Tyler Thornton is showing off his game at the N.C. Pro Am, photo Rick Crank special to BDN. pixbyric.com
DURHAM, N.C. - On the first night of the N.C. Pro Am incoming Duke freshman Tyler Thornton laced up his sneakers only to find himself on a team of 18 players. The coach didn't know who Thornton was, so he sat there on the bench for the whole first half. When I slipped word his way, Thornton played in the following half and was very effective in his brief minutes.
Thornton's playing time has increased since that first evening and most fans who've watched him play come away impressed. Thornton is the kind of player simply does what it takes for his team to compete.
He has showed the ability to be a good defender always hustling on defense and it is quite obvious that he has worked on his outside shot this off season. BDN caught up to Thornton after a recent game and got his thoughts on what it is like to finally be on the Duke campus.
Andrae Dawkins dropped 36 while his teammate and opponent last evening Seth Curry. Curry ended the game with 27 and got the win. Photo Rick Crank for BDN, pixbyrix.com
DURHAM, N.C. - On a steamy summer night the N.C. Pro Am continued but no shows from North Carolina and N.C. State disappointed some for anticipated match ups would not take place. Well, that is if you are a Heel or Pack faithful for the Blue Devils turned out in force. On a night when the defense mirrored the NBA All Star game seven Blue Devils were in action and three of them scored 20 plus points. And two of the Devils would go head to head in the evenings most entertaining game
Kyrie Irving wasted little time in wowing the crowd by daring the defenders to stay with him using cross over dribbles and stutter steps to free up his shot or set up a dish to a teammate. Irving hung in the air for one showboat assist which brought the crowd to their feet, but it was a catch while hanging in mid air and a tomahawk dunk that really had the place rocking. Irving ended the evening with 22 points and 7 assists. Irving was scheduled to go against N.C. State freshman Ryan Harrow who failed to show due to prior obligations.
While Tyler Thornton did not score a point, he played solid on ball defense and his shadowing frustrated opponents into mistakes or an uninvited elbow push off. Thornton dished 3 assists and played a solid overall game.
But the third Team Hendricks Dukie, Josh Hairston impressed as well where he scored 18 points, his tournament high. Four of his baskets came off either Irving or Thornton assists and he was comfortable in the paint while floating out to hit turnaround jumpers.
Hendrick's won the game by a 110-96 margin and they will play again this coming Tuesday.
In the night cap Andre Dawkins and Seth Curry put on a show. The two teammates traded baskets early on, smiling at each other as if to say top that as the game progressed.
"I came out and hit my first couple of shots and then a three from the corner and I was really feeling it after that," said Dawkins who would end the game with a dazzling 36 point effort.
"I see him do it every day, so it's no surprise for me," said Curry who sat out last season after transferring from Liberty.
Curry nailed a trio of three point shots to start the game setting the bar high but Andre was the first to draw blood with a three of his own.
"He hit the first one and said, "What are you going to do,?" it was fun and good competition. With two great shooters it was fun to go back and forth, stated Curry.
"Yeah, we were keeping tabs the whole game to see who had more points but he is playing the distributor for his team and didn't put up as many shots as I did playing the two spot for my team," said Dawkins who for a while could not miss.
Curry replied by saying, "He got the points but I got the win." He continued, "Last year we were on each others team in practice a lot so we got to know each others game and we try to make each other better."
If last night was any indication of the future, when Curry and Dawkins are both on a roll it will bode quite well for the Blue Devils.
BDN Sidebar -Ryan Kelly chipped in 9 points and played a solid overall game but with former Wolfpack and current Los Angeles Laker Josh Powell [31 points] joining Team Jamison his D-One team fell 101-95 which evened things up after Kelly led them to a win with 31 last week.
Miles Plumlee added 10 points to the victors and had a vicious behind the head dunk. He was also on the end of Dawkins best assist of the night where he caught a behind the back pass for a dunk on the break.
Rodney Rodgers got a warm reception as he took to mid court in a wheel chair after his tragic accident. The former Durham Hillside and Wake Forest star spoke of his foundation.
The games will continue next Tuesday with tip off of the first contest scheduled for around 6:00. Be prepared to walk a distance due to parking issues and keep in mind that the doors will be shut down upon capacity. Admission is free.
For more Pro Am thoughts check out the BDN Premium message board where we report live and be sure to sign up for our twitter page for the best updates available. Be sure to check out our live updates from the recruiting trail where BDN's Andre Slater is in Las Vegas checking out all the action as Coach K, Collins and James scout the nations top prospects.
Kyrie high stepping in his Nikes. Photo Rick Crank pixbyric.com for BDN
There is a buzz around the N.C. Pro Am which involves the play of incoming freshman Kyrie Irving. Ever the competitor, Irving relishs the opportunity to go up against any and all comers. After committing two early turnovers in his most recent game, Irving settled in and dropped 33 points. The New Jersey native wowed the crowd with his ball handling ability and he blew by pretty much everybody who tried to guard him in his last outing. BDN teamed with the News and Observer's Ken Tysiac to get Irving's thoughts on many issues which you can hear via BDN Audio.
Note -You will need to adjust your volume for there are some technical issues with the recording which we could not resolve, meaning it is loud and more distorted than we like but it is still worth a listen.
Kelly dropped 28 points last evening at the N.C. Pro Am - Photo property of Rick Crank of pixbyric.com and cannot be used without permission from Rick Crank or BDN.
DURHAM, N.C. - The first thing you notice when watching Ryan Kelly in the N.C. Pro Am is the fact that he has bulked up via the weight room and diet. Kelly dropped 28 points last evening which helped guide his D-One team to a close 82-79 victory over Dreamworks. Kelly showed off his improved all around game and has that unusual and rare throw back mid range game. In short, Kelly did all things well last evening. While attending the Peach Jam I had a brief chat with Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski who posed a question to me. "Have you seen Ryan?," asked the HOF coach who seemed elated at the changes he has made physically. Kelly's emergence gives Duke fans something to look forward to as next years team depth will likely land them as pre season number one in the polls. During the interview, Kelly made it clear that he would find a way on the court this season and he did so with a steely eyed conviction. Listen to Kelly's comments for yourself via BDN audio where I shared the session with my pal, Ken Tysiac of the Charlotte Observer -
It's Viva Las Vegas for Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski and Kyle Singler - BDN Photo
There will be little rest for the Duke staff as this week marks the beginning of a busy time split between the pro's and the nations top prospects. Coach Krzyzewski and Chris Collins will head to Las Vegas to where they'll be joined by Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith. The reason is that Team USA is putting together and entirely new roster made up mainly of up and coming players. With no help from the Dream Team, Krzyzewski will seek to form new bonds of chemistry in his on going effort to aid USA Basketball. But the staff will also be out during the last leg of the recruiting trail where three major tournaments start in Las Vegas this week. BDN's Andrew Slater will be on the scene to bring you tidbits as they happen and his unique style has made him a hit with our members. The following week, it will be down to Orlando for the Showcase and AAU Nationals. Needless to say, it's quite the busy time for the men's hoops staff.
It's no secret that some Alabama fans are purchasing season tickets for just one single game in Wallace Wade Stadium on September 18th. Mark my words that this will be the toughest ticket to get in recent memory and rest assured the scalpers are lying in wait for what could be a big pay day. Speaking of season tickets, the numbers are already better this season which is a testament to keeping big games at home. Earlier discussions had the game possibly being played in Birmingham or Atlanta, but Cutcliffe fought to keep the game in Durham, not only for the program, but for the fans
I will head to Greensboro on Sunday for ACC Operation Football which kicks off the 2010-11 season. I've said for a long time now that the four best teams will be in the Coastal Division and it is no fun trying to pick the order in which they will finish. I could make a case for Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Miami and Georgia Tech. It'll not be easy to place the Tar Heels who are in the midst of an NCAA investigation yet they return more experience than pretty much anybody in the nation.
Congrats to J.J. Redickwho cashed in with the Orlando Magic who met the Chicago Bull's offer. Same goes for Carlos Boozer who will man the paint in the Windy City this season. And to think, those two could have formeda tandem with Luol Deng.
Lots of buzz for Duke's Michael Gbinije, a class of 2011 commitment. Gbinije enjoyed a solid tournament as he led his Team Takeover team to the Nike EYBL Challenge. This kid has constantly improved from the first time I saw him play three years ago. A voice close to the program said he would play right away with Duke and that he did everything well. I concur.
Just a reminder that our N.C. Pro Am coverage will continue this week where games are played on the campus of N.C. Central University in Durham and admission is free.
Kyrie Irving drives to the basket during is N.C. Pro Am debut - photo copyright Rick Crank, BDN Photo
Durham, N.C. - Fans from all across the Triangle packed North Carolina Central University's gym on Tuesday night, as a record-breaking crowd was on hand to see some of the ACC's best young incoming talent on display. Four Blue Devils took to the floor in Tuesday's round of games, including the much anticipated debut of incoming freshman point guard Kyrie Irving. Irving played in the first game where he scored a team high 36 points while dazzling the crowd with his ball handling and crafty finishes around the basket. While his 36-point debut was quite an impressive performance, it came up a little short for Irving as his team fell to Team Navy by 4 points. In the second match-up of the night, Seth Curry teamed up with Miles Plumlee and incoming freshman forward Josh Hairston for a balanced attack to defeat Team 212/Trianglegi.com. Curry led the way with 22 points, shooting 8-16 FG and 3-8 3pt. Curry showed off his array of scoring abilities, dialing in from NBA range while also taking the ball strong to the hoop for several solid finishes around the rim. Miles Plumlee used his athleticism and size around the rim to throw down 2 or 3 rim-rocking dunks, sending the crowd into frenzy on more than one occasion. He finished the game with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Josh Hairston played good defense out on the perimeter and showed some touch on his turn-around jump shot. He finished the game 5-10 from the field for 10 points while also grabbing a team-high 11 rebounds. In the most anticipated match up of the night, the incoming Tar Heel freshmen alongside John Henson, Justin Watts and PJ Hairston took on the incoming freshmen from Raleigh, as it was an old fashioned UNC vs. NCST rivalry game. The game was heated from the beginning, with Harrison Barnes and CJ Leslie going head to head both making plays on both sides of the court. While Barnes led the team with a game-high 26 points, the real story of the game was UNC freshman Reggie Bullock. Bullock used his size and athleticism to consistently drive and shoot over Lorenzo Brown from NCST. The UNC freshmen took home the 10 point win.
As for the Duke players, many were excited to see their future point guard in action for the first time, and he did not disappoint. Coming into the game with virtually no warm up, Kyrie quietly began to assert himself in the first quarter before taking off before the end of the half. He missed on his first few 3-point attempts, however quickly recovered with a few fast break points and a huge one handed alley-oop on the fast break. Irving really shined with the ball in his hands as he used his amazing shift of pace to slice through the heart of the defense either finishing at the rim or dishing off to an open teammate. Irving draws many comparisons to former Wake Forest great Chris Paul, and they are not far off. If Tuesday night was any indication of the type of impact Irving could have at Duke, then Duke fans should buckle up, for it's going to be a fun season. Truly an elite level point guard who will have the ball in his hands early.
Seth Curry's feel for the game is so clear when watching him play. You can tell that he comes from a basketball family and that he knows how to play the game the right way. While a deadeye shooter from 3, Curry has no problem going into attack mode and getting to the rim. He will have no problem playing some point for Duke this season, as his ball handling and decision-making are superb. He showed off his array of scoring tools, getting points from virtually every spot on the floor. He will be a dangerous weapon to put on the floor along side players like Irving, Smith and Singler.
Miles Plumlee has completely reshaped his body and looks to be in the best shape of his life. He is extremely cut and moves as well as any big man you will see at his size. His lift off the floor is much quicker than it was in his previous two seasons as he has turned much of his bulk into pure solid muscle. He showed nice touch with a right handed hook shot and wowed the crowed with his thunderous dunks. While his shot was somewhat off tonight, he showed glimpses last season of hitting the mid range jumper. Rebounding will be a key area of focus for the Plumlee brothers this upcoming season as they look to replace key seniors Brian Zoubek and Lance Thomas.
Incoming freshman forward Josh Hairston blended in well with Curry and Plumlee, quietly doing the little things to help his team. Hairston possesses an athletic frame that will be able to defend out on the perimeter very similar to the way Lance did last season. Hairston showed good form and touch from the outside, hitting two turn-around jumpers on the baseline.
Overall, this was one of the biggest nights in the N.C Pro Am history. With lines reaching over 200 people outside, many were turned away simply because of fire code. With the talent that is showing up, the Pro Am does not look to be slowing down anytime soon. Many suggest getting there up to an hour early in order to secure a parking spot and a comfortable seat in the house.
Will be on hand for Thursday's action and excitement. Tobacco road is showing what it's all about.
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