Monthly Archives: March 2012

Duke Basketball

Who better to lead you into March than Coach K?

Is there anybody you would choose to lead your team onto the battlefield of March Madness other than Coach Mike Krzyzewski?  During today's press conference, Krzyzewski was relaxed and focused on the job at hand, stating, "I don't look at the brackets or look ahead.  Our focus is on Lehigh, they're a good team."

He then stated to any possible disbelievers that it was true and that he doesn't lie and while some from afar still might think, he has taken a look past Greensboro, I can assure you that he hasn't.  It does no good to worry about anything past Lehigh and scout Notre Dame and Xavier for there is simply too much you cannot control.

Krzyzewski holds the highest NCAA winning percentage with a 96-31 record which translates into a .756%, so if he chooses to focus on one game at a time, then so be it for it has worked for him in the past.   A further testament to his prowess is the fact Duke has been a #1 or #2 seed in the tournament 14 of the past 16 years and who can find any fault in that?

With 927 wins, the most of any coach ever to be at the helm in college basketball it can sometimes be overlooked by fans just how lucky they are.  Krzyzewski is a living legend and that is sometimes hard to realize amongst an increasingly spoiled fan base.

In 2010, he guided his team to the National Championship when nobody gave them a chance.  Duke was called to unathletic and a team without a true point guard but they managed to find ways of using their teams strengths and brough hime his 4th national championship.

And that is why I feel confident that Coach Krzyzewski will tweak this team a bit more, one which is certainly battle tested and good, but a team with a smaller margin for error than some of his past teams.

It's not easy adjusting to injuries in the middle of the season and I am of course referring to Ryan Kelly who missed the ACC Tournament and possibly the game this Friday.  While the Duke defense picked it up recently, the offense struggled and the man in charge recognized that and said that his team would get back to what they were doing earlier in the season.

Adjustments have been a huge part of the Duke program, one which takes every teams best shot.  Krzyzewski has been a master at taking his talent and molding them into a team and I am of the opinion that this years edition has been one of his best coaching jobs in Durham.

This years team doesn't have the upperclassmen leadership as some of the recent Duke teams. but who is betting against him pushing the right buttons to get the most out of what he's got?

The Blue Devils are in practice right now and  Coach Krzyzewski is planning his teams way.  You can bet that he will try to push each players buttons to get the most out of them, be they in a slump or just hitting a wall.

Counting the Blue Devils out in March is simply something that should never be done under the man known as Coach K for he has a knack at getting the most out of all his teams.  Duke needs three wins for a fourth straight 30 win season, but the 28th win is all Krzyewski has on his mind at this time.

While March Madness is tense as it can be where teams are one and done with a loss, Duke fans should feel good about having Krzyzewski on their side. History shows us that Krzyzewski is the winningest coach in the NCAA Tournament and that is something no other school in all the brackets can claim.

BDN Premium Articles, Duke Football

Top in-state OL Tyrone Crowder likes Duke, UNC, and NC State early

Richmond HS OG Tyrone Crowder already holds 14 scholarship offers

Under Coach Cutcliffe, the Blue Devils have built one of the top offensive lines in the ACC, ranking near the top of the conference in sacks per pass attempt a year ago. The offensive line is expected to be a strength yet again this year, led by senior Brian Moore and Freshman All-American Laken Tomlinson. The Blue Devils' coaching staff is looking to continue to build strength up front in the class of 2013, and have the top lineman in the state at the top of their wish list. Tyrone Crowder is a  6'2" 310 pound offensive guard prospect from Richmond Senior HS in Rockingham, NC. An ESPNU150 Watch List member and with 14 scholarship offers already, Crowder will have his pick of schools from across the country, but three in-state ACC schools have made a solid early impression. After his recent visit to Durham for the Duke vs. North Carolina basketball game, BDN caught up with the talented lineman to get an update on his recruitment. [private]

BDN: How would you describe your strengths as a player?

I guess I’d say I’m explosive, have quick feet, and am just explosive at the line. That’s pretty much it.

BDN: What are you working on this offseason as you prepare for your senior year?

Lots of things. Right now, just working out some of the wrinkles, just the basic steps and improving my pass protection.

BDN: As you approach your college decision, what are the most important things you are looking for in a school?

A great program, great coaches, and the campus lifestyle, because I’ll be there for 3-5 years. I haven’t really set up my major, but it might be a factor.

BDN: Do you have any ideas for what you might want to study in college?

Not right now, I’m working on it, but I’m just getting started.

BDN: Where do you stand with offers and which schools are you hearing from the most?

I have 14 offers, but I’m hearing basically the most from the schools in North Carolina.

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

Duke, [North] Carolina, and [NC] State.

BDN: What did you like about those visits?

The coaches, all the coaches are great there. I got to visit the campuses a bit, they were nice, and see the facilities.

BDN: Are there any coaches you have started to develop a close relationship with?

From UNC, me and Coach Kap[ilovic], we talk basically once or twice a week. Also Coach Bridge from [NC] State, and Coach Collins from Duke.

BDN: Are there any other schools you plan to visit or would like to hear from?

Well, I know I’m planning on going to Florida this April 6th.

BDN: Do you have a timeline in mind for when you plan to narrow things down or make your final decision?

Right now, I don’t really have a timeline, but I’d like to narrow it down soon, I haven’t really decided it yet. For making my decision, whenever I feel like I know where I want to go, I‘ll just make my decision and make it, it doesn’t have to be on Signing Day...I’ll probably have a top five soon.

BDN: Thanks a lot, Tyrone, and best of luck.

Okay, thanks.

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BDN Premium Articles, Duke Football

Duke Football adds a commitment from 2012 LS Thomas Hennessy

LS Thomas Hennessy gave his commitment to Duke over the weekend

Head Coach David Cutcliffe has placed an emphasis on the importance of winning the kicking game during his tenure at Duke, and has thus placed an emphasis on recruiting top special teams prospects.  With redshirt-senior Jackson Anderson the lone long snapper on the roster, the Blue Devils filled a need by landing one of the top special teams prospects in the country, as 2012 LS Thomas Hennessy gave his pledge to Duke University over the weekend. Hennessy is a 6'3" 205 pound prospect from Don Bosco High School in New Jersey. Ranked among the top 10 long snappers in the country, Hennessy will join fellow HS special teams standouts Will Monday and Ross Martin in Durham this fall.

Scouting Report from Kohl's Kicking:

Thomas has outstanding accuracy as he was the only snapper to register 15/15 targets hit during the showcase events in May 2011. He stays consistent with his snap velocity and has smooth mechanics. 2nd place finisher overall and 1st place finisher for class of 2012 at Eastern Showcase camp. Had a good second day of charting at Underclassmen Challenge in January, 2011 and was the top finisher at the Eastern Showcase Event and finished the day by winning the snap competition. Has worked very hard and has made great strides in his development as a LS. Top 10 finisher at 2011 National Invitation Scholarship Camp.

BDN caught up with the newest Blue Devil shortly after his decision.

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BDN: How did you become interested in Duke and what led you to decide on the Blue Devils?

I first became interested in Duke my sophomore year when I started looking at high school because of its academic reputation. Ever since, I've always wanted to go there and we took a visit down there the weekend after the Super Bowl and toured the campus and the facilities and I just loved everything about it and knew it was where I wanted to go. 

BDN: You've become one of the top long snappers in the country. How did you end up becoming a long snapper?

I started playing long snapper my freshman year. We needed somebody to do it and I wanted to do it and it turned out I had a knack for it. Ever since then I've worked hard at becoming the best I can be and have attended lots of national kicking camps and earned the #9 national ranking this past year. 

BDN: Is there anything else you think Duke fans should know about you?

My school, Don Bosco, we've played a lot of national games and games in front of 10,000-plus fans. We played a game in MetLife Stadium in front of 20,000 fans, so I'm used to snapping the ball in big games and I think that will help prepare me for college.

BDN: Thanks a lot, Thomas, and congratulations on your commitment.

Thank you!

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Duke Basketball

Duke Basketball Monday Morning Notebook

The Duke Men's Basketball team headed back to Durham yesterday morning where they turned their attention to the announcement of the 2012 NCAA Tournament pairings.  As expected, Duke landed in Greensboro where they'll take on Lehigh around 7:10 on Friday and should they advance, they take on the winner of the Notre Dame vs Xavier game.  The Blue Devils have been one of the top eight seeds in 14 of the last 16 NCAA Tournaments.

Taking a quick look back at the ACC Tournament

I can assure you the team is already focused on Lehigh but let's take a quick look back at what happened in the tournament.  First off, it was clear that the Duke offense missed Ryan Kelly and that they were adjusting to his absence.  The Blue Devils managed just 59.5 ppg while shooting 37% in the two games.  The Blue Devils got 17 ppg from Austin Rivers and 12.5 from Seth Curry but the rest of the team struggled to score.  Of course, that was partly due to playing some really hungry teams and the Duke defense played as well as it had all season, thus the close games.  The loss to Florida State certainly hurt, but the Seminoles then beat North Carolina proving that they were the best team in Atlanta.  Had Duke got another stop or had a made bucket here or there, they would have been in the final game.  The Blue Devils have dominated the tournament in recent years winning 10 out of the last 14 and the experienced Seminoles won their first tournament ever.   The Blue Devils played with effort but a few mental lapses proved their undoing but in the end, there is no shame in losing to a red hot FSU team that earned a 3rd seed in the NCAA Tournament with their play. The one thing which Duke will need to control going forward are their turnovers if they want to advance.  The Blue Devils had but 8 against Virginia Tech but that number doubled against Florida State with a total of 16.

The seeding

Duke was selected as the #2 seed in the South Region which means they will head to Greensboro and if they survive two games, they will head right back to Atlanta.  One might call me biased, but the Blue Devils got one heck of a Road to the Final Four.  The South Region features the #1 overall seed in Kentucky who will play on familiar turf.  Then there are three of the last four teams from last seasons Final Four in the field not to mention the last two national champions.  Duke faces a pesky Lehigh team in their opener and could run into Mike Brey and Notre Dame in the next game should they advance or an Xavier team that started the season ranked 14th in the A.P. poll.  And then there is an ultra long and athletic Baylor team should they advance to Atlanta.  It is clearly one of the two toughest regions and as I said, I think it's the toughest of them all.

Battled tested Blue Devils

Duke is battled tested due to playing one of the toughest schedules in the land.  With wins over Kansas, Michigan State, Michigan, North Carolina, Florida State they can play with anybody, so don't think this team cannot make a run.  This team now has some tough skin and they know what it is like to play in close games, be they high scoring or defensive stand offs.  When the games get tight in the tournament and they will, Duke has been there before and that will certainly help.

Duke finishes 8th in the Coaches Poll

Rankings mean little right now, but unlike the A.P., the coaches poll comes out again after the conference tournaments and Duke is ranked 8th in the final poll.  Duke started the season as the 6th rated team in the country.

Getting Andre going

Dawkins is in a shooting slump as teams have learned to play him for the three point shot and the Blue Devils could sure use one of his explosive 20 point efforts in the NCAA Tournament.  Not a single point from Dawkins in the ACC Tournament is a red flag indeed and Dawkins is vital to the Blue Devils long term efforts.  Sometimes a player just needs to do all the other things on the court, such as crashing the boards, a pass for an assist or a defensive play and let his offense come at it's on pace.  If Dawkins plays well off ball or without touches, his offense will come back.

Austin Rivers

Rivers has scored in double figures in 29 games this season and he's been the Blue Devils most consistent scorer but his defense impressed me this weekend as did his hustle.  If there was a loose ball on the floor, Rivers was there and his overall game is catching up to his offense.  Rivers probably should have just pulled up for his missed three pointer against Florida State and that only proves that the freshman still has a few lessons to learn but perhaps the lessons to date will prove vital in the NCAA Tournament. 

Day to day for Kelly

Ryan Kelly has made progress with his foot injury but it's be slow going for the Duke junior in an attempt to fend of reinjury.  Kelly is the 3rd leading scorer for Duke and his points were missed in Atlanta as was his ability to stretch a defense with this outside stroke.  Here is to a quick recovery for a key player in the Duke rotation.

 

Duke NCAA Tournament Factoids

Duke is 12-0 when playing NCAA Tournament games in Greensboro, N.C. Duke won the 2001 NCAA Championship after playing its first two games in Greensboro.  Duke has beaten a No. 1 seed eight times, the most No. 1 upsets in NCAA history. From 1991-93, the Blue Devils won 13 consecutive NCAA Tournament games which ranks as the second longest streak in NCAA history behind only John Wooden's 38-game run at UCLA from 1964-74.  As the No. 2 seed in the tournament, Duke owns a 23-7 record. Duke won the 1991 NCAA Championship as the No. 2 seed.  Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski is 79-23 (.775) in the NCAA Tournament and is college basketball's all-time leader in NCAA Tournament wins. North Carolina's Roy Williams is the next closest active coach with 58 NCAA wins.  Duke is 96-31 (756) all-time in the NCAA Tournament, ranked as the highest NCAA Tournament winning percentage of any program. Duke's 96 wins are the third most behind Kentucky (105) and North Carolina (105) per Duke Sports Information.

A look at Lehigh

Lehigh gained an automatic NCAA bid as the Patriot League Champion and they ride an eight-game winning streak into tournament play. Lehigh has played NCAA Tournament teams Michigan State, losing 90-81 and Iowa State, losing  86-77  all on the road. Lehigh's roster boasts the nation's 5th leading score,  C.J. McCollum (21.9 ppg.)  This is the 5th NCAA Tournament for Lehigh.

 And tickets remain for Greensboro at Ticketmaster for face value, so hustle up and support the Blue Devils!

 

 

BDN Premium Articles, Duke Football

Big in-state CB Breon Borders leaning towards Duke

CB Breon Borders led Statesville with 8 interceptions as a junior

When it comes to recruiting, being the first school to offer a prospect is rarely a bad thing. After National Signing Day, the Duke coaching staff turned their full attention to identifying the top student-athletes in the class of 2013 and inviting them to campus. Breon Borders, a 6'1" 170 pound cornerback from Statesville, NC, picked up his first scholarship offer from the Blue Devils on a February 25th unofficial visit to Durham. A converted wide receiver, Borders has become a lockdown corner in the high school ranks and he features the combination of size and speed to become a playmaker at the college level.  BDN caught up with the big cornerback to discuss his interest in the Blue Devils and get an update on his recruitment. [private]

BDN: How would you describe your strengths as a player?

I’m a really tall corner, and I’m faster than people think I am. I can defend the tall receivers, I’m really good at man coverage. My advantage is I’m long.

BDN: What are you working on this offseason as you prepare for your senior year?

I’m really trying to get my weight up to 175 [pounds], and I’m trying to get my footwork better.

BDN: As you approach your college decision, what are the most important things you are looking for in a school?

I’m looking for a coaching staff that really cares about the players and a great football team, a team that really wants me.

BDN: Do you have any ideas for what you might want to study in college?

I’m still open at this point.

BDN: Where do you stand with offers and which schools are you hearing from the most?

I’ve got my only offer from Duke, but I’m hearing a lot from Wake [Forest], Clemson, and UNC sometimes, too.

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

I’ve been to Duke, I’ve been to Clemson, UNC, Wake [Forest], NC State, ECU…and I think that’s about it right there.

BDN: Are there any coaches you have started to develop a close relationship with?

I’ve really…I’ve got a good relationship with Coach Jones from Duke, he’s put a lot of effort in and I feel like he really has put time into getting to know me.

BDN: Are there any other schools you plan to visit or would like to hear from?

My coach has a couple plans that I don’t know about, but I would like to visit Clemson again, Wake [Forest], Duke, and ECU again.

BDN: Do you have a timeline in mind for when you plan to narrow things down or make your final decision?

My top schools are Duke, Clemson, and Wake Forest, but I’m leaning towards Duke right now. I’m probably going to make a decision, probably sometime before the season starts.

BDN: Thanks a lot, Breon, and best of luck.

Alright, thanks, you too.

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