Zoubek and James walk of the court as champions! - BDN Photo

DURHAM – The Duke Men’s Basketball team held their annual Awards Banquet last evening in Cameron but this one was extra special in that the national championship was attained.  Fans, families, players and coaches said their farewells to five seniors, one of which was Brian Zoubek.  It’s hard to find words to describe how magical a season this was and watching Zoubs grow into a man beast.  This kid will forever be in my heart for his effort and as Coach K said, “We couldn’t have won the national championship without Brian Zoubek.”  Here is his speech from last nights ceremony.  Enjoy -

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Coming  to BDN Premium- Jon Scheyer, Lance Thomas, Coach K and more

2009-10 Duke Men’s Basketball Award Winners
Swett-Baylin Award (Most Valuable Player): Jon Scheyer, Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith, Lance Thomas, Brian Zoubek
Dr. Deryl Hart Award (Top Scholar-Athlete): Brian Zoubek
Glenn E. “Ted” Mann, Jr., Award (Reserve Contributing Most to Team Morale): Miles Plumlee
Coach’s Award (Player Exemplifying the Commitment and Values of Duke Basketball while Displaying Overall Improvement): Nolan Smith
Iron Dukes Award (Most Minutes Played): Jon Scheyer
Bill Krzyzewski Captains’ Awards: Jon Scheyer, Lance Thomas
Best Field Goal Percentage Award: Brian Zoubek
Best Rebounding Average Award: Brian Zoubek
Best Free Throw Percentage Award: Jon Scheyer
Most Assists Award: Jon Scheyer
Best Defensive Player Award: Kyle Singler, Lance Thomas
Gopal Varadhan Senior Manager Award: Eric Skeffington
Harry Rainey Spirit Award: Brennen Britton
Charles Hogan Memorial Band Award: Kristin Sourbeer

Duke Senior Jon Scheyer scored 2077 points in his Duke career faling one basket shy of Gene Bnks who stands at 8th place on the Duke All Time Scoring list. Scheyer hit one or more three point field goals in his last 33 games. His total of 144 games played ties Chris Duhon for 4th in history.

DURHAM – It’s almost as if the 2010 Duke senior class bloomed right along with spring.   As Duke celebrated their fourth national title this past Monday, three Duke seniors – Jon Scheyer, Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek – blossomed in full glory.

Each senior basked in the lighted stage of victory, all of them smiling, all of them relieved and all of them standing in the end as national champions.  In fact, they were the only ones standing when past seasons brought about disappointing ends.

If you follow the Duke program closely you know that this core of seniors had nobody look up to in their freshman campaign.  Despite that, the group was seasoned in the Duke system and in their senior year they formed a special bond which led to some amazing team chemistry.

In short, this senior class is special in many ways and it is one that will always be cherished in that they made all proud to say “We are Duke!”  Not that many fans were not content, but that the taste of another title on an exhilarating tournament run was that little something which brings about fan base bliss.

When Jon Scheyer was asked to run the point this season there were many who doubted that he could get the job done, but it didn’t take long for them to realize he could.   That’s how talented Jon Scheyer is. He became the primary ball handler and survived the pressure of the one position that controls the game all season long.

That season ended, of course, in a national championship and his ability to switch from the off guard spot is one of the main reasons that Duke cut down the nets in Lucas Oil Stadium.  There is no doubt that the signs which  read, “Scheyer was on fire” in his senior season were spot on in so many ways.

The amazing thing about Scheyer was his selflessness.  At no time this season did he worry about individual records.  He fell just short of JJ Redick’s all time free throw percentage mark, inches from Wojo’s assist to turnover ratio mark, and a three pointer away from passing Gene Banks on the Duke all time lists.

With a ‘team first’ mentality, Scheyer sacrificed personal accolades for the big prize.  What Scheyer does is put his team first and he left fans with what they most covet that being a national championship and he himself now has a ring.  Despite the aforementioned three alums records, each of them would trade places with number 30.  With Duke’s stringent standards on raising numbers to the rafters, Scheyer’s will not appear there.  But if he were playing for the neighbor a few miles down the road, he would probably get four banners for his play.

Regardless of the fact that his name will not hang atop Cameron Indoor Stadium, Scheyer has embedded himself as one of the most popular players in Duke basketball history.  The Illinois native represented Duke in a class way while in Durham and there is a tremendous sadness when one realizes they’ll never see this kid in the royal blue again.

Here was a player who proved himself to be one of the best and, in the end, King of the Hill.  While he fell a few votes shy of ACC Player of the Year and came painfully close to first team All American, Jon did what it took for Duke to take home the big enchilada.

Make no mistake in that the Blue Devil Nation sheds a tear when they think of the exploits of Jon Scheyer.

This picture is kind of special to me in that getting to know Brian Zoubek this season enabled me to read his eyes. Brian Zoubek came up big for Duke down the stretch and his size and agressiveness helped Duke win a thriller over Bayler. What do his eyes tell me? That he came full circle through adversity and earned respect with his determined and aggresive play and that look at me now world, I'm a national champion and I was viatl to my teams success. ZOubek enjoyed the late season attention and he was the best interview down the stretch run. Zoubs you are and will be the man.

There was a time when one would have thought Brian Zoubek would come and go from Duke with little fanfare when the buzzer sounded for his last game.  Zoubek went through a litany of problems while at Duke, most of which are documented enough that there is no need of mention.

One doesn’t have to know Zoubek’s struggles to appreciate what will be remembered for a long time to come.  The nation was still sleeping when Zoubek started to don a beard and in the process his play took on a Sampson-like quality.

Here we are at the national championship game and a deep cheer “Zoubs,” rolls through Lucas Oil Stadium as the senior rips down his tenth rebound of the game.   And what a critical rebound it was, with seven seconds left on the clock and Duke clinging to a 60-59 lead.

Zoubek was fouled on the play and hit the first of two shots, the second bounding off the rim per instructions from the bench.  That miss was rebounded by Butler’s star player Gordon Hayward who slashed to mid court as a vicious pick was set on Kyle Singler allowing him to get an open look.

While the ball just barely bounced off the backboard and rim, Zoubek had run back towards the basket after raising a long arm in Haywards face.  Who is to know if that didn’t just alter Hayward’s shot enough to barely miss?

Either way, Zoubek came up big in the last minutes of this game and his play down the season stretch helped will the Blue Devils to a red hot 18-1 mark, finishing off a year to remember.  Zoubek came full circle after a career with ups and downs and he did that at just the right time for without his play the Blue Devils would not have been the last team standing.

Zoubek was quite simply a beast of a presence and watching his confidence grow and to have gotten to know him during this amazing stretch run is something that made a lifelong impression on  me.  Brian leaves Duke as one beloved Blue Devil and I think I speak for the entire Blue Devil Nation in saying, “thank you so much for the memories, Zoubs.”

There were a lot of good players in the NCAA Tournament but Duke's Lance Thomas was one aof a few last men standing. When the dust cleared Thomas had becoem part of a three man senior class that will long be remembered in the anals of Duke lors. The har working Jersey born bread and proud Thomas was a workhorse that did whatever was askled of him with full throttle energy and desire. LT is and will always be in the house.

Much like Zoubek, Lance Thomas would often be taken to task on message boards by armchair coaches over his career.  What they now recognize is that Thomas was the workhorse for this season’s Blue Devils team and he did not only what was asked of him, but more.

Some might still need to be told that Thomas really did the dirty work his whole career and that the fact he was starting for many years meant there were never better options.  Some things just don’t show up in the stat sheets.  You can’t measure hustle, nor is there a stat for the willingness to guard the other team’s best player, be it a guard or a power forward.

Thomas was Duke’s ‘Energizer Bunny’ and his chemistry with Zoubek allowed Krzyzewski to form a two and two rotation with the brothers Plumlee, providing Duke with front court depth unlike any season in their history.

Thomas got his hand in the face of many shooters in the Butler game and by hitting three of five shots in the game, he forced the Bulldogs to come out to guard him on the perimeter.  Thomas was invaluable to Duke this season after losing Gerald Henderson to the NBA and Elliot Williams to Memphis.  Thomas rose to the occasion and played his role to perfection to fill the gaps and, as a result, he has some new bling on his finger to show off to his beloved New Jersey homies.

Having followed Thomas and the Duke beat all season long, I can tell you firsthand that Thomas was one of the most focused and hardest working young men I’ve been around.  Here is a youngster who would never say quit, one who would get knocked down and get back up before he even hit the floor.

Thomas, like the other Blue Devil seniors, fought off some tears when answering questions for the media.  It was Thomas who told me during the off day in a sincere eye to eye manner, “We’ve got one more game.  We’ve got one more game to take care and then I can smile.”

Well, Thomas was all smiles in the Duke locker room after his mission and that of his fellow seniors was complete.  There in the background was the national championship trophy sitting on a trainer’s table and a piece of net hanging from each of the seniors’ newly minted champion hats.

There was a special glow surrounding the kids who would wear their Duke uniform for the last time, and there was a sense around the whole Duke family that nobody want this magical journey to end.

“I’m at a loss for words,” said Thomas in his now well realized passionate manner as I questioned him perhaps for the last time.  And I can tell you, Lance, with mirrored passionate honestym that the Blue Devil Nation is at a loss for words too and we thank you with all our collective hearts for leaving us with a gift that will keep giving as time passes on.

The Duke staff was all hugs for good reason in that their hard work gained a national championship. What a special group of Duke Blue Devils! What a season! What a joy is is for Duke fans! How cool is it to be on top of the world? BDN Photo

INDIANAPOLIS – If you missed the post game press conference, here it is for you.  Coach K, Jon Scheyer, Brian Zoubek, Lance Thomas and most outstanding player Kyle Singler address the media after they won the national championship with a thrilling win over Butler.

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Brian Zoubek - BDN Photo

INDIANAPOLIS – BDN caught up with Duke senior center Brian Zoubek after Duke’s awesome victory over Butler to win the National Championship.

Enjoy the moment Blue Devil Nation. Wallow in the atomosphere and appreciate how fortunate you are - BDN Photo

INDIANAPOLIS -  Hey Duke fans!  Live in the moment for opportunities to win a national title don’t come around often.  Take a moment and realize how lucky you are as a fan to follow such a great program and a great team.

From the Duke coaches to the players, there is nothing but solid character on the 2009-10 Blue Devils team and it’s time to recognize and cherish that.  Just ask UNC fans who are coming off a title how long ago that seems now?  If it happens, enjoy it, savor it, live it.

Before you begin to worry if Kyle Singler will return or when the next recruit  will commit, live in the here and now.  Immerse yourself in the here and now and enjoy rooting for the team everybody in the nation will be watching this evening.

Make no mistake, that the majority of fans out there would kill to have a program like Duke’s, so recognize how lucky and blessed you are to have them as your team.

It’s been an amazing season and that season may well end in a fourth National Championship and how amazing is that?  I mean, who thought this would happen after Gerald Henderson left or Elliot Williams transferred?

This Duke team has succeeded at meeting every goal it set forth to date and you will never see a more likable and grounded roster of kids than this seasons.  No matter what they have been faced with, they have met the challenge with success.

Bozo media types are saying Duke had an easy road.  Well, they beat the PAC 10 Champions, the Big 10 Champions and the Big East Champions to get here and the Horizon Champions may be added to the list in about seven hours.

But don’t get caught up in all the hate and realize that a lot of it is fabricated to begin with.  Worry instead if Duke will defeat a Butler team that is laying a trap.  But know your Blue Devils will show up and I mean they will be ready.

I have a good feeling that Duke will be atop the world by midnight, but should they slip, these guys are still champions.  It is rare to have senior leadership like Brian Zoubek, Lance Thomas and Jon Scheyer and they should be cuddled by the fan base.

If Kyle Singler goes pro, wish him the best for he will have left you with something special.  What I am saying is that nothing should take away from the joy that only two teams will experience when the ball tips at 9:21 tonight and no I am not saying Kyle is gone, so relax and don’t go there.

Oh, and make sure you greet these Blue Devils in a big way when they return.  And do me a favor Blue Devil Nation, cheer hard for me as I will still be on the road back to Durham.  In fact, a video of the return would be appreciated or a tape of any local coverage of the event.

It’s been one heck of a ride and it’s one that nobody should want to end.

Duke players address the media in Indy BDN Photo

INDIANAPOLIS – The Duke Blue Devils defeated West Virginia just hours ago, but they were once again in Lucas Oil Stadium to address the media early this afternoon.  The following is the national press conference which featured Coach K, Jon Scheyer, Kyle Singler, Lance Thomas, Nolan Smith and Brian Zoubek.  Several more interviews to come including one on one chats with selected Blue Devil players and coaches.

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Brian Zoubek - BDN Photo

DURHAM – The Duke Blue Devils  are now in Indy for the Final Four and BDN will be there shortly as well.  Until then, here is Brian Zoubek’s comments from media day.

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Photo courtesy if Duke Blue Planet.com

DURHAM – The Duke Basketball team addressed the local media one last time Tuesday afternoon before their trip to Final Four in Indianapolis.  Brian Zoubek shared his thoughts on how Duke got to the semi finals and the learning curve and setbacks he had while at Duke.  Zoubek has been a key piece in Duke’s run for the title and his continued good play could certainly help Duke get past West Virginia on Saturday.

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After much celebration, the Blue Devils will be back in Durham early this A.M. and they are carrying the Southern Regional Trophy with them.   The Blue Devils defeated Baylor 78-71 before 35,000 screaming Bears fans in a very exciting contest.

On a night when Kyle Singler couldn’t find his mark offensively, Nolan Smith played the game of his life, scoring 29 points and being named the most outstanding player of the region.  Despite Singler’s off game his teammates picked it up and that has been the case for this Blue Devil team all year long.

The one thing which really stood out after the contest was the word, “togetherness.”

Another word you heard a lot in the Duke locker room was chemistry and a third word heard often was tight.  You see, these Blue Devils are on the same page like few other teams before them.  “We always hang together off the court, there are no cliques on this team,” said a very emotional Lance Thomas.

When I asked Thomas if he had ever played on a tighter team, he shook his head from side to side for emphasis, saying, “Never, never,” with a lump in his throat.  “We’ve worked so hard for this,” said Thomas who was almost at a loss for words with relief.

Thomas and his senior teammates are a big reason for the camaraderie and the Duke staff is quick to tell you that.  In an on-court interview with Duke Assistant Coach Chris Collins, the emotional coach stated, “These guys may be the best team we’ve ever had.”  He didn’t mean the most talented, as you will hear.  No, he was talking about how much he liked coaching this group.

Coach Wojciechowski then stated, “It’s not the most talented team, but they like one another and do everything together.”

His senior teammate Brian Zoubek echoed the sentiment as well, “He’s [Thomas] right.  We do it all together.”  Whether it is going to movies, bowling or just hanging out, every player agreed that this was one tight knit group.

These Blue Devils show that tight knit togetherness on the court as well.  The 2010 Blue Devils never seem to panic and they lean on each other, picking up the slack when a teammate has a down game.  No matter what the statistical anomaly, this team finds ways to win.

When I asked Nolan Smith if he felt he needed to become more of a scorer with Singler having an off game, he was quick to say yes, but he followed that by saying, “That’s the way it is this season, we help one another.”

Perhaps, Jon Scheyer said it best, “We can tell one another anything.  We’re able to confront each other and we all hold each other accountable.”  In short, these Blue Devils have each others back in every way.

As I told Scheyer what Thomas had said about chemistry and togetherness, he exclaimed, “Yes, I have never been on a team in my life that was so close and then the emotion kicked in and he fought back tears looking down before recovering and answering questions from the throng of media which then gathered around him.

This may not be Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s most talented team, but I have never seen a group more together and that in itself makes this team quite special.  And before you say maybe I didn’t see the back to back national champions or the 86 team, think again, for I have witnessed every season since a coach whose name nobody could pronounce came to Durham from Army.

Coach Krzyzewski may not tell you the same for he has had some really good teams, but, make no mistake, he understands how special this season has been to date.  Win or lose in Indianapolis, this team is indeed unique.

It’s a team that went through a lot in the off season with departures and missed on what many felt at the time were ‘must’ recruits for success.  One thing is certain, those players are now questioning their decision as Duke is once again basking in the national spotlight.

But maybe those near misses and defections are the reason this Band of Brothers has come together unlike any Duke team in recent memory.

“We hang together on and off the court and like each other,” said Thomas.  He then continued, “There are no separate cliques on this team, we are all in this with one another.”  Yes, he repeated himself with sincerity.

And then there is Coach Kryzewski’s comments during the post game press conference, “This team will really be brothers forever.  It’s as close a team as I’ve had.  You want great things to happen for people who are great with us.  I mean, they’ve been spectacular to coach.  You can tell they’re really close and I’m ecstatic about it.  I can’t tell you how happy I am about them taking our staff to Indianapolis.

And Duke fans?  They should be happy to have a group like this represent the royal blue and the four letters they wear proudly on their chests.

Stay tuned for more coverage from Houston and stay tuned to BDN all the way through the Final Four in Indy for we will be there for you.  Want to support BDN?  Join Blue Devil Nation Premium.  You are sure to like it!

Brian Zoubek - BDN Photo

DURHAM N.C. -   Senior Brian Zoubek has proved a vital part of the 2010 Duke Blue Devils team and he talks about remaining consistent.

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BDN is in Houston and reports are coming!