The championship game from the Showcase will be tonight, but the AAU Nationals are underway as well. A bevy of college coaching greats have descended upon Disney's Wide World of Sports to get one last look at some of the nations top basketball prospects. Coach K and his staff are out in force and they are intermingled with the likes of Roy Williams, Billy Donovan and others.
One of Duke's main targets is Kyrie Irving, but Irving was unable to participate in his New Jersey Roadrunners final game because he suited up for the New Jersey Celtics for their upset run. Despite that, Krzyzewski sat with assistants Collins and Wojciechowski out of respect and to show that the guard is at the top of their list.
It gets better for Duke fans who [private] want to dream for Kyrie Irving, Austin Rivers and Andre Dawkins all mingled before the tip off of the Boo Williams game. Now, let's not make too much of that, but it was still a nice thing to see. The Duke Captain and his cohorts of course watched Andre Dawkins perform, as he drained 19 points in an easy opening win for Boo Williams.
They then took in Brad Beal's final game where his team fell short and Beal struggled. During the contest Johnny Dawkins, Jay Williams, Mike Brey and Roshown McCleod all sat on the front row, with Kansas coach being the odd man out. I jokingly thought about asking him if he got the memo that the row was for Blue Devils only.
Oddly, Billy Donovan came in late in the second half and, for those of you who don't know, Duke, Florida and Kansas are considered the front runners for Beal's services.
Despite his off game, Beal told BDN that he would just pick it up and go at it again. He was excited to see the coaches in the stands for his game and noticed Krzyzewski as did many in the crowd. I will have more on that later.
After the game, Jay Williams shared his experience with both teams in a twenty-minute conversation that included Beal. He told the entire story of the motorcycle wreck, warning the kids of what could happen and that they needed to invest their money wisely and make good decisions.
Andy Katz asked Coach K to take part in the ESPN telecast but K declined for now, stating he was there to watch the games. The Duke staff headed to a local high school to watch Irving, who can now play in that the showcase is over, and they will return to see Andre Dawkins and Austin Rivers play in two separate gyms.
I will go into more detail when time allows. [/private]
Harrison Barnes will not compete in any other AAU events. He will attend the Nike Global Challenge and the event at Rucker Park. I spoke with Barnes and while [private] I feel he will likely make his visits, Duke is in very good shape and is undoubtedly the team to beat.
Coach K, Collins and Wojo were front and center for his every move and you could see the occasionally glance. Barnes said some really good things about the program which I will cover later. Roy Williams came in late for his first game and any Tar Heels thinking they have a shot at him are fooling themselves. It is evident that Roy got in this one to try to derail Duke, but his ploys will not work this time.
It's almost sickening to see the media outlets all try to be his mom's best friend, but she seems to be enjoying the process. Former Duke Assistant Johnny Dawkins sat beside me for one of his games and he covets the could be savior. Dawkins has a good relationship with Barnes and his mom, but it'll be an uphill battle to get him there.
Interestingly, publications like Prep Stars talk of offers with Stanford. Dawkins read their publication and got a laugh for kids have to first apply at Stanford and be admitted before they can be offered the ride. This makes for some tough recruiting for the former Duke great, but he is plugging away.
When the staff goes to these events, it's all business, but they do take some time out for the K alumni. Capel sat with Coach K and Wojo for a bit as did Harvard's Kenney Blakeney, Notre Dame's Mike Brey and the aforementioned Dawkins. Coach K commented that Michael Gilchrist is the best player in all of high school basketball.
That makes for a good segue in that many have asked if Duke had interest in Gilchrist. Well, the answer is yes, but who doesn't. Coach K made sure he was front and center for two of Team Final's games and a Duke assistant attended every one until late in the third day of the Peach Jam event.
Coach K has talked with Gilchrist and was seen talking with World Wide Wes. He has also been talking with Gilchrist's mom about her son, so there is a relationship building. In an attempted interview, Gilchrist's mom shut out the media not allowing her son to talk of the recruiting process which pretty much ended it all right there. Stay tuned for more details, but it is fair to say that landing Gilchrist will not be easy.
Regardless of many saying the Andre Dawkins rumors were making the rounds there, I ran into plenty of people who did not know and I sure as heck didn't tell them. I remained for Dawkins' final game where he showed his capabilities going for a camp high 36 points. There will likely be some sort of official announcement forthcoming. There were plenty of loose ends that needed to be tied but will supposedly fall into place and AD has suddenly become a Duke darling for his recruiting prowess and the possibility of him joining a team in desperate need of a three point shooter, athlete and guard. Still, no more comparisons to Redick and unrealistic expectations please. Andre will help but he is still young and has a lot to learn. Again, somebody wanted this out there and it has not yet been officially cleared by the NCAA.
Brad Beal caught Coach K's attention - enough so, to where he watched him play twice. Beal is telling many that he will end the process early without official visits, but his mom is singing a different tune. In fact, she told BDN that she hoped he would allow Duke in and that it was exciting to see Coach K watching her son.
I am not ready to comment much about Austin Rivers, but he is letting it be known he is still a Gator to media types. However, Rivers slipped and said that he would attend some camps and that his Dad wanted him to make sure UF was the right place for him. "If Florida is the right place, then I will know after some visits," said Rivers. This is a sensitive issue that will have to play out. In the same interview, Rivers said he hope Beal would come to UF and the two of them are good friends from the AAU circuit. (I will not take questions on this for now.)
Duke assistants Wojo and Collins left the Peach Jam to go to West Virginia where they took in the play of Kyrie Irving. Duke feels really good about Irving and Barnes and for what it is worth, I do too. Irving may not be playing in Orlando now, we'll see.
Then there is Roscoe Smith. You may remember me telling you that Smith claimed an offer. Well, why would Duke deny it? It doesn't hurt them to let this one go, but in reality, Smith is a bit of a long shot.
Duke continues to look at the class of 2011 but no names will emerge until after this AAU season, save Quincy Miller who has an offer. There are some names being tossed around but I will wait and give you a definitive list in September.
Duke will also continue to look at Ray McCallum and Brandon Knight. After the Elite Camp in August, the dust will clear and a picture should start to develop and help answer a lot of questions.
Finally, a new name for 2010 is Dwight Powell. His diary is here and he stands 6-9, 215 and plays for Grassroots Canada. Duke is showing some interest. It's early on this one, but he caught a few folks eyes during the LeBron James Skills Academy. [/private]
Andre Dawkins had a 36 point 9 rebound effort during today's Peach Jam action - BDN Photo
Andre Dawkins torched the nets for 36 points and added 9 rebounds but his Boo Williams team was no match for talent laden Team Final. Team Final is of course led by Michael Gilchrist, but his 13 points and 8 rebounds were not the main factor in a 101-74 victory. Tyreak Duran and Trevor Cooney scored 52 points together and Rakeem Christmas contributed with 12 points as Team Final moved to the next round.
It is worth noting that Team Final won that game as well 92-77 over California Supreme. Gilchrist went for 14 points and 11 boards in that game and Cooney and Christmas added 20 points apiece. Team Final will play Team Florida in the semi finals tomorrow and will play the winner of the Albany City Rocks - All Ohio Red.
Earlier in the day, Harrison Barnes and Howard Pulley were sent packing. Barnes had another amazing game in a standing room only audience scoring 21 points and grabbing 12 rebounds to go with 2 steals.
BDN talked with Barnes after the game [private] and you will get the lowdown as the week goes on. Barnes will only play in two more events, none of which are on the AAU circuit. He will attend the Nike Global Challenge and the Rumble in the Bronx in Rucker Park. Coaches watching Barnes were Wojo and Collins, Roy Williams, Billy Donovan, John Calipari, Bill Self and Johnny Dawkins.
Tobias Harris has cemented his name and will rise on all of the gurus charts. His 27 points helped Albany to the semi finals. Jarren Sullinger(21 points 8 boards) and All Ohio Red sent Each One Teach on packing. Austin Rivers had 10 points and 4 assists. In the previous game, Rivers scored 22 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists leading his team to a win over Houston Hoops.
Finally, Brad Beal redeemed himself in a big way with a stat stuffing performance. Beal talked with BDN for a second time after the game and mentioned that he took fouling out with 2 points hard. Beal's impressive numbers were 29 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocked shots and 2 steals.
That's it for now, but we will have plenty more to come as the week goes on. One last note, Chris Spatola came in and took Wojo and Collins place as the duo headed to West Virginia. [/private]
Michael Gilchrist has been called the best high school player in America as a rising junior
Everywhere you looked, college basketball coaches lined the walls as the Nike Peach Jam got underway on Sunday. The first game of the day featured a Harrison Barnes led Howard Pulley team going up against Each One, Teach One, which boasts the best back court in AAU ball. That's because Duke prospect Brandon Knight teams with Austin Rivers and the one-two punch proved too much for the undermanned Howard Pulley team.
Harrison Barnes led the way for Pulley by going for 18 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist. Brandon Knight led all scorers with 20 points and added 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in a stellar performance. His sidekick Austin Rivers scored 18 points [private] in one stretch to go with 3 boards and 2 steals. The back court duo sat out the last two minutes in an 88-58 win.
Despite a sore foot, Andre Dawkins scored 13 points and grabbed 6 rebounds to help Boo Williams defeat the Arkansas Wings, 57-49. It was easy to see that the injury did not allow him his usual explosive leaps. Dawkins would score just 3 points in the nightcap.
In the upset of the tournament, the Georgia Stars handled mighty Team Final 74-68 as UCLA bound Jeremy Lamb scored 22 points. The "Big Show," Michael Gilchrist had 17 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks and a single assist and steal while teammate Dion Waiters added 17 himself. Waiters can shoot a team into a game and take them out as witnessed by 6 turnovers. It was later reported that Gilchrist suffered an injury. In an attempt to gain an interview, his mom stepped in and took over, saying he would not talk about schools.
I then took in the first half of the 16-U St. Louis Hawks game to see 2011 stud Bradley Beal. No disappointment here as Beal, despite not scoring in bunches, showed that he understands the game of basketball and that he is a smooth operator. Coach Krzyzewski and Chris Collins were front and center at all of the aforementioned contests.
Team Final bounced back with Gilchrist tallying 17 points, 6 boards and 2 steals to wallop the Arkansas Wings 74-46. This is the game in which Gilchrist suffered an injury.
Injuries! That was the keyword for the day. The bug then caught Harrison Barnes and Brandon Knight. Barnes scored 28 points, 8 rebounds and 1 block, but Howard Pulley fell by 69-64 to Deshaun Thomas (27 pts, 9 reb) and Marquis Teague (14 pts, 3 reb, 4 assists, 3 blocks, 2 steals) led Spiece Indiana Heat. Late in the game, Barnes went down hard and injured three fingers on his non-shooting hand. He returned and had trouble catching the ball; the word is he is finished for the rest of the AAU season.
The staff then took in part of the Seattle Rotary game in the nightcap, before Collins watched the aforementioned Andre Dawkins game and Krzyzewski took another look at Knight, Rivers, and company. Rotary dropped a two-point game to All Ohio Red and Jared Sullinger. In the battle of bigs, Sullinger 17-8 over Smith.
The best game of the evening was between Elite One and the Jackson Tigers. Jackson built a 16-point lead early, but Elite One came back behind Brandon Knight and Austin Rivers. Actually, Knight went out with 9:33 left in the game as he writhed in pain on the floor after injuring his foot. He was carried off the court and the foot was iced down. Knight had 17 points before the injury and his team had built a six point lead.
Austin Rivers then took over, hitting a three and a driving deuce on back-to-back plays as his father, David, watched. He would go on to score 23 points and Elite One held one for the win. Coach Krzyzewski took in the entire game and towards the end Collins came in from the Boo Williams game.
Wojo also made a late appearance. He was allowed on the road when Chris Spatola left the Peach State Classic where he watched Quincy Miller. BTW, Miller had a 40/20 game in the event.
I have many more notes and will go over all of the aforementioned in more detail on the message board. One more note, Roscoe Smith did not show up for the event. It was a tough day with injuries for Blue Devil prospects. [/private]
Andre Dawkins All Southern Invitational Team - BDN Photo
Blue Devil Nation Premium talked with Andre Dawkins before the championship game of the Hoop Group Southern Jam Fest.
Andre, you just erupted for 23 second half point to beat DC Assault and two future teammates Josh Hairston and Tyler Thornton. What are your thoughts on that?
You know, it was just a lot of fun. That's what the AAU circuit brings, you get to play against a lot of the guys you will in college and even those you may play with in college. So you know, it was just a lot of fun to go out there and play with those guys. Of course, after the game we were all back to normal but during the game inside those lines, we are enemies at that point.
Was there a little bit of friendly smack talk along the way? I saw Tyler and yourself doing a little bit of short grabbing along the way.
(smiling) [private] Yeah, yeah, you know all that stuff goes on, but it's just for fun. You know we all knew each other coming up a long time ago.
Tyler played pretty good defense on you early on where you had three points in the first half. You then erupted in the second for 23 points and got Thornton into foul trouble. Heck, you made 12 free throws in the second half alone.
I wasn't really hitting threes like I wanted to and when that's not working you have to attack the basket. He was in a little bit of foul trouble so I tried to post him up and get easy buckets or get fouled and knock down the free throws.
You have CP-3 for the championship game. They're pretty good - what are your thoughts going into that game?
They're athletic and so are we so it should be a good match up, so we just have to come out there and play our game.
You are known as the eternal, how should I put this, funny man and recruiter. Hairston said you like to goof on him a little bit out there.
Yeah, (smiling) just trying to have fun. You know we are young and just playing the game and it''s suppose to be fun.
How does it feel to be somewhat of a leader on a future team already, talking to prospects and such?
It's not something I really think about a lot, it's just something I do to have the best team I can possibly have in the 2010-11 season.
Are you still working on players like Harrison Barnes?
Oh definitely! Gotta work on Harrison.
What do you hope to work on the rest of the season?
I have been working on getting to the basket which I think has been evident in this tournament. I have to work on consistency in my shot becasue I don't want to be labeled as streaky. So, just consistency on my shot and driving the basket and getting fouls and things like that.
As you all know by now, I have been off line for 72 plus hours due to a hard drive crash. Is this where I say avoid Dell for they are not what they used to be? Anyhow, I will spare you the rest of the gory details 🙂
I will have a lot of information coming from the Southern Invitational starting tomorrow. No more news on the John Wall front, but I do think [private] Brian Clifton likes what Duke offers, but I did not get the impression he was a major lean. He did seem to want John to make sure of his decision and as I said he will go where he does by the blessing of his Mother.
You can read into that many ways, so let it play out a bit longer. The talk of Kentucky leading could very well be true, but there is only one ball to go around with Meeks and Patterson eying the league by electing to come back. The team which has gained ground is Florida. Okay, enough on that for now, let's move on.
Quincy Miller mentioned Duke this weekend where he hasn't much before. He also said that Coach K would be checking out one of his practices shortly. Chris Spatola made contact recently, so Miller is on the radar. I will have an interview with him shortly.
I will have an interview with Ryan Kelly some time this week as well. I was to have called him back, but the hard drive issue halted everything.
CP-3 crushed Boo Williams in the championship game this weekend. Reggie Bullock is the real deal and the Enloe duo which I will cover later this week was large in this game. Boo was taken out of their game from the word go.
Boo Williams defeated DC Assault to get to that game, where Andre Dawkins scored 21 second half points after tallying 2 in the first half. Tyler Thornton guarded him tightly before getting into foul trouble. Josh Hairston was held to 3 points.
I will recap how each of these kids played in the coming days and break their game down for you. Interviews with each one are coming as well. Another player who had a 24 ppg average was Quinn Cook and we will hear from him and others.
So, let me get settled in with a borrowed computer and I will start to churn out some information. I'm truly sorry I couldn't update from the event this weekend. We'll catch back up and show you why this site provides the best coverage around. [/private]
You must be logged in to post a comment.