Tag Archives: Blue Devil Nation

BDN talks to Jon Scheyer about running the point

I wasted little time in asking Jon about starting at the PG spot. Scheyer was patient as always answering questions.

So, let’s get right to the point, pardon the pun. What’s it like to run the point?

You know, I feel comfortable with it. It’s something I have done in practice a lot and through out the year. I think that it gives some advantages to the offense on our team and I feel comfortable doing it. I jsthink some of it has to do with match ups. Also a big thing is guarding the ball and Elliot has been doing a good job of that of late, guarding a point guard. And Nolan is really our best guy doing that. In practice recently he’s done a better job in trying to get back to where he was guarding the ball. I think for myself I can create mismatches bring the ball up. I can work off the ball … it’s not like I need to bring the ball up.

Did you sense Elliot was a little bit more under control?

He was. That’s as strong of moves he’s made all year in a game. He’s done it in practice, but in games … for being a freshman in that situation starting a pretty big game, he had a lot of poise in that game.

Can you talk of the defense which was so good all season? What has been going in in the last few games?

I think the biggest thing is us determining what the offense is going to do. They just played their offense and we just followed them around the court. We’re at our best when we are attacking people offensively and defensively. I think that’s what we lost during that stretch. Even though we had some losses, those games were learning experiences for us.

After the Boston College loss Duke seemed to pull close together and little was heard until now. Was that K’s way of saying …

I think he … the main thing was we need to have toughness on the court, we need to play defense and whatever the lineup was going to be, Coach wanted to put a line up out there that could do that. Going into the St. John’s game we were to be tough, play defense and not be scared. Moving forward that’s the things we have to do.

When did you first know you be starting at point?

The day after the game he told me. That’s something I was excited about because for me I felt it would be kind of a way to play a new position a little bit. Just trying to think of the season from the St. John’s game on is kind of like a new season in a way.

Do you feel like the line-up will stay in place?

I don’t know. Coach seems really serious. All the guys like the way it’s going right now. So we are probably going to stay with it, but I can’t really predict how long or if the next game we’ll switch it up. But right now, I feel like this is something that can help our team. The season is so long that it’s almost like a fresh feel to it, especially for me, but the team in general sometimes needs something different in the middle of the year. Also, someone like Elliot - he’s having some great minutes for us in practice and that’s exciting.

How about Gerald Henderson, whats he like at home?

Aw, he just like sleeps on the couch all day. (smiling) I’ll say one nice thing about him and that’s it. He really loves basketball and he really studies the game as well as anybody I know. As much as I make fun of him for watching Kobe Bryant all the time. He studies Kobe and tries to do some of his moves and gets yelled at in practice for doing them. He’s always watching our games and opposing teams plays. Pretty much anytime he hears Kobe, he just stops everything and switches the TV.

Do you have anybody you watch?

You know, I like a bunch of players, but I’m not (laughing) obsessed with one person like he is with Kobe. God forbid what would happen if he played him in a year or two. I don’t what would happen if he was guarding him, he might ask him for his autograph on the court.

In the last couple of seasons there has been a late year slide. Is that what’s sort of going on here?

I think we got into the same thing. This is the point in the season where we can either change it or have it be the same thing. In my freshman year I didn’t have too much control. The upperclassmen that are going through it … it’s up to us. That’s something we feel we’re in control and we can change it. We just have to take it game by game and not put too much pressure on ourselves.

BDN Premium Interview – Duke Freshman Elliot Williams

Here is a sample of what you will find in addition to recruiting news on Blue Devil Nation Premium.  I was able to sit down with Elliot Williams earlier this evening and spoke with the player everyone wants to hear from.   I hope you enjoy the

Krzyzewski instructs Elliot Williams in practice - photo copyright BDNP
Krzyzewski instructs Elliot Williams in practice - photo copyright BDNP

interview, where all but three questions were our own.  Williams seemed happy to have been in the spotlight and his teammates Jon Scheyer and Gerald Henderson had nice things to say about him.   Williams stated that Coach K had not been to the team with concerns as to who will start against Wake Forest.  Up next - Jon Scheyer, so be sure to check back.  Don't you think it's time to join the best Duke subscription site on the Internet?  Our members will tell you that you are missing the best recruiting news and more.  Give us a try - you'll be glad you did.  We will be adding yet another update on recruiting shortly.

Well, let's get right to it.  What was it like to start last evening?

It was fun!  It was my second start of the season.  Being able to start in Madison Square Garden, giving my teammates an edge,  I came out and played good on ball defense.  It was fun for me out there.

When did you first know you were going to start?

Two practices ago, I had a good practice.  He flipped me over to the white team.  I had a couple of more good practices and coach gave me a starting spot.

Was it tough sitting on the bench for much of the season?

Yeah, it was tough.  That's the toughest part as a freshman.  Coming into a situation where there are a lot of good players in front of you.  You have a lot of moves that you can do in high school that you can't do in college (smiling).  The things I had to do were watch how Jon (Scheyer) moves.  Watch how he moves off the ball.  I watched "G" and how he used his athleticism to get into mid range - things like that.   Coach is coach!  Whatever he says, I'm going to believe in.

So, you felt like you learned a lot in practice regardless?

Yeah.  Learning things in practice, watching on the sideline - things I needed to learn.

A.P. writer- Talk about why you think you played ...

I guess Coach sees I can be a really good defender, an on ball defender and that I can slow down some of the guys who has hurt us in the past.   Being 6-5 and an athletic guy out there I can help.  I'm somebody who can make some strong

Williams said he had learned a lot in practice
Williams said he had learned a lot in practice

moves, get into the lane and finish around the rim and just bring energy to the team.

Talk about your defense ...

When I first got here, I was moving my feet a lot.  One of the things I have learned is to lock into the man and not move my feet as much because I was getting wore out early.  That's one of the main things I have learned.

You seemed comfortable out there last night.  Were you letting the game come to you?  Is that pretty much what was going on?

Yeah, that's pretty much what was going on.  If you come out too antsy you'll make dumb turnovers and not get better.  One of the main things I wanted to do was just be calm and know I've been in this situation before.  I just wanted to play like I knew I could play.

I talked to my Mom after the game. I didn't  tell them I was going to start.   She said she was proud of me and to not get settled with that and stay hungry.

Do you feel like you will build on that performance?

Exactly.  That's hopefully what I'm going to do.  Look back on this game and see that's how I want to play and build on that.  Be more aggressive and pick my spots, play off the veteran guys and play good on ball defense.

Do you see know how Duke might use you?

Yeah.  Oh yeah.  That's one of the things I saw yesterday.  They can use me a lot of places defensively, on ball, off ball ... and just attacking the rim and things like that.   I can handle the ball pretty well so sometimes they have me help

Krzyzewski told Williams he earend the start in practice - BDNP Photo
Krzyzewski told Williams he earned the start in practice - BDNP Photo

and bring the ball up.  I can play the two position - I'm a good slasher.  Also, I can use my athleticism to rebound and that's what they want me to do.

You were known for some great dunks in high school.  Do you look for those moments?

(smiling) When you look for them, you're probably not going to get them.  You just have to let the game come to you and if it happens it happens.  That's something I've learned.

I hope you don't spend too much time on the Internet reading various things, but there are some who feel you are not happy.  Are you happy at Duke?

(shaking his head)  Um-hum.  I'm happy at Duke.

(A.P. writer) How has the transition to offense and defense been for you out there?

It was tough for me to transition from offense to defense early in the year.    Because I was so excited to be out there as a freshman I used a lot of energy on defense.  As I was telling him (nodding towards me) one of the things I do is try to lock into my man and be poised out there.

Can you talk a little bit about the adjustments you have had to make in college and which ones have been the most difficult?

The first thing is some of the moves I was able to make in high school, you can't do in college.  You need to be strong with the ball and not so loose, being able to move without the ball.  In high school I would just catch it and go ... there was no help defense, no charging ... so (laughing)

(N & O)  Who had a big influence on you growing up?

My brother and my Father basketball-wise kept me going.  There was a time in the seventh and eighth grade where I almost quit playing ball.  To be real with you, in the seventh and eighth grade I really wasn't that good.  But in the ninth grade I had a big growth spurt of about four inches.  I always played guard and when I grew having guard skills helped me.

Are you looking forward to the Wake Forest game?

Oh yeah.  Yeah.  It should be a good game.  We played pretty well out there but a few things went wrong.  They're a great team - a very athletic team.  Hopefully we can come away with a win.

Thanks for your time!




Freshmen help Duke in their 76-69 win over St. John’s

Duke gained its 21st win of the season by disposing of St. John's in Madison Square Garden.  In the process, they found a couple of new pieces to fit into the puzzle in freshmen Elliot Williams and Miles Plumlee.

Both players made positive plays, but Williams showed flashes that he could be a huge contributor as Duke readies for the season's stretch run.  Williams played

Elliot Williams had his best game of the season against St. John's
Elliot Williams had his best game of the season against St. John's

good on ball defense and switched up with overall precision in Duke's man to man defense.

Williams also showed off his athleticism by making most of his offensive touches count leading his team in scoring at the half.  More importantly, he looked more comfortable within the team concept than any other time this season.

Earlier in the season, Williams seemed to be seeking his shot first and foremost, but he played well within the team concept against the Johnnies.  In not seeking his shot right away points came to him allowing him to show off other abilities beyond his scoring prowess.

Plumlee also had nice ups on a block, some good boards and was more relaxed on the offensive end which resulted in some key points.  The emergence of the two freshmen also allowed Duke to experiment with new lineups.

But the most important thing the two newcomers brought to the table were fresh legs.  Those fresh legs meshed well with team leaders Gerald Henderson, Kyle Singler and Jon Scheyer.

Duke also got some great play from Lance Thomas who is showing consistency and the team survived the loss of David McClure due to a flu bug.

Paulus and Smith continued to struggle and that's part of what led to lineup changes.   But the important thing on this evening was a win and this win cannot necessarily be measured by normal standards.

Duke will now try to build off this victory when Wake Forest comes into Cameron for the second to last home game of the season.  Needless to say Duke needs a victory over a team ranked just ahead of them, but more importantly to stay in a crowded ACC race for the top four spots which earns a bye in the fast approaching conference tournament.

Go Duke-AP. Article

Prime Time Shootout Report – Jason Morris

Andrew Slater took in the Prime Time Shootout this past week and here is his first report which covers the Hotchkiss-St, Anthony game which includes an interview with Jason Morris -

Facing his toughest opponent to date, Jason Morris, the 6'4" junior from the Hotchkiss School, struggled against longtime New Jersey and national power St. Anthony's of Jersey City.

Coming in averaging eighty points per game, the Bearcats of Hotchkiss implemented the unorthodox strategy of pressing St. Anthony's to begin the game to relative success, only trailing the Friars 18-16 at the conclusion of the first quarter.  The legendary Coach Hurley and his staff did an excellent job of mixing up defenses, varying from diamond presses to switching zones and playing man at times.  If they didn't scout Morris, they did an excellent job of quickly picking up on his tendencies. When playing man, they opted for the longer Dominic Cheek and  [private] only doubled when Morris tried to get into the lane.   They forced and dared him into long shots and contested him in his favorite areas to shoot the ball.

On defense, he had a difficult first half trying to stick with the offensively gifted Cheek. The Friar utilized the high ball screen and constant movement to gain the

2010 Prospect Jason Morris
2010 Prospect Jason Morris

necessary separation from the athletic junior Morris.  Cheek scored seventeen first half points and the Jersey City program took a commanding 39-24 halftime lead.

In the second half, Morris tried to force more shots against the Friars' zone, but was completely unsuccessful, finishing 0 for 5 from the field in the quarter. Perhaps, it was a matter of recovering from a prior rib injury, but, despite being in excellent physical shape, Morris rapidly tired out as the game wore on, clanking even a pair of free throws in the third quarter.

His only basket of the second half was to hit a three-pointer from the right wing to open the fourth quarter.  Morris' most noteworthy miss of the final quarter was a missed reverse alley-oop that excited the crowd to his potential athleticism. Jason Morris finished with eight points on an eye-popping 3 for 18 from the field (2 for 5 from beyond the arc), three turnovers, one assist, a block, and a steal. After the game, the Augusta, Georgia native gave the Blue Devils Nation a quick update and post-game comments.

Blue Devil Nation: Last time we spoke you had played in just a few games because you were recovering from a virus and yours knees were giving you trouble. Are you back to normal?

Jason Morris: I'm in pain, but I've just got to suck it up. My knees are fine. They're fine.

BDN: How have you played since Springfield?

JM: This is like my first game back in two weeks. I had a cracked rib.

BDN: Playing a team of the historical nature of St.Anthony's, how much more "amped" up did you get for this game than a league game?

JM: Yeah, we were definitely amped up for this game. We got a little helter-skelter there for a while.

BDN: You managed to keep it close for the first quarter.

JM: Yeah, we did, but then we lost the lead and we could never rebound from that.

BDN: Talk briefly about facing Dom Cheek.

JM: It was fine. You now we went at each other, but we got switched up at times.

BDN: They used the high pick on you quite a few times.

JM: Yeah, yeah. They did it whacked me pretty hard on the left side there. It was kind of hard to stay with him.

Blue Devil Nation: Heading into the playoffs, do you feel your team is rounding into shape?

Jason Morris: We're rounding into shape, but some guys are battling injuries. We should be fine, though.

BDN: Talk about Derrick Wilson. Any chance the two of you wind up at the same college? Have you talked about it?

JM: I'm not sure, but there's a slight chance.

BDN: Last time you mentioned that WF had recently offered, has there been any material change or new entrant in the past few weeks?

JM: Off the top of my head, I'd say "no."

Blue Devil Nation: Any planned unofficial visits for the Spring?

Jason Morris: I've visited pretty much every one that offered me, but I haven't had a chance to look at Wake Forest's campus or Stanford's campus. Everyone else I've seen unofficially.

BDN: What are you looking for now in a program?

JM: A team that is disciplined, but a coach that lets his guys play. He doesn't really have them on a tight leash. I'd like a close knit family setting, after playing with a lot of teams where there is a lot of disarray between the coaches or players. I'd like a disciplined school.

Other guy: Has Duke offered you?

JM: They've shown interest, but, no, they have not officially offered.

Blue Devil Nation: I know your father's family was from NY. Did any of them make it down for the game?

Jason Morris: All of my aunts and uncles are here.

BDN: Was that who you were waving to?

JM: Yeah, yeah. My parents were too busy to make it.

BDN: I'm sorry to hear that. What was it like playing in your first nationally televised game?

JM: It felt really good, but I just wish we had a better result.

BDN: I know, but, if nothing else, it should good preparation for Oak Hill.

JM: Yeah, it should. A lot of guys played really raw tonight for some reason. It was maybe their first time facing this level of competition.

BDN: You mentioned that you were switching to the Gauchos, do you have any other summer plans locked in at this time? Camps or trips to Brazil?

JM: So far, I'm just going to stick with LeBron and the Paul Pierce camp. [/private]

2011 prospect Quinn Cook chats up the Blue Devil Nation

Quinn Cook is a pure point guard prospect in the class of 2011 who plays for Dematha H.S.  He has started to catch the eyes of some various schools with his

2011 prospect Quinn Cook - photo copyright BDNP
2011 prospect Quinn Cook - photo copyright BDNP

play of late.  Cook is recovering from a knee injury which cut short his AAU  season and is still regaining his mobility.  Cook pushed the ball up the floor and found his teammates in two games that the BDN covered this past month.

Here is yet another interview with a top notch prospect from Blue Devil Nation Premium.

If you have been sitting on the curb wondering whether you should subscribe, all you have to do is take a look at the premium content we provide on a consistent basis.

How are you?  I'm Mark Watson with Sports Nation Network.

Good!  Quinn Cook (Shaking hands) [private]

What happened to your knee?  (He was wearing a brace after getting dressed and coming out to talk)

I tore my meniscus in May in an AAU tournament, so I had surgery in June and I was forced to miss the whole summer.

You're moving pretty good considering that ...

Oh yeah. Oh yeah. (smiling)  We have a great training system at our school (DeMatha), so I go in the weight room and do leg extensions, squats ... I get in the pool sometimes or on a bike.

They were rotating you a lot late in the game, was that something to do with the game plan?

Yes.  It's all about offensive and defensive matchups.  We have a deep bench.

If somebody had never seen you play, how would you describe your game?

I'm a pass first point guard.  I try to get everybody involved and make sure they get their shots.

What is it like playing for a program like DeMatha?  Do you feel it prepares you for the college level?

Coach Jones, if you look at his history, he's put good players in the next level.  That's who I want to be, a player that goes to the next level.

Who is your favorite NBA player?

Kobe Bryant.  Yeah that's my man.

Did you follow any college programs growing up?

I never (paused for thought)  I never was a die hard fan for any college team.  I was just ... I always liked basketball.

Speaking of colleges, are they starting to show interest?

Mainly letters so far.  If I see a coach I will talk to them.

I noticed Oliver Purnell of Clemson and Duke assistant Nate James in the crowd tonight.  Would you have any interest in those kind of schools?

Yeah!  Duke ... Duke, Clemson, that's the best conference in the nation.

You're a young man who obviously has a long way to go ... how old are you?

Sixteen

Any idea when you will start to take the process seriously?

This spring and this summer. but I'm not going to commit early.

So, you want to make the right choice?

Right.  I have a couple of more years.

What kind of coach are you looking to play for?

One that likes to get up and down and has the resources to get me to the pros one day.  A coach I can get along with too -- a people person.

How tall are you now?

6-0

Do you feel like you are still growing?

Yeah, I got some big feet. (holding up his sneakers)

Oh yeah, you still have some sprout left ... so, do you want to play at a big school?

Big school, small school, it doesn't matter.  I want to cut down the nets at a school.  That's what I want to do.

What kind of grades do you have?

I have good grades, but I can always do better.

What three words best describes you as a person?

Kind, smart, caring.

What do you like off the court?

Computers and video games.

Have any schools been aggressive thus far?

Georgetown, Maryland, N.C. State, Florida State, Kansas, Syracuse ...

Are you still open to other schools?

Yes.

What are your goals for the rest of the season?

To win a state championship.  We fell short last year by a game, so, you know ... that's still in my mind.

What do you feel like you need to work on?

Everything.  Mostly on my footwork due to the injury.

And you'll play AAU ball for ...

D.C. Assault  We have a new coach, Mike McGee.  He was a coach at Bishop O'Connell.

I appreciate your time and good luck the rest of the season.

Thanks a lot. [/private]

Loss to Boston College was disappointing, but not shocking

No real surprise- Boston College needed a win for an NCAA berth and they bared down and got the win.  True, they lost to Harvard, but they defeated UNC in Chapel Hill and now have 19 wins.  Traveling to Chestnut Hill is the longest road hggwcqqocyalbck_200902160208111trip in the ACC, add to that the Sunday slot no team wants to play in and it's no real surprise here that Duke lost.  Oh!  Did I mention coming off the emotional UNC game?  Besides, when a team hits little runners thought he lane, you know you are in trouble.  Those are the kind of shots a defense wants to see, unless of course they fall.  In short, give the Eagles credit for their effort and Skinner has proven to be one of the better coaches in the ACC going after players under the radar in recruiting.  Keep in mind, the last time BC beat Duke was in 1985, so the law of averages caught up to the Dukies.

Still disappointing - Duke had a comfortable working margin and let it get away from them going into the half.  While it's not a shameful loss, Duke had their opportunities to win yet came up short.  You never want to lose a close conference game.

The good - Kyle Singler and Gerald Henderson continue to put this team on their backs.  Inspired play from Lance Thomas helped keep Duke in the game.  In fact, Duke was pretty much always in this game.  The season is far from over and there is plenty of time to correct the issues.

The concerns- The guard play production was not at the level it needs to be.  Paulus and Smith had combined numbers that fell short of what a food PG should produce.  Jon Scheyer is mired in the worst shooting slump of his career, but he keeps shooting and that's the only way to break out of a funk.  The defense has let up a ton of points in the last two games and BC and UNC's shooting percentages were ridiculous.

Brutal stretch continues - Duke is no longer in contention for the regular season at 7-4 and must now find a way to make sure they remain in the top four to avoid a play in game.  With Wake Forest and Florida State at home and Maryland, Virginia Tech and UNC on the road it will take a rejuvenated team to get the job done.

Don't overlook St. John's - Duke has a very fragile psyche right now and it is important for them to focus on St. Johns and try and build good work habits - the ones they started the year with.