Austin Rivers talks basketball with BDN Video - Photo copyright, Mark Watson, BDN
ORLANDO – In their final tune-up before facing #2-ranked St. Patrick, #21 Winter Park defeated unranked University on Thursday night.
Duke-bound senior Austin Rivers dominated the attention and the action, finishing with 35 points and 9 rebounds as several cameraman shadowed his every move. He shot 12-19 from the field, 1-6 from long range, and 10-16 from the charity stripe. He also tallied 1 steal, 1 block, and 1 assist. Austin also had 5 “near-assists” that teammates weren’t able to convert.
It quickly became obvious to all in the gym that Austin was the most gifted athlete on the floor. Even on a night where his long ball wasn’t falling, no one was able to keep up with his superb quickness. Austin attacked the rim at will, resulting in a plethora of free throw opportunities.
After the game, Austin was gracious enough to sit down for a conversation with BDN staff member Terry Rains. Topics ranged from feedback Austin has received from the Duke coaching staff to his defensive mindset on the court to how appealing Duke is nowadays on the recruiting scene. Check out selected video clips below to see for yourself!
Austin Rivers comments on feedback from the Duke coaching staff:
Austin Rivers shares his thoughts on Duke’s appeal to recruits:
Austin Rivers comments on his defensive growth and style preferences:
Also, be sure to tune into ESPN2 tonight at 7pm ET to watch Austin Rivers and his Winter Park teammates as they battle Kyrie Irving’s alma mater – St. Patrick.
This is a BIG-TIME high school hoops match-up and BlueDevilNation will be there to cover it live! Follow along with live game updates via Twitter and join the action to learn exclusive information on our Premium site and message boards!
