for play.

Duke Basketball

One on one with ESPN Analyst and former Blue Devil Jay Bilas

Thanks to Jay for taking time out to do a Q & A with BDN. Jay makes for an easy interview and we look forward to speaking with him again. - BDNP

DURHAM- The Blue Devil Nation caught up with former Duke player and current ESPN analyst, Jay Bilas, to get his thoughts on the championship, what's ahead, and his love for his work.  We hope you enjoy the following interview -

This is Mark Watson of Blue Devil Nation joined by former Duke player and ESPN Analyst Jay Bilas.  So, what's it like to return to Duke and the Coach K Academy?

It's one of the best times of year for all of us because not only is it a fun and competitive atmosphere, but you get to meet the campers and you make a lot of good friends.  To be able to spend four or five days with guys you played with and guys from different eras makes it kind of a four or five day player reunion for us.  It's a luxury for us to be able to do that and most programs don't get that luxury.

You were part of the recruiting class that helped put Mike Kryzewski's program on the map.  Dawkins, Alarie and Henderson joined you and you guys were a part of the team that really turned the corner for the program.  What is it like to have been a part of that?
Well, you look back on it, it seems like this really big deal.  It was a big deal for us because it was us!  It was our team.  I don't think any of us imagined or thought people would think we were doing something for the program.  We were worried about us and what was coming after but it is really gratifying for all of us to see both the level of which the program has risen.  We kind of joke it's like buying Microsoft early.  You can see what was done after and we are really proud of not only Coach K and what he's done with the program, but the quality of the person that has been attracted to this place since.  We've made a ton of good friends and it's been a real blessing for all of us.  The decision we made to come here .. we've gotten so much more out of it than we put in to it.

Talk about this past seasons national championship for Duke.  Nobody really saw that coming and Duke kind of slid under the radar and that feat is a testament to togetherness and the will of the 2010 team.  Can you elaborate a bit more on that?
Well, I think you're right in that I don't think anybody saw it coming.  They weren't a favorite at the beginning of the year and I don't think they were a favorite at the end of the year going into the tournament.  I think if you picked three or four teams and said they were the likely favorites Duke wasn't there.  They were a number one seed so they were obviously respected, but when I saw their bracket I thought the only team that could beat Duke was Villanova, but then they got beat.  They had a good draw like a lot of teams did and they took advantage of that.  I thought the best thing about the team was how together they were ... they were obviously very talented with really good players but it was how close they were as a unit that was the deciding factor in why they won the championship.

You have a high profile job with ESPN and you obviously love what you do being a basketball analyst.  It seems like you're crossing over talking about the NBA Draft and such.  What does the future hold for Jay Bilas?  What are your aspirations from this point forward?
It sounds funny but I don't really have any aspirations.  I got into broadcasting because I love basketball and I've always looked at it that way.  I've never had a goal as far as a certain level to attain in the business because I don't consider myself a broadcast guy.  I consider myself a basketball guy who just happens to be doing the games and studio work, so ...  I enjoy each game I do and each year for it's own sake.  I haven't really looked at it as what's next or anything like that.  My Dad taught me years ago that if you want get a job then do the job you have, so I've always just concentrated on the job I've got.

In actuallity you've already achieved good things and I'm sure many would die to work with ESPN as a college basketball analyst.
Including me!  I mean, I'd trade place with me in a heartbeat.  I mean, I love my job, so I've never second guessed what I've chosen to do -- it fits for me.  I'm a lawyer in addition to this and if I ever say something stupid [smiling] on the air and get fired I have something I can fall back into my law practice..  I really enjoy doing this and love every minute of it.  I think I've attained a reputation for being fair and I like that.  I think I'm a hard worker but it doesn't seem like work to me and it's really fun for me. I think everybody's goal is to do something they love and I am doing something I like to do.

We've talked about nobody seeing Duke coming last season, but this season everybody is going to see them coming.  They may be the number one team in the pre-season!
I think they will be.  I think Duke, Purdue and Michigan State will be fighting for the number one position.  It's a nice thing to be thought of in that way, a nice reward, but I don't think Coach K and his staff will ever get fooled by that.  They're very good at evaluating who they are at every stage of the season.  So they'll know who they can be.  Each team is different and  next year's team will be different than this one and I think the first thing Coach K will present to them is that they are not the defending champions, so there is nothing to defend and that they need to pursue the next one.

Jay, as always, thank you for your time.
Thank you!

Duke Football

Quarterback development key to 2010 success

This article was co-authored by Patrick Cacchio.

Duke football will be playing their third season under Coach David Cutcliffe in 2010 and quarterback development will be a key element to success. In his first two seasons at Duke, Coach Cutcliffe has guided the Blue Devils to a record of nine wins and 15 losses. Those nine wins came with four year starter Thaddeus Lewis calling the signals. This season Duke's first challenge will be to fill Lewis' big shoes if they are to have continued success toward rebuilding the football program into a contender. Coach Cutcliffe recently stated, at an appearance in Winston-Salem, "For this particular team, the obvious concern is our quarterback play." There is no better coach than Coach Cutcliffe to lead the quarterback development effort as developing quarterbacks is his specialty. "We've got some talent at the quarterback position," Cutcliffe said this spring, "but three of the guys are freshmen - one redshirt and two true freshmen."

Sean Renfree (6'3" 210) is currently projected to be Duke's starting quarterback. Renfree redshirted the first year Coach Cutcliffe was in Durham and played in six games last season connecting on 34 of 50 pass attempts for 330 yards, and four touchdowns with two interceptions. Renfree underwent rehabilitation over the winter for a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament in his right knee he suffered in the game against Georgia Tech last November. Though he was limited in Spring Training, Renfree was able to participate in passing drills, continuing to impress the staff with his strong arm, "throwing the ball much better than any time he's been here." He is now a full participant in off season workouts. Coach Cutcliffe recently stated, “He’s at full speed….the guy is a machine.”

Renfree will most likely be the starter when Duke tees it up and kicks off the season against Elon on September 4th.

Three quarterbacks will be in the running for the backup quarterback position:

Sean Schroeder (6'3" 185) redshirted last season so he has the advantage of a year in the system. During the 2009 season, Schroeder routinely took snaps with the first team offense while Thad Lewis nursed injuries. In the Blue-White scrimmage, Schroeder struggled to find a rhythm with his receivers, connecting on four of 20 throws for 23 yards. Throughout the spring, Schroeder impressed the coaching staff with his mobility, but at times struggled to adjust to the speed of the game.

Brandon Connette (6'2" 210) is a true freshman who enrolled at Duke in January 2010 and quarterbacked the Blue Team to a 24-3 victory in this Spring's Blue-White Scrimmage. In post game comments, Coach Cutcliffe stated, "The play of Brandon Connette stood out, as it has in a lot of scrimmages." Connette rushed 12 times for 91 yards and a touchdown and threw for 67 yards including a six yard touchdown pass to Tyree Watkins. Connette's ability to run with the ball may propel him past Schroeder on the depth chart. During the course of spring practice, Coach Cutcliffe was impressed with the "unbelievable progress" Connette was able to make as a true freshman.

Anthony Boone (6'1" 225) will be a true freshman at Duke this fall, and will also be given an opportunity to win the backup quarterback job. Boone attended Weddington High School in Monroe, NC passing for 1530 yards and 13 touchdowns while rushing for 780 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior. Despite his strong frame, Boone has shown the ability to be a dual-threat and make plays outside the pocket. Boone enrolled at Duke for the first summer session and is already on campus, participating in early workouts.

Improvement in the running game would go a long way in taking some of the heat off of Duke's young signal callers. In 2009, Duke averaged 368.5 yards of total offense per game, however, only 63.5 yards per game came via the ground. In 2010, experience on the offensive line will be a strength which should help improve Duke's ability to run the ball. Sophomore Desmond Scott and freshman Josh Snead, along with junior Jay Hollingsworth, provide the Blue Devils power, speed and talent in the backfield. Snead was impressive in spring practice, demonstrating an ability to "hit the hole unbelievably quick and with no fear," according to Coach Cutcliffe.

With the experience and depth Duke has in their receiving corps, airing the ball out on offense will remain a main strategy so the offensive line will need to provide the young quarterbacks time to throw the ball to Donovan Varner (65 catches in 2009), Conner Vernon (55 catches), Austin Kelly (54 catches), and the other members of the receiving corps.

Four of five offensive line starters return in 2010, along with a talented group of young redshirt freshmen. Senior center Bryan Morgan (6'3" 255) has started 24 straight games, totaling 2,017 career snaps, which is the most among active players. Tackle Kyle Hill (6'6" 285), guard Brian Moore (6'3" 275), and guard Mitchell Lederman (6'7" 305) are the other returning starters to a unit that finished third in the ACC in sacks allowed per pass attempt in 2009. Guard Brandon Harper (6'3" 305) also has starting experience. This spring, Coach Cutcliffe challenged the starting offensive linemen to lead the Blue Devil offensive attack, and was pleased with their progress: "I like our first offensive line right now. I'm more than pleased with their knowledge; they're stronger, they're quicker. We're better across the board there." For the first time in Coach Cutcliffe's tenure, the Blue Devils will have strength in numbers along the offensive line, which should help to keep the units fresh. "I also like what our young linemen have done," he said this spring, "I think for the first time since we've been here we're building a little depth." Success on the gridiron starts at the line of scrimmage and Duke's young quarterbacks are going to need the experienced guys along the offensive line to win the battles in the trenches this coming fall.

Duke has the pieces in place, talent and depth at receiver and running back, experienced lineman upfront; however, if Duke is to improve on last year's 5-7 record they will need their quarterbacks to develop into solid performers capable of consistently making good decisions, executing Coach Cutcliffe's game plan with precision, and leading the Blue Devils to victory. With a roster that includes 54 underclassmen, the young Blue Devils will need Sean Renfree to step up as a leader under center.

Duke Football

Duke Football Camp featured prospects of interest

Many of the prospects on hand this weekend were trying to impress the Duke Football staff to earn an offer - Rick Crank, BDN Photo

There were a few surprised faces on the kids and prospects who attended this past Saturday's Duke Football Camp.  It would be easy to think the scorching heat and humidity was the culprit, and yes sweat indeed played a role.  The sweat came from the crop of talent going through the various stations of drills being conducted by the football staff.  In short, the coaches worked their butts off and you could see the surprise in the faces of some of the prospects as the day wore on.

Coach Cutcliffe is always quick to tell you that he is looking for kids who can run and that was evident as he peered out from his golf cart, concentrating on a drill which not only tested speed but the cutting ability and reaction time.  As the day progressed, Cutcliffe would go from station to station while his competent staff barked out signals and suggestions.

If a prospect was caught walking to a station or back to the line after a drill they were quickly met with the sound of a coach telling them that their actions wouldn't cut it at Duke.  This in turn brought out the best in some of the kids while others learned quickly that Duke Football practices and conditioning is no joke.

The camp will continue this weekend and each year that Cutcliffe has been at Duke, the numbers of attendees swell.  Duke Football is being taken seriously in Durham and if you attend the camp as a participant or parent looking on, this is evident.

The Blue Devil Nation will be checking in with some of the prospects and their thoughts on the camp this week.  Among the prospects holding offers who attended this past weekend's session were Desmond Floyd [Union HS 6-4, DE], Cameron Clear [Memorial Central 6-6 TE], Marc Mustoe [Avada West HS, CO 6-6 OL], Kyler Kerbyson [Knoxville Catholic 6-4.5 DL], and Michael Cooper [Woodlands HS, TX 6-5 DE/TE].

Other offers have been tendered as well and you can learn of those on our premium message board which is for BDN Premium members.  Stay tuned for more on Duke Football Recruiting.