[private]Ravenscroft defeated Word of God on Wednesday evening 68-57 to push their record to 13-3. Duke bound Ryan Kelly went 8 of 15 from the field to score 23 points while grabbing 7 rebounds.
Word of God slipped to 7-7, but one must consider that both of these teams play in national
tournaments. Hot prospect John Wall scored 17 points and N.C. State commitment C.J. Leslie garnered 20 points in the losing effort.
The game was tied at the half before Ravenscroft took the lead in the third quarter and held off a rally only to stretch the lead back out at the end of the game.
The game tipped off at the exact same time as the Davidson at Duke contest which prevented many Duke fans from attending.
The Duke Blue Devils are recruiting one more player in the class of 2009 and he just so happens to be the best high school point guard in the country. John Wall dazzles all with his ability to go from baseline to baseline in just under three seconds.
Wall has until May 21st to decide where he wants to play his college basketball and Duke has made
the final cut. Coach K has been able to watch John Wall play this season, most recently during the Glaxo Invitational where he was accompanied by two assistants and key players on this seasons roster.
During yesterdays ACC opener, John Wall was sitting behind the bench to see the Blue Devils play lock down defense on Virginia Tech. Blue Devil Nation Premium was able to get Walls thoughts and details of the visit.
"I came over the there house and watched a pretty exciting game [private] and watched the crowd go crazy when they made some big plays," said Wall when asked about his trip to Durham.
After the contest he was able to hang out before heading back to school, "I went to the back (locker room) and talked to Coach K for a little bit and had a good time," said an upbeat Wall.
When asked if he had a chance to sit down with Coach Kryzyzewski, Wall stated, "No, that's all I had a chance to do right then."
Wall has been planning a visit to Duke for a while now, but scheduling conflicts kept him from making a trip until Sunday. "I've been busy of late with Glaxo and all but I am going to set up a visit them hopefully soon, so I can go over there and talk to them. They just wanted me to come over and watch a game and I said alright."
Wall had some company during his visit, "I went with my AAU Coach Clifton and my sister." Wall has six sisters all of whom from Raleigh. I couldn't help but ask the sleek star if there was pressure from siblings to stay at home and he stated, "No, not really. I think my family - they realize that this is a decision I've got to make even thought they probably wouldn't go far. I know they'll come to all my games they can whether I am far away or close to home."
When asked if he could see himself playing for Duke, Wall stated, "Right now I am just trying to go to the games and see the atmosphere, crowd and how the coaches coach in situations. Since you are right there behind the bench you can hear what the coaches are saying and how they're telling the players to play, which is something you need to do before making a decision."
I asked of his contact with Coach Krzyzewski - "He really didn't get a chance to say too much. I had to get back to school. He just said it was great having me there and he would love to have me as a point guard and that he saw me at Glaxo and we lost a tough game."
When asked if Duke offered him, Wall said no, but that he expected one to come when he sits down to talk with Coach Krzyzewski.
Wall makes no secret of his desire to play in the NBA as soon as possible. "More than likely right now I am hopefully looking at just being one and done. It'll be tough because you have to live up to the hype. It's not just about scoring, but helping your team win which and play like the kind of player the NBA wants to see."
Another thing that stands out is his confidence in his ability. "Which ever school I end up choosing, I feel like I will be the go to or set up man. But I will have other great players with me, so if I draw a double team or get trapped, I hope to have teammates that can make big plays."
Wall also recognizes the challenge. "I know it'll be pretty tough on me because I'm just a freshman but I want the ball under pressure. So I really want to go to a school where I am going to be around great players."
While there are many out there that will tell you Wall is leaning one way or the other, you wouldn't know it when talking to him. In my opinion, Wall is truly undecided and trying to figure out what eh most important factors are in his pending commitment. "If you are not going to feel comfortable and feel like you're home, then I figure you shouldn't go to the school. If you get down and you are far away from home and your coaches are not there for you, who will be there?"
Wall has made no secret of his desire to have a close relationship with the head coach and staff and it always seems to come up in conversations. "You've just got to pick the situation that'll be best for you. I will go to the school that wil let me be me and prepare me best for the next level, said Wall.
The young phenom will lead his team against Ravenscroft this Wednesday night at 7:00. "It was originally supposed to be on ESPN. It's a big game with me playing and Ryan playing. It'll be a pretty excited crowd," said Wall.
The schools were unable to accommodate a time change to 9:00 due to a vote from higher ups concerned that it was on a school night. Thus the battle will not be televised and unfortunately for Duke fans, the time is exactly when the Blue Devils tip off against Davidson and Stephan Curry. [/private]
The Blue Devil Nation sat down with John Wall for an exclusive one on one interview and talked about many things, including the recruiting process. We have condensed two separate interviews on successive nights into one and feel you will enjoy hearing the latest on the top prospect. Wall won
the Glaxo Tournament Most Outstanding Player Award and his team takes on rival Ravenscroft this Wednesday night. Wall almost led his Word of God team to a victory over Christ School, but came up just short. Blue Devil Nation Premium is a subscription service which offers you accurate and detailed information on all things Duke. WIth all of our latest offerings and scheduled events, it's a great time to join. [private]
You had seven blocks in the second game of the tournament. What do you attribute that defensive effort to?
We just concentrate on our defense and what the coaches teach you. I like to leak out on defense a lot, but tonight I had to stay down there and help my other teammates.
We've talked several times at various events. Everybody is coming at John Wall and wants to know whats up. There are just three and a half months left before you will make a decision. Are you starting to think about that? I mean, do you say wow, I've got to get down to business?
Yeah, I am going to get down to it. It's kind of a tough decision because it's the last decision you make as a kid. It's kind of tough and I'm trying to make the best decision for me and my family.
Do you still feel like a kid? I mean you have been through a lot during the process.
Yeah, I still feel like a kid and get to hang out with my friends. When I get between these four lines or I'm in my classroom at school I have to take it serious to become a man.
What has Word of God done for John Wall?
It's helped me a lot. It helps me off the court, with academics and made me a better person. It's made me see things in life I wouldn't have learned staying in a private school. The smaller environment has helped me.
You've had several people watching you - the Duke and N.C. State staffs ... what does that mean to you?
I used to it now, but it feels good. When one of the top college coaches in the country comes in you have to try to be calm and run your team and try not to do stuff that takes you out of your game.
Are you really serious about all of the schools on your list?
Yes sir.
Have you been on an unofficial to N.C. State yet?
Yeah, I took a visit there.
What about Duke?
I haven't took one yet. I'm supposed to be setting that up. Maybe this weekend.
You've said that you have talked to Coach K several times, what is he saying?
He just tells me he wants me to come see the school and not to do anything until I get a chance to get over there and check out Duke.
I talked to your coach last night and Clifton as well recently. It seem like the visit to Duke has been really hard to set up. Is there any reason for that or is there some sort of thing that concerns someone?
My coaches just wanted me to focus on this tournament right now. With my Mom being in the hospital I've just been telling the coaches I'd talk to them after she gets well. Everything went well in her surgery so I feel some pressure off of me now. So now I will start setting my visits after this tournament.
I've heard that you had a good time in Memphis on a visit??
I did. I really liked the coaches and players and had a good time on the visit. They told me I could be like Derrick Rose. I liked the facility and felt comfortable.
Will the pending decision be John Walls to make? I gather that there is three important components at work here, that being your high school coach Levi Beckwith, your AAU coach Clifton and your Mom. Is that pretty much accurate?
Yeah. This is my decision but my Mom said that said I had been home so long that it was my decision.
Wouldn't that be a hard decision to make? Going away?
Yeah, it's going to be pretty tough. That's why I'm trying to see which school would be the best fit for me. If one fits me best elsewhere I will have to move out of state and go to college, if one fits me best here then I will stay close to home.
What are you looking for in a coach?
A coach that plays the style of ball I play. A coach who going to push you and not just say you are going to have a starting spot when you get there. You have to have a good relationship. I want to see if like I get a turnover or something how long he'll take a player out or if he'll let him play through some mistakes. I can only take in what people tell me but you can't believe what everybody says because they don't want you to go to a school.
Do you think coaches are straight up for the most part?
It's hard to tell because they are getting payed a certain amount of money and they're trying to get the best players so they can win. If they are not winning they are not going to keep their job long. It's kind of tough, so you have to go out and find coaches you feel you can trust and feel most comfortable with.
What are your goals for the rest of the season besides winning as a team?
I'm just want to be the best player I can be. Prepare myself for college and help my teammates.
What three words or phrases best describes John Wall at this point and time?
Fun, fast and a celebrity I guess.
Are there any games you've marked on the schedule as being special?
I think Ravenscroft will be special.
And you get to play them twice, right?
Yes sir.
I appreciate your time and wish you the best of luck and hope your Mom gets well soon.
[private]In the long history of the Glaxo Smith Kline Holiday Invitational, last evenings contest between Christ School Arden and Word of God Raleigh could well be the most memorable game.
Christ School came from 17 points down to defeat Word of God 76-73 with every
possession being critical down the stretch and big plays were made time and time again.
Before a standing room only crowd at Raleigh Broughton High School, the two teams put on a most entertaining and competitive contest. In fact, it was one of those games where if you sneezed, you missed a great play, especially during a furious second half.
The game had it all -player and game intensity, a rocking crowd, steals and slams, multiple blocks by players in one sequence, great passing, You Tube instant classics ... well, you get the picture.
It was sort of like this - John Wall made the steal goes coast to coast in like two seconds and throws down a one handed sweeping dunk, Lakeem Jackson answers with a three point shot while blanketed with defense. Word of God got the ball up
quickly and found C.J. Leslie flashing along the baseline only to catch it and throw down a dunk. Not to be outdone Mason Plumlee throws the ball off glass, catches it in the same motion and throws down a thunderous dunk which is one of many spectacular plays that brought the crowd to their feet.
Word of God jumped out of the gates quickly with a break neck pressing defense and took a 23-11 lead after one quarter of play, knock the undefeated Greenies back on their heels.
"The first ten minutes or so, I was very upset with our lack of composure. I was more frustrated than upset, but we knew we weren't going to quit. We had to go out their and fight fire with fire," said Greenies Coach Gaines.
It seemed as if the gliding Wall was all over the place in that quarter, making several crowd pleasing plays. Wall took that play into the second quarter as well with the Rams continuing to stretch out their lead before the Greenies caught their breath.
Christ School Coach David Gaines said, "John (Wall) is the best north-south guy I have ever seen. You see it coming and we're pretty athletic, but even with two or
three guys on him or back, still I would often want to turn and look the other way because he is such a great finisher."
That was when Mason Plumlee got a scowl on his face just underneath where this writer was perched. Plumlee wasn't that productive early, but he wasn't about to disappoint those who had come to see him play.
Coach Krzyzewski, Wojo and Nate James were their having just watched Duke commitment Ryan Kelly. But a bit later his brother Miles Plumlee, Jon Scheyer, Kyle Singler and Elliot Williams entered the arena and sat just behind their coaches while adoring fans began to sneak over for glimpses and autographs.
Of course, K and company are one of the schools highly interested in John Wall and hoping to secure a visit with him. Sydney Lowe and N.C. State assistants, sat just below the Duke staff on the floor as well. They were their to see Wall and C.J. Leslie.
Back to Mason - it's as if he wouldn't be denied and his play along with some inspired minutes from his younger brother Mashall (5 points, 5 rebounds) helped the Greenies close the gap to 42-35 at the half.
"At halftime there weren't a lot of X's and O's, we made a couple of adjustments, but the challenge was that you've got to come out and meet that physicality with the same," said Gaines."
Mason Plumlee told BDN after the game, "We knew we were the better team and we got ourselves in a hole early. During a timeout we decided we were going to be aggressive and take control."
As the second half started, Word of God picked up where they had left off and Christ
School found themselves behind double digits midway through the third quarter, but that's when the Greenies dug in and adjusted to the pace.
Part of the reason for the comeback was the Greenies front court, one which started to assert itself as the game went on. C.J. Leslie had been a beast for WOG early on, but the young star was held to just 7 points in the second half.
Another boost came from Reggie King who scored 11 second half points, many key baskets during the comeback. Tony Kimbrough also added 9 points.
Word of God refused to go away until the very end in this game and they were led by the countries top unsigned prospect in John Wall and he gave the fans quite a performance, scoring 28 points, grabbing 6 boards to go with 3 assists and 2 steals.
"We came out and played our game, but in the end we just didn't finish it off. I was able to penetrate and find lanes in their defense and that helped me to make some plays and get teammates the ball where they could finish. We'll just have to learn from this experience and move on," said Wall after the game.
N.C. State commitment, C.J. Leslie chipped in with 18 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocked shots. Leslie was later named to the All Tournament team.
"I told our guys we played well for 99% of the game. Our game plan was to keep
them off the boards and we did a pretty good job of that," said Word of God Coach Beckwith after the contest. He continued by saying, "This team has made some tremendous strides in how they play together as a team."
Christ School had a more balanced attack putting four players in double figures. Reggie King had 13, Lucas Troutman 11 and another All Tournament team selection, Lakeem Jackson had 10.
After the game, the awards ceremony took place and Mason Plumlee was named the tournaments MVP while John Wall garnered the Most Outstanding Player. This was Christ Schools second Glaxo Championship.
"I'm running out superlatives. This guy (Mason Plumlee) was the catalyst to getting us back in it. Without saying anything and just through his actions he basically said we're getting back in this if I have to take over run the point, go down low or whatever. He's a winner and he competes like the dickins," said Coach Gaines with concerns to the future Blue Devil.
BDN asked Mason if he was trying to be emphatic with his dunks and he stated, "Yeah (smiling). There were a lot where I should have dunked, but went up soft and had them blocked. When I did get the opportunity I wanted to go strong."
Then I put him on the spot asking of the off the glass, catch and slam. I joked with Mason asking him if his Dad taught him that with his proud Father, Perky standing nearby. "You see a lot of stuff like that on You Tube. I saw Tracy McGrady do it in All Star games ... it's not something you practice it just worked out for me."
During the press conference Coach Gaines had said Mason took a couple of shots he wasn't sure about, but he couldn't help but glow a little bit with that statement. And while it may not have been a move his future college coach would suggest, it was surely a crowd pleasing move on a night where both teams left those in attendance with some memories.
[private]Christ School advanced to the Glaxo Smith Kline Invitational Shavlik Randolph Foundation Championship by defeating Kinston 76-59. They will face Word of God tonight just after 9:00 in what should be an exciting match up. Ravenscroft will also take place in the championship game of the Summit Hospitality bracket against Centennial.
"Our half time adjustments were great and our defense confused them a little bit. It's hard to keep these guys up for five games in a row. Jackson and Plumlee ... I can't say enough about what they do for this team and we just have to get up for tomorrow night," said the Greenies Coach Gaines.
Christ School shot 61.7% from the field over a pesky Kinston team. The Greenies were led by South Carolina commitment Lakeem Jackson who tallied 18 points and 4 rebounds. He spent much of the night guarding UNC commitment Reggie Bullock who scored 17 points and grabbed 6 rebounds.
"For two years Lakeem has guarded the other guy's stars. We told him you have to guard Reggie Bullock. He (Jackson) takes such pride in his defense. Reggie made some great shots in the first half, but by in large Lakeem did a great job on him," said Gaines.
Duke bound Mason Plumlee was a force in the paint where he scored 15 points to go with 13 rebounds. Plumlee known for his uncanny passing skills for a big man dished out 7 assists.
"If this kid is not an All American, you've got to be kidding me. It's not going to be because he scores 25 points a night. Tonight we had him for 8 assists. He just produces in the big games for us. I would like to see him post up a little more and part of my barking at him was to get him to do that. But again, the kids a superstar," said Gaines when asked of Plumlee.
Plumlee was 7 of 10 from the field, two of those misses were three point shots. Plumlee is a shoo-in for the all tournament team and his field goal percentage has to be among the best at the event.
When asked of his passing ability for a big man, Plumlee told the Blue Devil Nation, "When you have good shooters like we do, you want to get them the ball. I've been watching the game since I was younger and a lot of my favorite players were great passers.
The Greenies pulled away late in the game after throwing a variety of defenses at Kinston. They must now prepare for Word of God, an athletic team which will press and push the ball.
Word of God of course, is led by the nation's top uncommitted prospect in John Wall. While their game wasn't pretty on the eyes due to numerous turnovers, they held St. Raymond to 30% shooting in a decisive 63-43 win.
"I think the biggest thing for us tonight was our defense. We gave up 10 points in the first quarter and 6 in the second. We had a little bit of a let down in the third, but came back strong in the fourth," said Word of God Coach Levi Beckwith.
Wall showed off his ability to get from end to end faster than any player in the high school ranks. He scored 14 points on 40% shooting from the field. He was 6 of 7 from the free throw stripe and dished out 4 assists.
"I'm just trying to be the leader I'm supposed to be and prepare for college," Wall told the Blue Devil Nation in a post game interview.
Another impressive stat line for Wall was his 9 rebounds which is a testament to his active feet. But his top stat was his 5 blocks, where two were on the same possession where he also started the break for an easy basket.
"We've watched them (Christ School) play the last two nights and Coach will give us our game plan. If we follow his game plan we win, if we do something outside his game plan we struggle to win. We will go home and rest tonight and we'll go over the game plan. It's going to be a tough game but we might come out with the win," stated Wall on his next opponent.
Coach Beckwith added, "We are going to need to make sure we did the same thing we did down low tonight which is number one make sure we're down there. Obviously we want to use our speed, but they have speed as well. We are going to do what we do just like they do. Their coach is probably sitting back when we are going to trap them half court - we are doing the same thing."
Ryan Kelly will lead Ravenscroft against Centennial in the first game this evening. Centennial is led by N.C. State commitment Lorenzo Brown. Another Pack commitment of interest is C.J. Leslie who plays for Word of God.
Once again, Broughton High School was filled to capacity and people were turned away in droves outside the venue. Duke Assistant Coach Nate James took in the action for the Blue Devils.
Blue Devil Nation Premium our subscription service has an exclusive one on one interview with John Wall and much more from last evening alone. Why not check out the hardest working premium site around and judge for yourself where you get the best basketball coverage to add to your fan experience. If you are a member of another site, once you check us out, you'll likely see the difference.[/private]
The Blue Devil Nation was on the scene for the 37th Annual Tournament where we caught all of the action in a sold out venue. We talked with John Wall about the recruiting process and where he stands. BDNP talked to Duke commitment Ryan Kelly as well. The following is an in depth report laced with plenty of details and full of scouting reports, interviews, pictures and behind the scenes chatter. We will continue our live blog of the event on the Premium Message Board this afternoon. It's a great time to join Blue Devil Nation Premium. Details for membership are in the menu just under our name. [private]
Word of God - When Word of God players arrived in the media room, John Wall, CJ Leslie and Bishop Daniels joked about with each other about missed finger rolls or dunks. While the three got along well together off the court, there were time when some of the Word of God players seemed to take their shots when they got them for fear of not getting enough shots.
John Wall - Word of God is very athletic and the crowd really got into their game. But all of their players seemed to want to make the showboat play. Wall would show off his ball skills in an almost taunting manner when guarded one on one. There was one short, stocky kid which got a five second call on Wall after his showboating. That's a call he'll talk about to his family about one day when Wall is in the NBA.
In reality, his team is giving the crowd what they want and they run the court non stop, but did play a zone this evening which is uncharacteristic of their team. Quite simply, WOG plays on emotion and their talent allows them to try and do things other teams wish they could.
Wall showed the ability to make amazing dunks from any and every angle. His leaping ability is something to behold, especially considering he gets up so quickly. He can make up ground like no other guard in the country and came floating through the air effortlessly for two blocks and a third which was called a foul.
Wall is a streaky outside shooter. He would nail a couple and then miss one badly. His strength is going to the hole and he actually needed the ball in his hands more in order to create on the break. His half court PG skills need work, but he is a motor guy who will be a star on any level.
ESPN is doing a documentary on Wall and a piece for an upcoming ESPNU show. The camera seems to follow Wall everywhere in an almost comical fashion, be it in the
stands before the game or close enough to see sweat glands at work in the team huddle.
Much has been made of past attitudes and problems with Wall. His coach had this to say, "One of the things that people don't see is the strides that these guys has made as young men. If you were to interview people that knew these guys years ago, they would tell you what they have developed most is not their game, but their character.
My Q & A with John Wall - (Keep in mind there is limited time during this event and I fired off as many questions as I could which was pretty much half the questions asked total)
Somebody is going to bring up recruiting and where you are in the process, can you speak of that? There was a TV camera on you quite a bit. Is this the continuation of the documentary they were filming since the last time I talked to you in person at the Peach Jam.
"I'm not sure, really. I think that's ESPN," said Wall who then turned to his coach asking, "Is that ESPN 360 ... I think?"
When will you trim your list?
"I think I will do it when I take two or three more visits. When I take my last couple of visits that's when I will try to trim my list down and make a decision in April."
Are any of those visits set or in the near future?
"I've got to take one to Miami and Baylor and then I've got to take one more after that."
... and your list consists of?
"Kansas, Memphis, Baylor, Miami, N.C. State, Duke and Oregon."
Rising Star Bishop Daniels- Daniels was a sharp witted youngster witha big smile and seemed mature beyond his years. When asked about playing with Leslie and Wall. "Man they treat me like a little kid. They treat me like the baby. (room laughing) It's fun playing with them. I go at them hard because they go at me hard. They try to hurt me in practice (Jokingly), but it's different with two superstars on the court. I'm trying to show what I can do on the courts too." I then asked him to tell me something nobody knows about John Wall and CJ Leslie as both players put their faces in their hands. "CJ is a clown and Johns a clown too. They like to have fun, more fun than anybody I know." Once in the hallway, I asked Bishop where he thought Wall might be leaning. "It depends on which day it is. He changes back and forth all the time."
Ryan Kelly -Kelly continued his perimeter play often handling the ball out front in his teams opening night win. Kelly scored 21 points grabbed 4 boards and had 3 blocks. Ravenscroft defeated Apex 71-56 and the opponent had nothing to combat the size of the Ravens.
Kelly flushed three dunks and handled the ball well. When he did take the ball in low, it allowed him to kick back out to teammates for open shots. Kelly still needs a little work on his three point stroke, but his movement is smooth. Again, I am impressed by his length when challenged defensively. He easily mad up ground against shorter players. He will be in action again this evening.
Ravenscroft teammate Matt Wilson who is heading to UNC-Wilmington had a solid game where he tallied 18 points. FWIW, the official stats seem to need an extra stat person for they indeed differ from what many of us are keeping.
Former Duke player and Ravenscroft coach Kevin Billermans comments -
Opening statement - "Our guards made some threes early which opened the game up for us and our defensive pressure allowed us to open it up to twenty points."
He wanted folks to know his team has not been healthy- "One of the things that people don't understand is that Madison is coming off a sprained ankle and has not been able to practice for an extended period of time. Luke Davis our PG had streped throat down in South Carolina and did not have the energy he normally had. When those two guys are healthy they created plays where Matt and Ryan can finish."
I asked about how he was using Ryan and that it seemed different from last year -We wanted to feature Matt (Wilson) more in the post this year. Most teams don't have two big men. With Ryan, he's so skilled and can create shots for himself Matt and our perimeter players.
Q and A with Kelly-
Did this game help your team get back on track after dropping one of three games in the Chic-Fil-A tournament?
"Yeah, definitely! We began to get into a little bit of rhythm once now that this tournament has begun. Obviously we didn't do as well as we would have like down at the Chic-Fil-A tournament. But we finished with a win there and started off with one here and hopefully that can translate as we continue into the tournament."
I asked Kelly if having Chris Collins and his Father Doug in the stands got him more pumped up -
"I go out in every game prepared to play as hard as I can. It's great to see that the coaches are supporting me, but I play the same with every game - the same emotion.
Chris Collins and Doug Collins - It's always great to see these two basketball
purists together. They were going over X's and O's during the game and ESPN was sure to get a shot of them. Kelly stopped over to talk with them after I talked with him. Once a player is committed coaches are allowed to talk with their kids.
I will be covering the event today and will have a live blog going on the message board for members. Mason Plumlee plays this evening followed by Ryan Kelly. [/private]
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