Category Archives: Duke Basketball

Andrew Slater is at it again, this time bringing BDN Premium members an in depth interview with hot prospect Kyrie Irving. Join now to see what you are missing!

Kyrie Irving is a 6'2" guard for St. Patrick's of Elizabeth, New Jersey, having transferred in from the more gentrified Montclair Kimberley Academy after his sophomore season. Kyrie's father, Drederick, played for the Boston University

Terriers in the mid-1980s. Mr. Irving, a Bronx native, left BU as its all-time leading scorer after losing to the Duke Blue Devils in the 1988 NCAA Tournament by a final score of 85-69. He has since been inducted into the Boston University Hall of Fame and is currently the second highest scorer in Terrier history.

Over the past week, Kyrie has led his Celtics to impressive wins over previously undefeated and nationally second-ranked St. Benedict's of Newark, NJ, 88-62 and the USA Today's tenth best "East" squad, Pennsbury of Fairless Hills, PA, 39-35. He spoke with Blue Devil Nation after both wins. The first portion of the interview was done in the hallway to the Rutgers locker room following the Celtics biggest win of the season, while the second half took place at Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ after a win in which Kyrie Irving was named Most Outstanding Player for the victors.

Blue Devil Nation: What schools are recruiting you? [private]

Kyrie Irving: I can't give you specific names, but it's like UConn, West Virginia, St. John's, Rutgers, Seton Hall. It's the majority of the Big East and most of the ACC and Memphis.

BDN: Do you have any sort of timeline for when you'd like to decide by?

KI: I think I'm going to decide probably after this AAU season...Probably around August, you know. The main thing I'm looking for in college is just "a home away from home."

BDN: Have you been on or do you plan on doing any unofficial visits?

KI: I'm going to Notre Dame in the spring and I'm not sure past then, but I'm not taking any...I went to Memphis in October and Indiana in November. They were both great schools. When I went to Memphis, I went around with Jeff Robinson (who has since transferred to Seton Hall University). He took me around and it was just great. Then, I went to Indiana. I stayed around with Devan Dumes (suspended indefinitely on Saturday by Coach Crean). I met with the academic dean. I met with the coaches. It was just great at both colleges.

BDN: What position are most colleges recruiting you for?

KI: Most of the colleges are recruiting me for a combo guard.

Blue Devil Nation: Can you talk about the transition from Montclair Kimberley Academy to St. Patrick's?

Kyrie Irving: Well, just the pace and our defense leads to our offense. The way we play defense is just...it's just totally different from the league that I played in at Montclair Kimberley. This was my first big game

BDN: Sure, sure

KI: ...playing against St. Benedict's at the RAC (Rutgers Athletic Center). It was just a great experience. It's just totally different. All of these people were here to watch a high school game. It's just very rare. Let alone to be playing in a college gym and for all of these people to show up. It was just a great experience tonight.

BDN: How about the competition in practice?

KI: The competition has been great. Me and Dexter go at it every day...trying to make each other better everyday. You know we practice really hard. That's the main thing.

BDN: What are some things that you've learned from Dexter Strickland (UNC-Chapel Hill) and Paris Bennett (George Mason)?

KI: They've tried to teach me how to be a leader and how to be a leader by example vocally.

BDN: How about the transition in school, socially, etc.?

KI: It's been great. I came by here last year. Everybody's friendly. We have a lot of different cultures at St. Patrick's. It's been good to meet a lot of different people.

Blue Devil Nation: Your father, Drederick (pronounced "Dedrick"), was a very successful player at Boston University. That's obviously a different experience than the average kid in America. How do you think that differentiates you in any way or has influenced your playing?

Kyrie Irving: My dad just taught me to be unique. You know be my own player and, you know, just be a good leader on and off of the court and to just be a good citizen...but, you know, on the basketball court, it's war out there. Just have heart and play the game.

BDN: What AAU team will you be playing for this year?

KI: The New Jersey Roadrunners.

BDN: What's your current height and weight?

KI: 6'2," 175

Blue Devil Nation: What players do you try to emulate your game after?

Kyrie Irving: Probably...I like Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant.

BDN: Who's the toughest player you've ever gone against?

KI: Probably Dexter (laughs).

Blue Devil Nation: What would you like the audience to know about you as a person?

Kyrie Irving: That I'm not just an offensive player. You know I play defense also.

BDN: I'm sorry I actually meant about you as a person away from the court. Outside of basketball...I mean that's fine too, but..

KI: Oh, okay. Well, a lot of people don't know, but I take writing seriously. In college, I'm going to major in journalism. I made my mind up about that. That's certainly something most people don't know.

BDN: That's interesting. So you're gonna take away Kevin's job. (Kevin Armstrong, a writer for Sports Illustrated, was standing next to us.)

KI: (Laughs) Yep, yep

Blue Devil Nation: What's your feeling about Duke, both as a program and as a university as well?

Kyrie Irving: Duke? It's doesn't get better than Duke. Duke, it's just way up there. Even the title itself is just a household name. I've talked to Coach Collins a lot and they've talked to my Dad too. You know they just want me to come in and make a contribution.

Blue Devil Nation: What's your opinion, from afar, of Coach Krzyzewski?

Kyrie Irving: Oh, he's a great coach. He's probably like the number...well, I mean I was watching him on the USA team over the summer. Personally, I think he's just the best coach.

Blue Devil Nation: Whenever you do decide on a college, what are the most important factors that will go into your decision?

Kyrie Irving: Oh, well, a "home away from home" and, you know, socially and academically I want to be set for life. My dad always talks to the coaches and he tells them that, you know, when I sign with a college, I'm not singing with them for four years, but over sixty years.

Blue Devil Nation: I like that perspective. Lou Holtz allegedly said something very similar, but said forty years.

Kyrie Irving: Yeah, yeah. That's what I'm basically signing with a college for...a place that can put me ahead in basketball and also academically.

BDN: Who will be the people that you turn to when you ultimately decide on a college?

KI: My father definitely. My father and my uncle are going to help me with my decision.

Blue Devil Nation: What was your reaction when you saw that Coach Boyle said, "Kyrie Irving, when it's all said and done, he will arguably be as good as any guard who's played in New Jersey," Boyle said. "Any guard. Ever. Ever. DaJuan Wagner, Bobby Hurley. You're talking about a guy who's a great shooter, a great finisher, he's going to be as good as anybody who's played in New Jersey."? It must've felt good, but were you surprised?

Kyrie Irving: It felt good, but, yeah, I was surprised definitely. At the same time, I've got to remain humble. That's a statement I want to live up to, but also I still want to maintain the progress I'm making right now as a student, as a person, and as an athlete.

BDN: What style of play appeals to you?

KI: I definitely like fast-paced...just up-and-down

BDN: As opposed to today (combined score was fourteen points less than St. Patrick's scored in their win over previously undefeated St. Benedict's)

KI: Yeah, it was just a half-court game today, but I can play both styles. I'm comfortable either way.

Blue Devil Nation: What do you think is your greatest strength right now?

Kyrie Irving: Probably just leading by example and pushing the ball every time I get it.

Blue Devil Nation: How about your shooting?

Kyrie Irving: Oh, yeah. That's the part of my game that, when I was younger, I was known as a shooter, but I wanted to expand my game.

BDN: What would you like to improve upon most before arriving on your college campus?

KI: Developing as a leader. Paris, Dean, and Dexter will be gone next year so. I am in development right now in order to take over as captain.

Blue Devil Nation: You mentioned before that schools were recruiting you as a combo guard. What position will you be playing next year and what do you feel is your natural position?

Kyrie Irving: Schools are recruiting me mostly as a combo guard. My natural position is as a one. I played that all my life, but, you know, as I got older, I grew and then some people moved me over to the two and I became a scorer and it just went from there.

BDN: Speaking of growth spurts, how tall are you projected to grow to?

KI: 6'4 ½." My dad is 6'4." My mom was like 5'11" so..

(Another person interjects)

Other Person: Do you want to play at BU?

KI: Me and my dad joke about it, but, no, really I don't think I'm going to Boston University. I want to follow in his footsteps, but just not there. I want to make my own path.

OP: Do you have a favorite school?

KI: No, not really

OP: You just want to go to a major school.

KI: No, not necessarily a major school. Just a place where the coaches are great. The family relationship with the coaches is great. Everything is just about, you know, timing.

OP: Are you looking to go to a school with a good basketball tradition like North Carolina or Indiana...a school that's known for, you know, producing great basketball players? Is that all your thinking about or what's the deal with that?

KI: Just a school that's right for me. It doesn't have to the North Carolinas or one of those major schools. Just a school that I can go in and make a quick contribution and hopefully produce me to the next level.

BDN: How are your grades?

KI: I've got a 3.5.

Blue Devil Nation: You mentioned quite a few schools the other day. Which ones have offered you?

KI: Yeah, all of them have.

Blue Devil Nation: Is there any one or two that are currently more aggressive?

KI: Well, they're really all mostly aggressive right now. I can't think of any one or two off of the top of my head right now.

Blue Devil Nation: What camps will you be going to?

Kyrie Irving: I probably won't know until right after the season or towards the end of the season.

Blue Devil Nation: How would assess your handle and your defense right now?

Kyrie Irving: Sometimes, I'll have one or two turnovers, but that doesn't usually occur. I just have to tighten that up a little bit. On defense, I think I'm doing fine right now. You know KB (Coach Kevin Boyle) keeps saying I'm playing very good, intense defense right now so I'm just trying to contribute on the offensive and defensive side.

Blue Devil Nation: Lastly, someone wanted to know about the NJ Roadrunners. Who are they sponsored by? Are they independent?

Kyrie Irving: They're actually sponsored by Protégé by Al Harrington (a former St. Patrick's player and Roadrunner as well as current NY Knick), but I don't wear them. [/private]

Duke Women's Basketball

Duke-UNC Women take the stage first – Coach P talks of the game and more –

February 9, 2009 Duke Sports Information

The following is a barrage of information was provided by Duke SID, Lindy Brown. The Blue Devil Nation will be on hand to cover the battle and will bring you pics and opinions from the game late this evening.

Tobacco Road Showdown On Monday; No. 4 Duke At No. 8 UNC...
In a clash of top-10 foes, the fourth-ranked Duke women’s basketball team (19-2,

Duke seniors travel to Chapel Hill one last time

7-1 ACC) will travel to Chapel Hill, N.C., on Monday, Feb. 9 for a 7:30 p.m., contest at eighth-ranked North Carolina (20-3, 5-2). The game will be aired live on ESPN2 with Pam Ward (PXP), Kara Lawson (Color) and Rebecca Lobo (Sideline) calling the action as part of “Big Monday.” Fans can also hear the Blue Devils live on the radio on WDNC AM 620 with Steve Barnes (PXP) and Morgan Patrick (Color) on the air.

Duke will play its second straight road game against a ranked opponent (at No. 17 last Thursday). The Blue Devils are in a stretch where they are playing three ranked opponents out of four games.

In the rankings, Duke is listed No. 4 in the Associated Press and No. 8 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Polls, while North Carolina is listed No. 8 and No. 9, respectively.

MEDIA INFO

What: Duke at North Carolina
Date: February 9, 2009
Location: Chapel Hill, N.C.
Venue: Dean E. Smith Center
Tipoff: 7:30 p.m.
Radio: WDNC 620 AM
Radio Talent: Steve Barnes (PXP), Morgan Patrick (Color)
TV: ESPN2
TV Talent: Pam Ward (PXP), Kara Lawson (Color), Rebecca Lobo (Sideline)
Livestats: www.GoDuke.com

Noting Duke...
Chante Black is the only player in the ACC to score double-figures in all of her team’s games ... 10-of-12 Duke players have hit at least one three-pointer ... Duke had its 21-game streak with at least one three-pointer made come to an end on Thursday at Virginia going 0-of-10 ... the Blue Devils have won 55 out of their last 59 home ACC regular season contests ... senior Carrem Gay leads Duke with nine charges taken on the season and 27 for her career ... Duke holds a 772-410 points in the paint advantage on the year ... Abby Waner needs one assist for 400 in her career.

A Look At North Carolina...
North Carolina enters Monday with a 20-3 overall and 5-2 league mark under Head Coach Sylvia Hatchell. On the year, the Tar Heels have been led by Rashanda McCants (13.7 points, 6.5 rebounds), Jessica Breland (13.5 points, 7.5 rebounds), Italee Lucas (13.3 points, 44 treys) and Cetera DeGraffenreid (10.8 points, 97 assists). UNC owns a 14-1 record at home and have won three straight games since losing three in a row.

The Series With North Carolina...
The Blue Devils and Tar Heels will meet for the 75th time on Monday with North Carolina leading the overall series 44-30. Duke has won 17 of the last 26 games.
As of late, it has been a series of streaks since 2000 -- Duke won 12 in a row, UNC won five in a row, Duke won two in a row and UNC has won three in a row. In games played in Chapel Hill, N.C., the Blue Devils own a 9-23 overall record and have lost three out of the last four contests.

Blue Devil Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie will face North Carolina for the sixth time over her 17 years as a head coach. McCallie has a 0-5 record against the Tar Heels. She lost two of those contests while as head coach at Maine. McCallie’s squad faced North Carolina in the 2000 NCAA Tournament in Santa Barbara, Calif., and fell 62-57 on March 18. The Black Bears also lost, 68-52, on Dec. 28, 1996 on a neutral site. In her first year against UNC as the Duke head coach, McCallie’s squad lost all three games in 2007-08.

Duke/UNC In The Dean E. Smith Center...
Duke and North Carolina will battle in the Dean E. Smith Center for only the fourth time in school history. The Blue Devils own a 1-2 record in those games with the most recent contest coming on Jan. 24, 2005 with 12th-ranked North Carolina upending third-ranked Duke, 56-51. The other games came on Feb. 14, 2004 with Duke notching an 89-79 victory and Feb. 20, 1988 with the Tar Heels winning, 68-64.

In those three games, the Blue Devils have registered three excellent individual performances. During the 1988 contest, Chris Moreland registered 29 points and 20 rebounds in 35 minutes for Duke. Alana Beard had 31 points and six rebounds in 2004 and in the 2005 game, Monique Currie rang in 24 points and nine boards.

Storylines/Other Blue Devil Notes...
• Duke and North Carolina will play for the 13th time when both squads are ranked in the top 10 nationally. UNC leads those contests with a 7-5 record.
• When Duke is the high-ranked team in the series with UNC, the Blue Devils own a 18-8 record (69.2 percent). UNC owns a 19-4 record when it is ranked higher. The higher ranked team has won 37 of 49 games.
• Sophomore Jasmine Thomas will go up against her former AAU teammate, Chay Shegog. Thomas is from Fairfax, Va., while Shegog is out of Stafford, Va., and they played for the Fairfax Stars.
• Senior Abby Waner had a streak of hitting two or more three-pointers in five straight games come to an end at Virginia (0-of-5). Her previous best was four in a row at the end of her freshman campaign.
• Jasmine Thomas is averaging 14.0 points, 2.8 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals over the last four games. She has registered double-digit scoring in three of the four games, including matching a career high with 22 points at Virginia. She hit a career-high 10 field goals in the victory.
• In the last game at Virginia, Chante Black became only the third player in school history to notch over 900 rebounds in her career (902).
• Joy Cheek’s father, Boris, will officiate his first NFL Pro Bowl in Hawaii over the weekend.
• Two of the four ACC road contests this season have gone to overtime.
• Duke ranks second nationally in steals per game 13.7, while North Carolina is fourth (13.0).
• The Blue Devils had a streak of 21 straight games with at least one three-pointer come to an end at Virginia as Duke went 0-of-10 from downtown.
• Duke owns an 92-10 record in ACC regular season action since the 2001-02 campaign.
• After missing her first seven three-pointers of the season, junior Keturah Jackson hit her first of the season and third of her career against Boston College.
• Duke registered a season-high 50.8 percent shooting at Virginia, which marked the fourth time under Coach P the Blue Devils have shot over 50.0 percent from the field in two years (2nd this season).
• If Chante Black keeps on her current average of 8.8 rebounds a contest, she could become only the third player in ACC history to notch over 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 200 blocks. Black currently owns 1,293 points, 902 rebounds and 240 blocks. Only UNC’s Dawn Royster and Clemson’s Peggy Caple have accomplished these types of numbers.
• With Abby Waner missing the Virginia Tech contest due to an illness, she became the third Blue Devil this season to miss a game due to being sick -- Shay Selby & Kathleen Scheer missed the Quinnipiac game, while Scheer recently missed the Georgia Tech game as well.
• Sophomore Karima Christmas is averaging 11.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 0.9 assists in ACC action. She has hit 32-of-51 field goals (62.7%) and 4-of-11 treys (36.4%) from the field. Her 62.7 field goal percentage is second in the ACC.
• Since kicking off ACC play, Duke’s bench players have hit 12-of-26 three-pointers for a 46.2 percentage. Seven different Blue Devils have hit treys in those games -- Jackson, Gay, Cheek, Scheer, Selby, Mitchell and Christmas.
• With Karima Christmas scoring 21 points against Miami on Jan. 9, Duke has now registered four different players with 20+ points in a game this season.
• With Duke’s win over No. 3 Stanford on Dec. 16, Coach P won her third contest against a top-five ranked team in just her second season with the Blue Devils. McCallie has notched victories against Stanford while the head coach at Maine, Michigan State and Duke.

Offense Picking Up...
Over the last four games, the Blue Devils have turned in three of the top shooting contests of the season as Duke shot a season-high 50.8 percent at Virginia, 50.0 percent against Georgia Tech and hit 49.2 percent at Florida State. Against Boston College, Duke hit 43.3 percent from the field.

Duke’s current stretch of four straight games shooting over 40.0 percent is a season high.

When looking at the numbers closer, Duke has hit 48.2 percent from the field, 16-of-48 from downtown for a 33.3 percentage, hit 71.1 percent of their free throws, notched 12.3 steals and 7.0 blocks in the four games.

Three different Blue Devils have averaged double-figures -- Jasmine Thomas (14.0), Chante Black (13.0), and Abby Waner (11.8) in the four-game stretch.

Duke Players Vs. North Carolina...
Over the last three games against UNC, Chante Black has averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.0 assists, while hitting 16-of-25 field goals (64.0 percent). In eight career games, Black has averaged 8.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks.

Abby Waner has averaged 11.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 3.2 steals over her last five games against North Carolina. In seven career games, Waner has hit only 4-of-37 from downtown.

In three games last year, Jasmine Thomas averaged 9.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.3 steals. She is coming off notching 16 points on 7-of-16 field goals in the ACC Championship.

Gay Back In Lineup...
Carrem Gay returned to the starting lineup on Feb. 2 against Boston College and made her presence felt early as she scored 10 of her 14 points in the first half.
For the game, Gay matched a season high with 14 points to go along with three assists and two rebounds. She hit her first seven field goals and finished the game hitting 7-of-8 field goals.

She came back and notched eight points, four rebounds, one assist and one block in a start at Virginia.
In the two straight starts, she has hit 10-of-14 field goals. Gay has started 61 career games and 16 this season.

Approaching 20 Wins...
With one more victory, the Blue Devils will reach their 12th consecutive 20-win season and the 14th out of the last 15 years. Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie is approaching her 13th different 20-win season over her 17-year coaching career and sixth straight.

The ACC record for most consecutive 20-win seasons is 14 by Virginia and the second-best streak is Duke’s current 11-year mark. N.C. State’s streak of eight ranked third.

Coach P talks to the media about UNC -

On coaching her second game against Carolina in Chapel Hill:

"I feel like I knew about that rivalry last year and I know about it this year and at the same time, as a coach, attack it the same as any other game. I'm certainly aware of the great rivalry, I'm aware of the great opinions."

On Carolina's rebounding ability:

"North Carolina is an excellent rebounding team, they are very athletic, they have multiple people who come from multiple spots and there is no question that transition defense and rebounding will be the critical key to this game. We practiced some of that against Virginia, transition defense and rebounding, but North Carolina has more people. They have more depth and more ability to run and more ability to rebound."

On Abby's Waner's characterization of Carolina as "organized chaos:"

"I just think Carolina is a very good team. I don't know if I would use that term. I think they are a good team. They can press, they can run, they can rebound, they can shoot, they have depth and quickness. I just think they are a very good basketball team. Basically you tackle very good basketball teams the same way, which is you really focus on what we do well and you really focus on Duke basketball and what we want to bring to the table and try to impose that as much as possible. But I just think they are a very good team."

On Duke's ability to fight back going into a hostile environment:

"I think this team has been pretty consistent with the ability to fight back. If you go back to the game against Oklahoma State, our first home game, if you go back to USC, being down what seemed like a million at the time, when this team stays focused and when we stay together and really focus on what we have been doing on the floor I think that we have had really good success coming back. But I agree with you, I think the preferred way to play the game is to dictate from the beginning all the way through. But runs are an interesting thing in the game."

On any of Carolina's personnel advantages which Duke must overcome:

"Well, they have got three players that are a lot alike that are so dangerous. I don't know too many teams which have a [Rashanda] McCants, a [Jessica] Breland, and a [Iman] McFarland. I mean, that's what you call depth. The size of those players and the quickness of those players, and you know [Chay] Shegog is doing a great job for them to give them a bigger presence. I think that's a concern; you've really got to find a lot of people. Those three are some of the best rebounders out there in terms of getting to the glass really hard and they are very mobile players and I am concerned about the guards who are very good as you know, but those three are sort of the whole key to Carolina."

On the importance of tempo:

"I think tempo is always very important in any game that we play. And I think that we did a very good job controlling the tempo last night and I think that was good to do. We took hold of that tempo, and even though there were runs which favored Virginia, I still think we had the tempo for most of it. I think a team that does control the tempo keeps their composure, focuses hard and just continues to play their game; I think that is a team that can be successful."

On emotions and maturity in a game like Carolina:

"I think our team knows the maturity that you need to have. I mean you can't ride emotion to victory. You can have some emotional runs in the game, but you've got to stay composed and focused. There is just a certain place you go, a certain inner place to keep that focus because absolutely nothing can rattle an excellent team. You just have to stay with it, stay focused, and really stay composed with your teammates. I think whatever we have done in the past is the past and we have learned lessons from that. But this is the present and this is a great opportunity for us, and it's a great opportunity to bring Duke basketball. That's really fun; bring Duke basketball to Chapel Hill. That's what you want to do, and so you have to stay in the moment. All that matters is the moment, which is preparation, we've got two practices, and then we go into that game and that is what matters the most."

Duke Basketball

Duke fights through the funk and gets a key win

February 7, 2009 Mark Watson

This photo is courtesy of Duke Photography

Anybody who has watched a lot of basketball will tell you teams play in cycles. Sometimes a made shot, key steal or more importantly a win will get you back on track.

Well, Duke hopes today's hard fought victory over a game Miami team will pull them out of a funk. It certainly looked as if the Blue Devils were on their way to a second straight loss after one of the worst half's of offensive basketball I have seen them play.

Coming off the Clemson debacle, fans hoped to see a well oiled machine, but it became evident that Duke was in a mental funk and by intermission even the most positive fans were wondering if Duke could find any way to score.

While the first half was seriously ugly, the end result was beautiful for Duke. Wise men will tell you that win you win a game like this, you let the first half go. In fact, Duke should let the Clemson game as well.

Ironically, it was the much maligned Greg Paulus who was a key catalyst. He made some mistakes but he played through them and continued to hustle forcing many miscues you don't get credit for in the stat sheet.

Paulus three pointers and 18 points were especially vital considering sophomore Nolan Smith has all of a sudden got the look of a deer in headlights about him when on the court.

Singler struggled mightily from the outside and took a few rushed shots, but his toughness on the boards was vital as well. The super soph hit just 5 of his 23 shots, but he had the presence of mind to keep shooting and that is what was needed.

Like Paulus, senior Dave McClure reached deep down to help his fellow Devils. McCluers defense was stellar and his game high 14 rebounds were incredible for many of them were created by pure desire. One needs to not that half of them were on the offensive boards.

And then there is Gerald Henderson. After a single point before the half, he asserted himself to score 19 points and many of those were in one key stretch run.

The bottom line is if you look at individual stats and the Duke shooting percentage, you would think they lost. But they didn't and much of that can be attributed to half time adjustments where Coach K tinkered with his defense.

During the second half, Krzyzewski made another good move, calling a timeout after his team hit a stretch where they missed five shot in a row, all beyond the stripe. He obviously told them to attack more and when they did it payed off.

You can certainly point to a lot of areas Duke needs work on, be it attacking a zone defense or getting players other than the big three to step up. Actually, two did step up today and they were both seniors. Duke could not have won this game without their spirited play.

In the end, there was one key thing which happened today and that was Duke got the win. The way they had to fight back to take that win is something which cannot be measured with concerns to confidence.

Duke is now realizing how hard teams will come at them and they are seeing defenses designed to give them trouble. Despite how bad some feel Duke is playing, they are tied atop the conference at 7-2 and won their 20th game of the season against three losses.

You see, it's better to struggle or see those defenses now for those are the kind of lessons that prepare you for March. Duke will now prepare for rival North Carolina. The two teams will battle for sole possession of first place in the ACC and you can be sure that the lessons learned by Duke will benefit them in this game.

GAME LINKS -

Miami Journal

Winston Salem Journal

BDN Premium Articles, Duke Basketball, Duke Basketball Recruiting News

Recruiting Focus – James McAdoo interview

February 6, 2009 Mark Watson

I have found that it generally takes me at least five views of a prospect to get a good feel and accurately describe their game. I mean there are so many intangibles, like have they been playing or traveling a lot of late or have they been under the weather. The list also consists of, have they had off the court or personal issues, a look at the match up situations, whether they have familiarity or lack of in the environment they are playing in. I watch to see if they play consistently or if they turn it on when certain coaches are in attendance. I could go on for another 1000 words describing intangibles alone. That is but scratching the surface of the many things I look for when scouting a player.

Every so often a players comes along that you get an immediate feel for and James McAdoo is one of those guys. McAdoo has the ability to slash through defenders and always gets his shot off, traffic or not. At his young age, he already understands angles and spacing. He moves well in all aspects of the game including defense where his long body allows him to recover quickly to play help defense. In short, McAdoo is a big time talent.

BDN was able to speak with McAdoo this past weekend and here is that conversation.

How old are you now?

I just turned sixteen on January the 3rd.

What is your actual height?

6-8

What schools are really looking at you at this point?

UCLA, Texas, North Carolina, Clemson, Georgetown and Syracuse. Did I say Florida? Florida is up there. Virginia Tech, Virginia and Wake Forest - that's it as far as I can remember.

Any offers?

Florida, Wake Forest, Clemson, UCLA, Georgetown, Virginia Tech and Virginia.

Sounds like everybody but ...

UNC, Texas and Duke.

I noticed a Duke coach in the house (Slamfest) ...

Yes sir. They are [private] recruiting me.

Duke is in there? Whens the last time they contacted you?

Um, about a month.

Have they been calling or do they send letters?

I was up there for an exhibition game when they played Virginia Union.

You've been over at UNC a lot lately, right?

Yes. About three times ... Florida once. I am just trying to build a relationship with the coaches.

With a background, a lot of people consider UNC the team to beat. Is that pretty much true?

Um, It's not true. I mean I'm not going to go there just because my Uncle or Dad grew up loving them. It'll basically come down to being my decision.

What is the key factor that'll play in your decision?

I just want to go there and be able to have freedom. (No Braveheart jokes, please) And most importantly be able to start as a freshman and be an impact player.

Which assistant coaches talk to you the most from local schools, like Duke, Wake or UNC?

Local, I'd say Coach Robinson talks to me the most. Coach Kelsey at Wake.

And Florida?

They are one of the first schools that contacted me and I've built a real good relationship with Coach

What size shoes do you currently wear?

Basketball shoes? I wear 15's, but kick around shoes I wear 14.

Back to freedom. What are you looking for?

As far as game style I want to get up and down the floor. I want to have freedom to be able to dribble the ball, play the perimeter. Inside, outside.

When will you get down to making a decision?

As far as eliminating some schools?

Yes ...

I will start to do that after my sophomore year before AAU starts. After AAU.

And you'll play for Boo Williams this year?

Yes sir.

Which head coaches have you seen the most of?

Billy Donovan has come up. Roy Williams has come up. Seth Greeberg, Leitao, Oliver Purnell ...

When you are looking at a school, what are your prerequisites?

As far as a school or a basketball program?

Both.

I just want to be able to get along with the players that are there. I want to make sure I'm going to fit in with the style of play and the coaching staff. And if I'm going to like the school if I get hurt and basketball is taken away from me.

Do you have a preference on the size of a school, public or pri ...

I will probably pick a bigger school

You want to start is that what you are looking for when talking with coaches?

You kind of know if you go out there and play pick up with the guys, what position you are going to be and if you'll play.

So you'll take a look at depth and current players on rosters.

Yeah (nodding)

Congrats on winning the games MVP ...

Thanks

(the vast majority (19 of 25) of these question were asked by BDN, but Rivals and Scout reps came in) - [/private]

Duke Basketball, Duke Basketball Recruiting News

John Wall and Word of God take round II

February 5, 2009 Mark Watson

Raleigh Ravenscroft played host to Word of God last evening in one of the more hyped Wake County area basketball games in recent memory. The gym was full

before the girls' game started and by game time for the boys, there was a throng of people standing outside in frigid weather hoping to catch a glimpse of John Wall, C.J. Leslie and Ryan Kelly. Some went as far to bill the game Wall versus Kelly II. Ravenscroft had defeated Word of God on their home floor earlier this season. The Ravens were poised to sweep the series, but Word of God had other ideas and a bit of a chip on their shoulder. After the game Ravenscroft head coach Kevin Billerman said, "I think it was a great environment for high school athletics to have the city of Raleigh turn out as it did. If you looked in the stands you saw maybe fifty percent of the highs schools area basketball players. Everybody wanted to see the game." The Ravens started out ice cold, Kelly went 0 for 5 before finding his range. For a while Kelly would score and then Wall would answer. For instance Kelly scored on the baseline and before you could blink Wall nailed a three. Then Kelly would dunk and Wall would return the favor. " "They were just leaving me open and I was making shots tonight feeling confident. He (Kelly would hit one and then I would shoot it and it felt good," said Wall. It benefited WOG that N.C. State bound C.J. Leslie asserted himself early as well. Leslie who would end the game with points showed a good mid range jumper to go with his play around the glass and even drained a three point shot. UNC Wilmington commitment Matt Wilson also played well early, but faded down the stretch. It was later learned that he had been fighting off a bug and was playing sick. But Wall put on a show. I once timed him after a rebound and he went end to end finishing with a driving lay in just as the stop watch hit three seconds. Every time the home team would cut it to with a couple of baskets, Wall would raise the level of his play often dunking in a show boat fashion bringing the crowd to it's feet. Word of God was able to get the Ravens to play their style of up and down ball and a few rushed shots later, they took a 43-30 lead into the half. It would never get any closer. As the second half opened, the slam fest continued. Before you know it Wall had tallied 24 points and his team had a commanding twenty point margin many of those by way of the break. "When you take jump shots against them, all of a sudden John (Wall) is laying it in

on the other end. Our best two defenders are our two 6-11 guys and for them to sprint back when John Wall does is difficult," said Billerman. He continued with his accolades for Wall, "I've seen John play many, many times before and he shot the ball as well as I have ever seen him. He's really a very good team player." Kelly did his best to put his team on his back, but the twenty point working margin held up for a 82-64 Word of God victory. The win pushed their record to 11-9 for

Kelly at the end of flushing down a dunk - copyright BDNP

the season, but bare in mind that record comes against a tough tournament laden schedule. "We got into a bit of a running match which isn't what we are. We don't compare well with a team with their athleticism. The last time we got them and we controlled the tempo better," said Kelly. Kelly wound up the games high scorer with 29 points, but his teammates failed to find him on the blocks where he had enormous success when given that chance. In fact, the guard play of the Ravens was their undoing in due to rushed and poor shot selection. Wall ended the game with 28 points, with two three pointers and a bushel of

dunks. He showed a better touch from the outside than he has in the past and seemed to recognize holes in the defense. "We took an extra look at film yesterday and we saw we should push the ball with no hesitation. And you could see we were pushing and their backs were turned and we were scoring and getting fouled. I was seeing the different match ups and after talking to the coaches and it worked out fine and we came out with a good win," said Wall. Wall was surrounded by autograph seekers after the game and he stated, "Im used to it after AAU ball, but usually it's not that much." The WOG handlers stepped up in the press conference and would not allow any recruiting questions, threatening to immediately leave if the media didn't comply. Wall is the top player in high school that has yet to commit. There were some hints given earlier that he would be trimming the list and setting up some visits which will be discussed in our premium section. The entire Wall Q & A is there as well. Another player who helped the Rams cause was Bishop Daniels who tallied 15 points. "Bishop is really doing a great job developing. I told him at the beginning of the year we're going to play thirty games this year, 18 of them, you're going to stake it up. One of the things you saw him do tonight is get out in transition," said WOG Coach Levi Beckwith. While disappointed in the loss Ravenscroft Coach Kevin Billerman put the game into perspective, "This will be a game is good practice for us and good preparation for us advancing into the state tournament in two weeks." Notes - Ravenscroft (21-6) will travel to Durham Academy this Friday. Word of God will host Greenfield next Wednesday. Greenfield is rinding a 16 game winning streak. North Carolina State Coach Sydney Lowe watched the game. One of the WOG coaches said their recod was 17-7. So, I'm uncertain of which record is correct. For futher coverage, join Blue Devil Nation Premium and get full inside access.

Duke Basketball

Duke falls flat at Clemson, suffering a humiliating loss

February 5, 2009 Mark Watson

The wheels came off for the third ranked team in the country and Clemson showed no mercy in route to an easy 74-47 victory in Little John Coliseum. The Blue Devils

The team will go back to practice in search of the Duke way.

struggled so badly that Coach K tried every combination possible but chemistry was nowhere to be found.

The Duke guards struggled mightily with Paulus, Scheyer and Smith going for 8 total points. Singler was saddled with early foul trouble and ... Look! There is no reason to continue for Duke just played their worst game in recent memory.

Fans can throw a beat down on the team, but Duke is still tied atop the ACC with UNC and 19-3 overall. But there is not much more one can say which is positive for this loss was inexplicably bad.

Duke had two players in double figures, committed 16 turnovers giving Clemson 20 plus points and dished a paltry 7 assists.

The Blue Devils have clearly struggled on the road of late and the offense is becoming a concern. Then there is Scheyer's shooting slump, the lack of production at the point and well, Duke has a lot to work on before they take on a hungry Miami team.

I'm not one to throw the team under the bus and I feel certain they'll be back, but a loss like they suffered tonight is, well K said it best -

Coach K said they didn't fight, didn't compete and that he was not sure if a Duke team had ever played that bad. He said the team plays like it prepares and that they have had two bad practices in a row.

"We didn't want the game for some reason. Nobody is hurt. I don't think we played hard enough to get hurt. We went for one handed rebounds and not one Duke player dived for the ball. It was a really embarrassing performance," stated a bewildered Krzyzewski. He went on to say it was his fault, but that this wasn't the Duke way. "A Duke team can't play that way. That's the bottom line."