Monthly Archives: June 2011

BDN Premium Articles, Duke Basketball Recruiting News

BDN Recruiting Focus – Anthony Bennett

BDNP

It seems over the last two years there has been an overwhelming amount of Canadian talent pouring into the hoops world. No longer do Canadians have to only point to Steve Nash, there are now talents such as Cory Joseph, Tristan Thompson, and Myck Kabongo representing our friends north of the border. Findlay Prep, a powerhouse basketball program located in Henderson, Nevada, has accumulated much of this Canadian wealth recently. All three of those players have matriculated to college or are now waiting for their dreams to come true - hearing their name be called by NBA commissioner David Stern. The next in line to take over at Findlay prep and represent Canadian players is none other than 6’7 wing forward Anthony Bennett. Built like a freight train, Bennett hails from Brampton, Ontario, Canada, a city roughly 45 minutes west of Toronto, Ontario’s capital city. A [private] city more notably known for its hockey players and hilarious comedian Russell Peters, Brampton is now starting to produce some big time basketball talent starting with Tristan Thompson and now Bennett. Bennett has been extremely impressive these past two weekends making scouts certainly rethink where they originally had him slated. BDN got a chance to briefly catch up with the bruising wing forward last weekend at the Nike EYBL in Los Angeles.

BDN: Just to make sure the program has this right, you are from Brampton correct?

AB: Yes sir, I am.

Well that is very interesting as I am originally from Hamilton, not too far from you.

Oh for real? (smiles) Not too far from Brampton.

I spoke to Myck Kabongo about this awhile ago, but I’d like to get your take. What’s it like being the Canadian kid moving to the U.S to play?

I mean, they think Canadian players only play hockey and stuff, so they really don’t take us seriously at first. But, us as Canadians, we have to show them what’s really good. So we just go out and play strong all the time.

What is the biggest difference from playing in Canada to playing out here?

Players in Canada, they are a lot smaller. They aren’t really that big in general.

Oh you mean like the 6’2 center? We had one of those on my high school team.

(laughs) Yea yea that’s exactly it. But out here in America, it’s really great competition. People are bigger and stronger. People are just as good as you so you really have to work on your game to improve.

Tell some of our fans a little bit about your game?

I’m very aggressive, I get rebounds, I try to get my teammates open. I can go down low and play and I can shoot from the outside. In the high post, I get it and turn around and face up and do my thing out there.

 

Do you have a preference on where you play?

Not really, but I am trying to work my game outside, but right now I feel like my game is a high post, short corner type of game.

What are some of the schools that are interested in you right now?

Well there are a lot of them really. I can’t even list them off the top of my head, but I’ll try (laughs).

Just a few will do.

UConn, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Florida, Florida St., UNLV, Xavier, oh man..

That’s an impressive list. Anyone else specifically from the ACC?

I had heard from Duke at about mid-season, but I haven’t really talked to them that much.

If they were to pursue you, would you be open?

Yea I would.

You’ve got a teammate on CIA Bounce that is absolutely blowing up. Tell me about Andrew Wiggins a little bit.

He’s very young right now. He’s very athletic though. He can shoot, he can drive, he’s just a really great kid, and in the future he’s going to be a great player.

Being at Findlay right now, what are the coaches working on most with you?

They are trying to get me out on the wing more right now. Every time we do ball handling and shooting drills and stuff, they have me with them.

Do you model your game after any players specifically?

Oh naw man. I just do me!

When it comes time to make your decision eventually, who will you look to for guidance?

I would have to say my mom and my AAU coach Mike George.

Do you have any time frame for your decision?

No not yet, but I might go later on in the year.

Thanks for your time.

No problem man, thanks.  [/private]

Duke Football

Shelby DE Carlos Wray Commits to Duke

DL Carlos Wray is the 7th verbal commitment in the class of 2012

The Duke staff continues to work hard on the class of 2012 and are excited to add the 6th commitment today in DE Carlos Wray. Wray informed the Duke coaching staff of his decision this morning and becomes the second defensive line commit along with DE Allen Jackson in the class of 2012. Wray is a 6’2½” 250 pound standout from Shelby, North Carolina. As a junior, he helped Shelby to a 9-6 overall record, totaling 78 tackles, 14 sacks, and forcing 3 fumbles on the year. Wray chose the Blue Devils over offers from Ball State, East Carolina, Minnesota, Wake Forest, and VMI, and had interest from Clemson, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and UNC.

Check back with BDN for more from the newest Blue Devil!

BDN Premium Articles, Duke Basketball Recruiting News

BDN’s Pango’s Camp Recap – Shabazz Muhammad shines

LOS ANGELES - Just a week after the Nike EYBL, Los Angeles got another taste of some of the nation’s top high school basketball prospects during the Pango's All American Camp. In comparison to last weekend there wasn’t the same depth of Duke prospects, but this was still a field with a lot of talent that caught our eye. The destination this weekend for BDN Premium? Cal State Dominguez Hills located right on the border of Compton/Carson, CA.

The camp kicked off with former New Orleans Hornets assistant and current ESPN radio personality Dave Miller teaching the campers some defensive fundamentals. The best way to describe Dave is loud and in charge. The former NBA assistant used his great personality to get the attention of the campers and explain to them the real world of high school, college, and pro hoops.

Some of the big time names at the camp were: Isaiah Austin, Andre Drummond, Shabazz and Rasheed Muhammad, and Anthony Bennett.

The name who likely helped his stock the most this weekend was  2012 forward Anthony Bennett, a 6’7 230 lbs tank.  Bennett threw down countless thunderous dunks and ran the court extremely well. While speaking to him last weekend he mentioned the staff [private] at Findlay Prep was really working his outside game, and it is certainly paying off. The big man showed an impressive outside touch knocking down numerous three point shots keeping the defense very honest. Findlay coach Mike Peck was in attendance and was sure to be proud of Bennett.

This was my second chance seeing Isaiah Austin, the last time being at last year’s Pangos camp. Austin looks to have put on a bit of weight as his arms look thicker but still has a very wiry thin frame. The 7 footer got to match up with Andre Drummond in the very first game of the camp and was immediately put to the test. Drummond’s powerful frame proved to be too much for him in the end but Austin did disrupt Drummond with his length a little bit. At this point Isaiah still tries to bring the ball up the court like a guard. His thin frame doesn’t allow him to really bang down low like you would like most 7 footers to do. The potential is there with Isaiah but adding weight is an absolute must for the Baylor bound prospect.

Let’s move on to 2012 big man Andre Drummond. For a long time scouts have touted him as the next big thing. It seems this weekend he came out to back up their statements. Drummond looked extremely motivated this weekend hustling up and down the court and attempting to grab any and every loose ball within his area code. The Connecticut prospect abused the rim and wooed the crowd with countless spectacular dunks, often making them look effortless. Sporting a college ready frame at 6’9 250 lbs it’s plain to see why so many scouts ranked him so highly. At this point, the big man has minimal to not shooting touch, a skill he would be wise to eventually add. I do not mean adding a three point shot, but simply a 10-15 footer to add a new dimension to his game. His free throw shooting also leaves much to be desired as I could have counted the number of free throw makes on one hand, despite countless trips to the line. Still, it is very easy to see how talented and athletic Drummond is, and is sure to be a future pro, though I’m not doing much more than stating the obvious.

No single player plays with more consistent intensity than Shabazz Muhammad. The 6’5 Las Vegas lefty scored in every way imaginable this weekend while bringing in camp MVP. Given his constant effort it was a simple choice to give him the award. Shabazz flew around all over the court and attacked the rim like with a ferocity that makes you think, “what did that poor rim ever do to you?” While not an incredible outside shooter, Shabazz showed enough that you must at least respect it to a certain degree. Not to say he doesn’t defend, but if that intensity ever fully carries over to the defensive side, watch out.  There isn’t much more to say about Muhammad that hasn’t been said. He is easily in my opinion the best prospect in 2012.

Recently a name that has popped up on Duke’s radar has been Brannen Greene, a 6’6 shooter out of Forsyth, Georgia. This was my first chance seeing the forward and his performance unfortunately was disappointing to say the least. Often times when a shooters shot isn’t dropping you’d like to see him be productive in other ways. This wasn’t exactly the case with Brannen. There wasn’t always effort on both sides of the court and at times seemed a bit unenthusiastic. He doesn’t seem to be possess a high level of athleticism at this point and often got his shot blocked when he tried to put the ball on the floor. Hopefully for his sake this was simply a bad weekend and he can move on from it and get better.

I have to give credit to BDN Recruiting Analyst Andrew Slater for the next player, 2013 guard/forward Stephen Domingo out of San Francisco, CA. Before the camp started he had mentioned that Stephen should be a player of interest to watch and boy did he not disappoint. Currently sporting a very skinny frame the 6’6 (though I must say he is likely a bit shorter than this listing by an inch) prospect lit it up during the Top 25 game this weekend where he took home MVP of the match. Despite his slender body Stephen had no problem mixing it up a little bit. He’s not Shaquille O’Neal by any means, but it was a joy to watch him try to grab rebounds and block a few shots. One particular impressive play, Stephen grabbed a rebound, turned around, looked ahead, and fired off a pin point outlet pass leading to an easy bucket for his team; an impressive play for the young prospect. Domingo showed off a very solid three point shot as well as some mid range game, particularly using the pull up jumper. I think it’s safe to say that the scouts will be paying a lot more attention to the St. Ignatius product. [/private]

Duke Basketball

Monday Musings – Coach K on Captains, Hoops & Football

During the season BDN Monday Musings brings you the popular Cheerleader of the Week picture. In the off season, we just put up a cool pic. Posing for the BDN camera here is Jason "JWill" Williams, Chris "CWell" Carrawell and Chris "CDu" Duhon. The picture, of course, is from the Coach K Academy. In this week

The staff of BDN prides itself on covering the Duke Athletics Beat in a most vigorous manner.  That means if there is an event going on that is team related, we'll be there.  It also means that we look forward to certain events, one of them being the annual Coach K Academy.  During this event, Duke Coach Mike Kryzewski always addresses the Emily Kryzewski Foundation first, but then talks to the media for just under an hour.  In this video clip, Kryzewski speaks of captain-ship and or leadership.  In a nutshell, Coach said that true leaders are few and far between.  That said, we kick off this edition of Monday Musings with Coach K addressing the 2011-12 captain-ship question.  The keyword, as you will hear, is "culture."

Be sure to check out other recent BDN Video offerings with more from Coach and Jon Scheyer..

It tickles me when some acquaintances say I have might more time on my hands in the off season.  This time of year is beyond busy around here.  BDN staffed last week's Nike EYBL in Los Angeles and then this weeken'ds Pango's All American Camp.  Patrick has broken the last four Duke Football prospects to verbal to Duke and he's got more coming on Cut's crew.  The bottom line is that spring and summer means BDN is hitting ALL the major events.  Let's just say it'll be non-stop coverage from now until the end of next year's basketball season, and that we have a backlog of amazing content, both free and for members.

That busy schedule goes for the coaches as well, and I can assure you that their off-season consists of few weeks at the beach. Now that the Coach K Academy has wrapped up, the basketball staff will focus on their upcoming trip to China and Dubai.  More details on the trip can be found on BDN Premium where we break it down for you.  And they will, of course, be on the phones with the nation's top prospects.  Once the heat of July envelopes us, the dead period will be over and they'll be on the recruiting trail.  In August, they'll find out which players establish themselves going into the October 15th starting date for practice.  And while the duties with Team USA are not as plentiful this summer, they will surely keep an eye on the young kids that will don the Red, White and Blue, many of them Duke prospects.

You may have missed this article "Blue Devils go Camping in Effort to Improve," that speaks to which camps the men's basketball team will attend this summer.  It's worth a read and is very informative.   

A lot of times, good stuff falls off our main page, so go to "Duke Basketball or Football," to read the archives and catch up.  Patrick Cacchio has been all over Duke Football Recruiting of late.  Today, he broke the fourth straight prospect to commit to Duke on the message board and here is the article on DT Carlos Wray to Duke.  He also checks in with other football prospects and the archives will catch you up on the latest efforts by Coach Cut and company.

On the women's hoops front, incoming freshman Elizabeth Williams has been named one of 12 members of the USA Basketball Women's U19 World Championship Team.  She'll be the next big start on Coach P's program. The USA finalists downed the Brazil U19 National Team, 49-37, in an exhibition contest. In the game, Williams netted a team-high 15 points, six rebounds, five blocks, two assists and one steal in 25 minutes.  Also in the news, or should I say the Sports Illustrated WNBA preview, is former Duke standout Lindsey Harding, who via trade is expected to lead Atlanta to the promised land.

Join Blue Devil Nation Premium for full site access and be in the know on all things Duke.  Thanks for checking out another edition of Monday Musings and bookmark this site now so you don't miss a single thing.

BDN Premium Articles, Duke Football

Duke targets top California LB Jeremiah Allison

Dorsey LB Jeremiah Allison has a Duke offer

This spring, the Duke coaching staff has been scouting the country for the best defensive talent in the class of 2012, and they found an outstanding linebacker prospect in the state of California. Jeremiah Allison is a 6’1” 210 pound linebacker prospect from Dorsey High School in Los Angeles. The Blue Devils have had recruiting success on the west coast, bringing QB Brandon Connette, TE Cooper Helfet, WR Blair Holliday, and current 2012 LB commit Deion Williams to Durham in recent years. They hope that trend continues with Allison, who has received a verbal scholarship offer from Duke, along with Boise State, Colorado State, Nevada, SMU, and UCLA. As a junior, Allison was first team all-state, all-city, and all-league, totaling 88 tackles and 24 sacks. A standout both on the field and in the classroom, Allison is the prototypical play-making defender the Blue Devils are looking for in the class of 2012.

 

BDN: Can you start out by describing your strengths as a player?

Some of my strengths are that I’m a student of the game, I always want to learn more about the game. I’m very competitive and I’m able to get to the quarterback quite well. I’m always going one hundred miles per hour, and I never dwell on a bad play, I just try to move on to the next play.

BDN: What are some of the things you have been working on this spring?

I’m playing outside linebacker and I’m working on a lot of coverage, that’s a big key that I’ve been working on. Of course, you know, I can get around the corner and get to the quarterback, but the main priority is covering, so I’ve been working on that a lot.

BDN: What are your goals for yourself and for your team in your senior year?

Of course a championship, I want to bring a championship back to Dorsey. I want to break the sack record, which is 26. I came 6 short, well actually 2 because I had half-sacks. I want to make sure my teammates around me are able to get into colleges, so I just want to make sure we have an all-around great season.

BDN: What are the most important factors you’re looking for in a college?

Of course academics, with me being a 4.25 [GPA] student, I really stress the importance of education. The name of the player is a student-athlete, so being a student is a really big priority, and the college education is really big as well. So I’m really going to focus on education when I pick a college.

BDN: You mentioned academics as important to you; is there a particular field you are interested in studying?

Right now I’m thinking of two. Either going into law, because I love to debate and I feel that no one can beat me in a debate, or also anesthesiology. I really became fond of science so I’m thinking of going into medicine.

BDN: What schools have you had the most contact with this spring?

They’re all basically the same. They all contact me around the same amount. All the schools have really reached out to me.

BDN: Which schools have you had a chance to visit so far?

I took two unofficial visits – I took three actually. I took one to Stanford, one to Cal, one to UCLA...and one to USC. I went to Stanford for a Nike camp, but we ended up going up the day before for their Junior Day. And I went to UC Berkeley with one of my friends for their Junior Day, and of course UCLA and USC are right in my backyard so they’re easy campuses to reach.

BDN: Do you have any plans to visit some of the schools that are farther away?

Most definitely, I do have plans to visit schools away from California just so I can get a feel for the other aspects of America.

BDN: Do you have an idea for how you want to narrow things down and make a final decision?

Right now I just want to get the season started and see how we progress as a team. If our season is running smoothly, and I don’t have a lot of things on my plate, I’ll be able to get more into the college recruiting process and sitting down and thinking about where I want to go. But if the team depends on me to help them out with anything, I’m going to really focus on the team because for us seniors, this is our last shot.

BDN: Is there anything else that you think is important for college football fans to know about you?

One thing, the people who are going to be helping me make my decision are my Coach Lonnie Pumphrey and Coach Knox and my mother and my grandmother. And I just cherish the game of football, every time I go out there I’m trying to get better and I’m always trying to uplift my teammates and do the right thing.

BDN: Thanks a lot, Jeremiah, and best of luck to you.

Alright, thanks.