Tag Archives: RJ Barrett

Duke Basketball

Duke in Columbia — NCAA Tournament Notebook #1

Duke strategy with Williamson is all Ace's

Duke may have been able to play Zion Williamson during the regular season or before the ACC Tournament but elected to sit the National Player of the Year to be.  The sacrifice was clearly worth it.  A fresh fully healed Williamson seems poised to follow-up on his ACC Most Outstanding Player with even better play in his home state of South Carolina.  So while Duke finished third in the ACC regular season, they cut down the nets when it counted for more. In doing so earned the number one seed and the number one ranking in the final polls.

Can youth handle being the favorite?

This year's Duke team does not have a senior team captain, Quin Cook running things nor a guy who has stepped up big time like the former Brian Zoubek and his former roommate Jon Scheyer.  The aforementioned veteran players played vital roles in the 2010 and 2015 National Championships.  This seasons team which is the fifth youngest group in the nation will depend more on some really talented youngsters.  Despite the talent, how will they handle things when the games get close?  Well, Mike Krzyzewski and his staff will fill some of the voids, but this group must take the games one at a time and tune out the hype as best they can.  Fifteen of thirty ESPN experts have picked Duke to win it all.  That fact epitomizes the media pressure.

Sooner rather than later for Bolden?

The news came out yesterday that Marques Bolden had returned to practice via Javin DeLaurier.  It only makes sense that Duke puts him back into the rotation the second he is ready.  The reason, of course, is to develop team chemistry and to quickly get him back into game shape over the next week.  Duke will not need the junior center in their first outing in Columbia but seeing him by the Sunday game would be encouraging.

Focussing on what is in front of you

The staff will make sure that Duke takes it one game at a time in the tournament.  The cold, harsh reality of one loss and done has entered the picture and that means you must focus on the job at hand.  Duke cannot control whom they play, when, etc.  The Friday-Sunday match up should work out well in that one your players have an extra day of rest.  The team might see a higher seed go down the day before which emphasizes the importance of focus.

Enjoy the show

Fans will one day look back on this Duke team as a special one no matter what they do in the tournament.  The reason being the collection of young talent.  Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett are destined for greatness in the NBA.  You just do not see two players of this caliber on the same team and likely never will again.  At season's end, both players will have averaged over 20 ppg and no freshman duo has ever done such a thing.

Columbia logistics

Duke will be playing at Columbia Life Arena in Columbia, S.C.  They will have an open practice for the media and public on Thursday starting at 3:25.  Their first game on Friday will tip-off promptly at 7:10 and will be televised by CBS.  Are you going to the games and looking for something to do on an off day?  Try Riverbanks Zoo or Columbia Canal on the Riverpark or visit the South Carolina State Museum.

Coach K and #1 Ranking

Duke finishes the regular and conference tournament season ranked #1 in the nation.  Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski had led Duke to that ranking 123 weeks which is the most of any coach in the history of the sport.  Krzyzewski has an amazing 94-29 record in the NCAA Tournament.

Quotables

Javin DeLaurier's on his two NCAA Tournament experiences and what he can pass on to the younger guys:

“My freshman year we lost in the first weekend and last year we lost in the Elite Eight so really just telling everyone you have to take it one game at a time. It’s got to be for the full 40 minutes and you can’t look ahead to the next opponent, because if you do that, you can slip up and lose. It’s March Madness for a reason and teams you never thought would lose go down all the time and we don’t want to be one of them.”

Tre Jones remembering the atmosphere during the 2015 NCAA Tournament when his older brother Tyus played:

“It’s definitely different. It’s different than a regular game, the atmosphere is different, the energy is different, guys are playing harder and everything is on the line and just being able to see that at a young age – I don’t really know how to say it but I was only a freshman in high school at the time and I put out a goal for myself that I wanted to be in that moment one day and not that I’m here and I’m in that moment is going to be
fun to partake in it.”

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Duke Basketball

Duke Set to Take on All Comers in Columbia

It's been a pretty darn entertaining year for the 2018-19 Duke Blue Devils basketball team.  The Blue Devils started the regular season with a beat down of Kentucky but ended it with their second loss to North Carolina and a third-place regular season finish.

Injuries played a big role in the late season struggles where several Duke players missed time, including Zion Williamson.  Duke would right the ship with Williamson back in the lineup with three wins in the ACC Tournament and in the end, are the conference champions.

Duke enters the NCAA Tournament as the nation's number one seed and they will play not too far south in Columbia, S.C. in an effort to survive and advance.  With Zion Williamson, the nations tops player, in his home state, good things are likely to happen for Duke.

The Blue Devils should be well rested with their game tipping off this Friday promptly at 7:10 on CBS.  They will also get what amounts to be an easy game where they face the winner or North Carolina Central and North Dakota State.  Both of those teams are 18-15 and the winners will be playing on two days rest.

Duke should be able to use their depth early and often in the opening game which will further rest any minor nagging injuries to their players.  The second game will be more challenging, if not on the court, then in other ways.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski might well face his first great recruit in Johnny Dawkins and Central Florida.  It is a known fact, that Krzyzewski does not like to face his former players when they are at the helm at other schools.

Then again, Duke may face Virginia Commonwealth and few Duke fans will forget losing to them in the NCAA Tournament during the 2006-07 season.  The UCF and VCU game is expected to be close.  The Golden Knights are a 1.5 point favorite, so it is tough to project who the opponent will be with any certainty.

Regardless of the opponent, Duke should make it through to Washington. D.C.  In years past, this would seem less certain, but RJ Barrett and Zion Williamson are on this team and those two guys will be etched in Duke fans memories for years to come in that they are both destined for more greatness.

Quite simply, Duke should take care of business with a team that is peaking at the right time.   They may have a challenge for a bit in games if they are not focussed but it would be a shock for them not to advance.

The Blue Devils are in a position to be a rested team as the tournament advances.  What you want to avoid are injuries while working on areas of concern, such as ironing out the rotation that will be used as the team seeking its sixth national title adjusts for the prime time of the season.

It would benefit Duke for Cam Reddish to get a little more comfortable in the rotation by involving him more in Columbia.  Tre Jones needs to continue being aggressive on offense for he is money from the free throw stripe, an area where the star freshmen struggle.

The Blue Devils could also use the trip to possibly shore up their three-point shooting while continuing to tweak their already good defense.    What the staff is likely looking for is a more consistent effort by its rotation players as well for good things happen when all the players contribute in the box score.

And speaking of contrinutions, Marques Bolden has returned to practice.  This is another key to chemistry, especially if Duke is able to get him some minutes this weekend.

The bottom line is that Duke has too much firepower on offense to stumble this early, but Krzyzewski probably rolls over when people pencil them forward with such ease.  It is not for a lack of respect for the opponent that has me saying what I have but instead, the respect I have for the talent on this years team.

And did I mention that Zion Williamson will be playing in his home state this weekend?  Let the games begin!

 

Duke Basketball

10 Thoughts to Ponder on Duke-UNC III

The Duke Shadow Helps UNC -- Duke will play North Carolina for the third time since February 20th in the ACC Tournament semifinals just after 9:20 this evening.  In each of the previous games, the Blue Devils have been the media darling.  In fact, more people have been talking about when Zion Williamson will play than the two North Carolina wins and that kind of thing gets to you.  This is especially true for a  North Carolina team that is red-hot.  No matter what they do, people have talked about Duke and that same thing will allow for a collective chip on their team's shoulder tonight.  Trust me, the Tar Heels want their shot at Zion too if for no other reason than to remove that asterisk people have mentioned.  Most teams would not trade places with Duke and the hype surrounding them, but it can at times work against you and I would make a case for that happening in this series to date.

I cannot help but notice or recall that -- Zion Williamson went out shortly into the McDonald's All American game when Tar Heel to be, Nassir Little aggressively jumped out to defend him resulting in Williamson going down which led to Williamson injury.  That was uncharacteristic, if not over the top effort defensively for an all-star game atmosphere,  In the game at Cameron, Luke Maye jumped out to defend him causing Williamson to start to make a move and we all know what happened with his shoe a second into the aforementioned move.  The point is that the Tar Heels will make Williamson prove himself and could use the strategy of fouling him to limit his game.  Williamson struggled from the free throw stripe last evening while dominating every other aspect of the game.

Duke does miss Bolden --Marquese  Bolden clogged up the paint for Duke and with him being out, Duke is smaller even with Williamson back.  The Tar Heel love to go inside and their backdoor cuts are relentless, so Duke will have to get a big game from Javin DeLaurier and Jack White on the boards.

Limit mistakes -  Teams can find themselves down in a hurry to North Carolina just as they might Virginia.   You have to value the ball against the Tar Heels in that they are so efficient on the offensive end.  No team is playing together better than North Carolina at this time.  Duke turned the ball over in a way last night that would bury them against better teams.  It is critical that they cut down on mistakes against one of the ACC's best teams.

Don't get caught standing around --  If Duke stands around and watches RJ Barrett and Zion Williams it may not be enough.  The Blue Devils must develop other scoring options and to win the tournament each member of the team has to show up.

Will someone in please ask RJ Barrett a question? -- Okay, yes, Zion Williamson had the game everyone is talking about, even those who do not follow hoops closely.  But Barrett seemed lonely on the podium last evening with one question coming his way.  Barrett is incredibly consistent and is the only college basketball player in all the land that has scored at least 13 points in every game he's played.

Yes, it looks like this game is for a #1 seed. -- While Duke is no lower than a #2 seed no matter what happens, they have to win tonight to regain a #1 seed.

Tre Jones must keep shooting. --  I get that he struggles at times with his three-point shot, but he must stay aggressive and take those open looks.  Good things will happen in time if Jones continues to score and may he get to the line more as well where he was perfect last night.  The bottom line is that Jones took a three is a much better option than some others doing so on this team and the shot will fall if he stays with it.

What needs to happen.  -- I will not mention any names here but some Duke players on the roster have not shown up against North Carolina and in this game, the whole roster needs to contribute.

What I see happening tonight. --  It will be a heck of a game and one where things could get chippy.  Williamson will have to earn his points but Duke will benefit from his presence which will loosen up others to score the ball.   I feel that Duke could actually lose this game and still win it all, but I think they will find a way to come out on the winning end against North Carolina.

Duke Basketball

The Duke Basketball Season is Upon Us

Well, the Duke Basketball season is upon us and what a way to open things up.  The Blue Devils will face off with the Kentucky Wildcats tomorrow evening in Indianapolis, IN in a matchup of college hoops heavyweights.  So, what are my thoughts going into the game?

Win or lose, it will be a learning experience

Mike Krzyzewski has one of the youngest teams he's ever coached.  While this group is immensely talented, they still start four new freshmen,  This game will be a measuring stick for the program for Krzyzewski has in no way implemented his full hand yet with concern to how this team will look in March.  This is by no means a must-win game for either team.  It is instead, a game for college basketball fans around the world to celebrate the tip-off to another season.  And, yes, the winner will stay atop the polls for sure, but the loser will not fall too far in the rankings.

What are the potential weaknesses for Duke this season?

If you watched the ESPN special eight-part series on Duke Basketball, you will see Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski addressing his team.  One of the things thee things he mentioned was that players needed to be better three-point shooters via their approach.  Duke does not have a lot of known three-point artists on this years team, so many of the players are getting accustomed to adding the shot to their resume,  This, in turn, will reflect on two other areas of play in rebounding the ball and knocking down free throws.  Duke is not as big up front and could go small, so that means all players will need to hit the boards and they could struggle against teams like Kentucky which have big, fully grown men in their frontcourt.  As for free throw shooting, Duke should get to the line often, so struggling in any of the three aforementioned areas could haunt them at some point of the season,

What are the potential strengths

The defense will be improved where Krzyzewski has shown he will go man to man much more often.  Duke is long and athletic and can get in passing lanes while pressuring the ball.   This team will run.  When the breaks are there, Duke will be off and running.  Duke will also benefit from knowing their roles and or chemistry this season.   asked veteran players in the locker room about this and they said this team is together on and off the court.  I suppose we have to mention how ridiculously good the freshman class is as well.  R.J. Barrett is an alpha dogs, alpha dog.  Zion Williamson is a pleasure to watch skywalk, Cam Reddish knocking down threes is nice too.  And all three can pass the ball as can true PG Tre Jones.  Duke will benefit greatly from having a more traditional point this season in their positionless scheme.

How can Duke beat Kentucky

It will not be easy for Duke to beat Kentucky in that the Wildcats are a solid nine players deep and they have some grown men in their lineup.  You just cannot concentrate on any one player for there is a danger at each position on the court.   One thing which Duke needs to do is stay out of foul trouble early and the whole game for that matter.  Duke loses a lot of talent when they go to their bench, but there are players capable of quality minutes there and they need to step up against the Cats.  If those two things happen, Duke will be tight their in what should be a tense and close game before the final buzzer sounds.

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Early season test will prepare Duke for the ACC and March

Duke has a very challenging early season schedule which includes tomorrow evenings opener against Kentucky.  The Blue Devils will face stiff competition in Hawaii for the Maui Invitational where they can run into highly ranked Auburn and Gonzaga, not to mention Arizona.  Even the opener against San Diego State is tough.  Duke will take on one of the most underrated teams in the nation when they face Indiana in the ACC/Big 10 Challenge and mark my words, the Hoosiers will have move up the polls by then.  These games along with a brutal ACC schedule and a late-season contest with St. Johns, where Mike Cragg now resides as the AD will have them a seasoned bunch before March Madness.

Who do I think will be good in the ACC this season?

The league is loaded.  I voted for Duke, North Carolina, Virginia, and Syracuse in no particular order in the top four and have Virginia Tech, Florida State close behind.  N.C. State will be better than some think, never sleep on Miami.  Clemson will be solid and Notre Dame has an interesting roster.    I went a little outside the box and voted Tyus Battle preseason ACC POY and R.J. Barrett as the top freshman.  I also place both Barrett and Zion Williamson on the first team.  It is a safe bet that Duke will have no less than three newcomers on the ACC All-Freshman team at seasons end.

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What is Al Featherstons take?

Al thinks this years team can reach the Final Four but that a lot has to go right.  He felt Marques Bolden contributing solid minutes is a major key to success as is bench development of the seventh man in crunch time.  I watched all of the games in Canada with Al before he passed on this morning and he was excited to see what the team would look like with Cam Reddish and Tre Jones in the lineup.  He scanned over the last exhibitions games box score fervently before saying, they're going to be pretty damn good.  I will miss talking Duke history with Al and was honored he valued my opinion.  I had hoped he'd make it through what may be a special season.

BDN Premium Special Still Available

We are still offering a special rate for new or former Blue Devil Nation premium subscribers of 60 bucks for one year.  I will be talking recruiting happenings later this week while offering up behind the scenes tidbits.

 

Duke Basketball

Duke Basketball Press Conference Tidbits

Duke Basketball tidbits - Reddish will not play in Canada.

Here are some highlights from Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski and players Marques Bolden, Javin DeLaurier and R.J. Barret before the teams trip to Canada.

Quick hits -

  • Marques Bolden said that the freshman are fundamentally sound and know how to do the little things already.
  • Bolden was asked about the transfer rumors a season ago and said it was never a true option for him.
  • Bolden said that much of his offseason work concentrated on his motor and eating habits.
  • Javin DeLaurier worked out with teammate Justin Robinson and his Dad David in the offseason where he took kickboxing lessons and also yoga while in San Antonio.
  • DeLaurier said his role was to lead as an upperclassman and that he joked with Bolden that they were the older guys now.  He joked that the freshman came up and asked if there were practices on Saturdays in which they laughed.
  • The freshman are especially close and work hard and are ready to listen according to DeLaurier.
  • R.J. Barrett said he was excited to return home with Duke and see his friends.
  • Barrett said he had worked on his outside game and hoped people backed off him in games.
  • Barrett said that a big part of his game was to make plays and that he could run the point if needed.
  • Barrett said he has achieved good things while in Canada and grew up watching Andrew Wiggins and that the younger generation now looks up to him.
  • Barrett said Javin was one of the hardest workers he has seen.
  • Barrett said that Krzyzewski just allows him to play and he was one of the funniest guys he knows.
  • Krzyzewski said he just wanted his players to play to their strengths without position worries.
  • Krzyzewski glowed when he talked about Zion Williamson calling him a great player and young man on and off the court.  He said his weight was proportioned to his body type and that he had good lateral quickness.