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John Wall returned from his visit to Memphis on Sunday afternoon and he may pay a visit to Duke possibly on [private] Tuesday of this week, the day before the team leaves for the Coaches versus Cancer 2K Classic in New York.

"Probably some time next week or this week," said Wall on when that visit might take place. I then

asked if Duke was a serious player at this time and Wall said, "I haven't been offered yet. Coach K wants me to sit down and talk to him in person and we'll take it from there."

He seemed to have liked his visit to Memphis, bit didn't elaborate too much on how it went saying, "It went good. I think it's a great school with a great environment. The fans show support and it was a great visit over all."

When asked who would play the biggest role in his recruitment he stated, "Probably my Mom and my high school and AAU Coach, Brian Clifton."

Wall also has a criteria which has pretty much remained the same saying, "I'm looking at the style of play, how my relationship might go with the coach. I like a style that lets you get up and down the court."

"The thing I most need to work on is my jump shot," said Wall. That's about the only thing which needs polish for Wall is a cat quick point guard who plays good on ball defense and finds his teammates with his unselfish play and terrific passing ability.

"All the teams on my list have been aggressive," said Wall. He continued to name his list and Duke was still in it. "They had showed some interest before and explained to me how they recruit players and once they offer they stick with that player."

He was of course talking about Kenny Boynton, who recently selected Florida. That opened the door for Wall. He also stated that Coach K had handled the majority of the process.

I asked the young prospect to describe his game in his own words. "I'd say clutch and I can lead my team to victory and get other people involved and he can lead his team to victory," said Wall. As a person, he said, "I'm cool, like to have fun and try to be a good person."

For those of you think there might be an early verbal to a school, think again. Wall stated, "I will wait until spring before I make a decision, that hasn't changed. I'm still wide open."

Walls list of schools - Duke, NCSU, Baylor, Memphis, Kansas, Oregon, Clemson

His team's first game - November 28th [/private]

Duke Basketball

Duke wins a thriller over Rhode Island, 82-79

November 17, 2008 Mark Watson

[private]The Duke Blue Devils survived Rhode Island's best shot on Sunday, and came away with a 82-79 win. Of course it took quite the effort from the Dukies as well, namely Jon Scheyer and Kyle Singler. Singler twice hit two critical free throws to put Duke ahead at 78-77 and 80-79 on his way to 21 points, 5 boards and 5 assists.

“I tried clearing my head. You can’t let anything get to you. I knew we were down on all four them. I needed to sink them for the team to win. I stepped up with confidence and knocked them down,” Said Singler.

Scheyer drained 13 of 13 free throws including 6 of 6 with 3:18 remaining in a game that was on the line. His biggest two came with three seconds left giving Duke the lead for good at 82-79. Scheyer was also the Blue Devils leading scorer with 23 total points.

In a game that had a tournament atmosphere, Duke had to claw their way back time and time again. While the lead changed hand just 9 mes, the game was intense from the opening tip. In fact, Duke found itself trailing most of the contest.

“As good as the players were for both teams, the crowd was right there. This was a big time crowd today. Our crowd helped us so much today. They were fantastic. It was one of those February games in November. It’s a big-time game today. I don’t know how you get prepared for a game like this until you get in it. I thought in those last five minutes we did everything right, which you can’t practice, you’ve just got to be there," said Kryzewski just minutes after the game.

Krzyzewski continued, “We’re lucky to have Dave [McClure] and Lance [Thomas]. They just played so hard. Greg was in a tough position today because two days ago he really hurt his arm. He took a charge, and his arm swelled so much he couldn’t move his hand. This was Friday, and he kept ice on it all night and some of the swelling came down and yesterday he was able to somewhat close his hand and then he spent all night and today icing to where in our shoot-around he shot it a little bit. That kid played with a lot of guts today."

For a while it seemed as if the Rams would pull the shocker as they took a punch and countered time and time again. Jimmy Baron, the coaches son, put on a dazzling display of ways to get off three point shots, going over the Duke defense for 24 points. "He’s a great player. We wanted to win so bad and we’d get it down to a two-point game and then he’d hit a three and it’d go to five. We would come back down and score and then they would score. It was a game where it was hard to stop people," said Scheyer.

Barons teammate, Delroy James added 21 on 9 of 12 shooting, many on pull ups which barely moved the net.

In the end, it was Duke's patented man to man defense that finally made Barron moveoff the dribble. As he drove the lane, he was forced to alter his shot, missing badly with 10 seconds left in the game. Kyle Singler, then made the games biggest block and Duke grabbed a team rebound and held on after Scheyers aforementioned clutch free throws. "

Ultimately, we knew we were getting good shots and opportunities. We just needed to get stops," stated Scheyer.

The game had a tournament atmosphere and the Cameron Crazies were on top of their game, giving the team a huge lift. In short, the game is an early season instant classic in that an inspired Rhode Island squad had the crowd sitting on pins and needles until the final buzzer.

Duke went with just eight players for the most part in that Coach K obviously felt comfortable with his veterans against a team filled with junior and seniors at the key positions. Duke had just two points on the fast break because the Rams game plan was to get back on defense and run when they could.

Duke made a living at the free throw stripe going 28 of 32, a sizzling 87.5%. The Blue Devils were out rebounded by 2 boards, but out scored the Rams in the paint 38 to 26. The Devils struggled from the three

Scheyer hits the second FT which puts Duke up for good at 82-79

point stripe going just 4 of 17 for 23%. On the other hand, the red hot visitors were 10 of 14 for 71.4%, a stat any coach would love.

Duke valued the ball down the stretch and ended the game with just 10 turnovers as Coach K's mentor, Bobby Knight looked on from the sidelines. Knight and his wife are visiting with Krzyzewski before he works the Kentucky at UNC game on Tuesday evening.

While some fans on the various message boards are complaining a bit, thinking it is Duke's birthright to win blowout after blowout, they are failing to see is how much a game like this can help a team grow. Duke took an inspired teams best shot, yet dug deep to win with a ton of adversity.

This game taught the team many lessons and Coach K will use this contest to his advantage in preparing his team for Southern Illinois, another tough team, in New York on Thursday. More importantly, Kyle Singler and Jon Scheyer stepped up and showed they are true leaders on this team.[/private]

BDN Premium Articles, Duke Basketball, Duke Basketball Recruiting News

John Wall will visit Memphis this weekend and then …

November 13, 2008 Mark Watson

While John Wall will visit Memphis over the weekend, the word is that he is anxious [private] to visit Duke next week. Tuesday is the target date at this time, maybe Monday. In a brief exchange with John, he says his recruitment will almost assuredly go to the April 15th and beyond signing period.

While some rumors insist he wants to stay near home, a source close to the situation told me what they considered to be his final four. That being Duke, NCSU, Memphis and Baylor. The presence of Baylor says that he is still considering the overtures that Dwon Clifton will take care of him. This is in no way something I want anyone to hint at at Devils Illustrated or anywhere else.

Anyhow, as of today, Wall is very open to Duke. If this battle stays clean, then the Blue Devils have a great shot to land him. Duke certainly has some good selling points and K's NBA connections are nothing to turn your nose up at. Wall could more than better himself with a year under K and he would be on TV in that "all" of the Blue Devil games make it there.

A lot of people keep asking me to answer rumors from elsewhere. If I haven't said anything, then I haven't heard anything different from what I tell you here. No, UNC is not the leader for Barnes and to my knowledge, Knight will not verbal to UF in November. That's all I have to say about that. I could be wrong, but I'm generally pretty close. [/private]

Duke Basketball

Duke vs Georgia Southern Preview and Predictions

November 11, 2008 Mark Watson

[private]The Blue Devils take on Georgia Southern at 9:00 in Cameron Indoor Stadium to see who advances to New York in the 2K Sports Classic semi finals. Duke looked a bit sluggish in last evenings 80-49 victory over Presbyterian and they face a Georgia Southern squad that defeated Houston 65-63.

One of the key players for the Eagles will be Sandy Perry (6-7), a junior front court player who scored 12

points to go with 4 rebounds. But the main man is Trumaine Pearson (6-8) who is an experienced senior. Pearson scored 19 points and grabbed 11 boards, anchoring the post for Georgia Southern.

Willie Powers (6-0 sophomore) runs the show with Antoine Johnson (6-0 Junior). Powers had 14 points and four rebounds in the opener, while Johnson struggled from the field, but led his team in assists. Julian Allen is a (6-4 Senior) swing-man which plays a key role as well.

Georgia Southern connected on 80% of their free throws and 37% from beyond the three point stripe in their opener. Georgia Southern is 0-1 against Duke, losing 87-75 in Cameron in 19-86.

What to expect - Duke should play a bit better in tonight's contest, but the Eagles have enough talent to contend throughout the game. This is clearly the best team the Devils have played to date. Duke will need to hit the boards and keep Pearson from going off inside.

My pick is Duke 92 Georgia Southern 64

Bob Green's Pick - Duke 84 Georgia Southern 56[/private]

BDN Premium Articles, Duke Basketball, Duke Basketball Recruiting News

BDNP talks to Ryan Kelly and gets his thoughts on his commitment to Duke

October 10, 2008 Mark Watson

I had an extensive interview with Ryan Kelly in A.E. Finley gym this morning about the recruiting process -

What was it about Duke you liked?

Duke academically and sports wise for basketball can't be beat. The two of them together ... I felt very comfortable when I was at Duke with all the players which made it easier and I went with my gut feeling.

You have taken several visits to Duke of late ...

[private] Really, I haven't visited Duke that much. I wanted to make the visits as equal as possible. Going into this past weekend when I sat down and put it all out, all of the schools were even. My parents and Coach Billerman told me to take my time and to let them know when I was ready to make a decision.

When did Duke get back involved with you?

It got a little sporadic. Coach K was there to see my 1000th point at Durham Academy and then they came on pretty heavy this summer. Especially with me being involved with Team USA in Vegas.

You have gone up against a future teammate several time in Mason Plumlee. Are you looking forward to the match up this season?

Well he's a great player and it's going to be really fun playing with him. We are different players and we do different things. It will be neat going up against each other. Hopefully, we will see each other in the state championships and then at Duke. It'll be something we can look back on. I had a great time with him in Argentina - he's a really great guy.

When did you actually make the call to Coach K telling him you wanted to be a Blue Devil?

It was Wednesday night. He was excited for me and glad I made the decision. He said he thought I made the best decision. I told him I was certain and had no remorse and he was really proud I felt that way - feeling very comfortable with it, he was happy and looking forward to being my coach. Coach K had basically told me to hold off and not make any decisions before he left for China, just so he could have the chance to sit down with me. I was going to wait anyway. It wasn't time to make a decision for me and once he came back we had a chance to sit down.

Has Coach already talked you about what he would like for you to work on?

Oh certainly. The main thing is strength and just getting stronger. He doesn't want me to build up too much. He doesn't want me to be 250 pounds, just to be lean and strong. Hips are very important when it comes to talking defense - staying in a defensive stance, exploding, rebounding, exploding up for dunks.

Did your family help with the decison making process?

It was my decision. I'm sure if he hadn't sold my parents it would have been different, but they're happy.

Now that you are part of the Duke family, will you hang on campus, play in the practice facility, etc.?

Oh yeah. I'm sure I will go over there to play in an open gym - to talk to the guys and get more comfortable.

Have you heard from any players since last night?

Elliot called to congratulate me ... Gerald Henderson. I'm sure I will hear from more of them.

I know you have played with Kenny Boynton and he's at the top of Duke's list. What are your thoughts on him?

I would love to play with him. He's a great kid and a great player. We played twice out in Vegas and we split. I would love to play with him and see him come on out to Duke?

How did the games pick up games go?

They were really intense ... just more intense than anyone else to be honest. They wanted to win more than anything and I saw that. When guys are trying that hard in a pick up game you are going to get better quicker than anywhere else. I can see myself becoming the best player I can be over there.

Do you have a go to move?

When I really want to score a basket, I go inside and go with a baby hook. When I go outside, the move that I use the most is a pull up jump shot or a spin move. I have a decent array of moves ... I work on different shots in different spots, like with the gun (passing machine) I do a lot of off the dribble, go to moves ...

Is there a sense of relief?

You know, it's relief, but it is also excitement. I have laid a pretty good path out for myself and it's exciting.

So, your family is okay with the decision?

I did and my family was excited. They would have been happy wherever I went. My friends are excited that they will be able to watch me. I'm sure there are some fans out there who won't like me ...

Carolina fans?

Well, they will stick to Ryan two games of the year. (laughing)

What three words would best describe Ryan Kelly as a person?

Nouns or adjectives, here? (laughing) What I said to ESPN, was my integrity, my drive to excel and my faith. I bring those to the table and they won't go away.

Tell me a little about what faith means to you?

For me it's a belief in God. He's going to put me in the right place. When I come into the gym or into a game, I pick out two seats. One for where Jesus is watching me and one for where my Grandpa is watching me. No matter how good or how bad I will do they will always be there. I prayed for it was the most important decision I have made in my life so far. The next is my wife ... (laughing). It was important for me to pray and people prayed with me about my decision and I was led to the right place.

Did this translate at Duke?

Um, I know there will be some different beliefs or religions. But moral character is important as well and Coach K certainly had that.

Why make the decision on ESPNU?

It just kind of worked out. Amazingly it was good timing. They had wanted to get the notice for it was their first show.

What three words or phrases describe you on the basketball court?

Hard working, a good teammate and I hope I can say a good player.

There was a lot of surprise when you announced Duke as the sixth team on the list when they haven't been there for awhile ...

They had been talking to me for a long time. There was a renewed interest. They saw I had developed quite a bit and my ability to play the 4-3 spot like Mike Dunleavy. When they got to see me in an open gym, Coach K just saw a different player and it moved from there.

What are your team's prospects for the coming season?

I am looking forward to this season. We're going to be really good. We have Matt Wilson, a 6-11 center who just committed to UNC-W. We have some more guys including Billerman's son, a shooter. We also have a Broughton transfer Luke Davis who will play the point and anchor us a little bit. We are trying to win a state championship.

Describe Coach K for me?

For me I'm still getting to know him. I think he is very truthful and honest and very Father like. He runs around and does a lot of stuff, but he still takes the time to show you everything. I've dealt with some really great coaches, but he's the best coach. It was hard to tell the other coaches but they all handled it really well. Once the decision was made, it was a real relief.

Did getting to know the Duke players play a big role?

It was very big, but I thought it was going to be a lot bigger. I learned a lot about myself in that I can get along with a lot of different people. When you go on visits, they all act like they like you. In the end it comes down to getting that feeling of being comfortable and I felt that with Duke.

You were able to attend some classes. Were you comfortable in that environment?

It's very similar to Ravenscroft. I knew how great everybodies academics were in the final six, so it really came down to feeling comfortable. [/private]

Duke Basketball, Duke Basketball Recruiting News

Ryan Kelly set to announce his college choice

October 8, 2008 Mark Watson

[private]Ryan Kelly is set to announce where he will attend college in a 6:00 Press Conference on Thursday. Kelly has been methodical in seeking out the best situation for himself. Some services have Kelly ranked as high as tenth in the class of 2009. Kelly has advanced offensive skills when facing the basket and has steadily improved his stock over the past two years.

The list for Kelly's services consist of Duke, Georgetown, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest. Kelly is coached by former Duke player Kevin Billerman at Raleigh Ravenscroft.

Kelly has visited all of the schools on his list with North Carolina being the last one this past weekend.

ESPNU will be on hand for his press conference Blue Devil Nation Premium will keep you informed.[/private]