Tag Archives: Ryan Kelly

Duke Basketball

Smith and Kelly net 67 points to lead their teams to wins

With our photographer MIA, we decided to dig in the archives and go old school for Nolan's pic. This is a shot I took in Cameron when he was with Oak Hill Academy and one thing that has not changed is his smile. BDN Photo -Mark Watson

DURHAM - Another sultry summer evening and BDN was on the scene checking out the action.  In the evenings first game, Ryan Kelly showed off his newly formed body while scoring a team high 31 points which translated into a 66-59 win for his D-One team

Kelly scored on dunks, jump shots and nailed three shots from beyond the stripe and shot a very productive 13 of 18 from the field.  We had him at 8 rebounds unofficially to go with a couple of blocks.  Kelly spent most of the summer in Durham where he played with Miles Plumlee and he made a quantum leap in production from his first nights effort.

Andre Dawkins, who switched teams, made it to the game at the start of the second half and ended the game with 6 points going 2 for 6 from the field.  Dawkins has yet to play in a full game during the tournament.

Miles Plumlee wowed the crowd with two early blocks but his team came up short in overtime where Johnny Thomas hit a three in overtime to steal the win.   Miles finished the game with 9 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocked shots and a steal.  Plumlee was also sporting a thickening beard and seemed to be in great physical shape.

His teammate, Seth Curry, made his debut and after missing his first five three point shots settled in and lead a late charge after his team was down by 11.  Curry ended the game with 11 points to go with two steals.  Many of his shots were in and out and it is clear that he'll take the open shot when available.  He played good on ball defense and had two steals and a near third.  One steal and lay in late in the game cut what was a big lead to 2 and that helped his team get to the extra period.

Nolan Smith played in the night cap and due to the late start many of the fans had left.  They missed a show for Nolan dropped in 36 points as he was clearly the best guard on the court.  Smith found a variety of ways to score which included,  three point shots, pull ups, runners and buzzer shots.

Smith, never one not to entertain, heaved a ball toward the rim where he thought it was a buzzer shot late in the first half.  The shot missed badly which is not a big deal for a heave.  The problem is there were 19 ticks left on the clock.  Smith laughed it off and atoned for that with a true buzzer beating shot at the half.

Mason Plumlee let the game come to him and ended the game with 22 points and a bevy of rebounds.  Plumlee looked comfortable on the court and was in good shape after working in Chicago for the past month.  What was different?  His range.  Plumlee nailed a couple of three pointers and his outside stroke has improved.  His dunks were effortless and he helped Smith garner a sweet comeback victory where for three quarters they were outplayed as a team.  It was Mason's late slam dunk that gave his Dremworks team a 74-72 lead.  The bucket gave Plumlee two successive dunks down the stretch.

But it was Nolan's night for after he cut the lead to 79-78, he was fouled and hit two free throws while trading a few good spirited barbs and that clinched the 81-78 comeback win over Team Navy.  Smith's performance stole Kelly's thunder as the star of the night, but both players were impressive and that is a good thing for Duke fans.

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Duke Basketball

N.C. Pro Am – Thornton is efficient in his short stint

Duke freshman Tyler Thornton surveys the court at the N.C. Pro Am - photo Rick Crank/BDN

DURHAM, N.C - Three Duke Blue Devils took to the court at the N.C. Pro Am on Tuesday evening on the campus of  N.C. Central University.  This was the first appearance  for Andre Dawkins and Ryan Kelly fresh off the national championship and the two scored 10 points apiece while their team lost by 8 points.  True freshman Tyler Thornton added 8 points.

In the preceding game, Team Stackhouse held off a game Team 212  on their way to a 4 point overtime win.  A packed facility saw Harrison Barnes display his various skills scoring 31 points while his teammates Reggie Bullock added 21 and 20 points.   In coming freshman point guard Kendall Marshall took in the action from the sidelines as his teammates took the majority of the shots.

While the Tar Heels played the entire game, that was far from the case in the third game, the most disjointed game of the evening.  Kelly was the exception, playing much of the game if for no other reason than his team had just one other guy over 6-4.  Kelly looks thicker than last season and it is obvious that he has worked on gaining weight in the off season.  I had Kelly at 8 rebounds unofficially. 

Kelly struggled from the free throw stripe and his shot wasn't as accurate as I have seen, but he showed nice athletic moves polishing off two dunks on successive offensive possessions and moved well with the ball, always looking for open teammates.  He couldn't  help but wear down playing so many minutes inside.

It was quite a different story for Andre Dawkins who opened the game with a strong one handed throw down dunk and a three point shot.  After starting the game, Dawkins was then benched until the fourth quarter.  Here is the culprit, his team had 13 players on the bench.  Yep, that's right 18 players on the team.

A bulked up Ryan Kelly drives the ball upcourt - Rick Crank/BDN Photo

Of those 18 players, several off them were in way over their heads and the Team Navy coach seemingly wanted to play all of them which prevented any hope of victory or good basketball.  Dawkins move better with the ball in hands and showed that he continually gets better athletically.

Then there was Tyler Thornton, who to me, was the most impressive of the group despite maybe one quarter of play.  Thornton's efficiency was evident where he was 3 of 3 from the floor, dishing 3 assists.  He was the best guard on the court when in the game, playing under control, looking for his teammates.  In short, he played smart.  All of that went to the wayside when players from the bench came in and jacked up ridiculous one on one shots which cheapened the game in terms of competitiveness.

Thornton moves well with the ball and is quicker than many realize.  He is more than capable of earning a little burn in his first season at Duke despite the tremendous depth on the roster.  In short, there will be a role for Thornton.  One of his perceived weaknesses was his three point shot, but BDN has told you in the past that he has been working on that part of his game.

The true freshman showed the ability to catch and shoot nailing one three from the corner barely moving the net.  In fact he hit both of his shots beyond the stripe. 

Most of the Blue Devils will play in the event, but Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith have been working on their skills at the LeBron James Skills Academy where both college and high school players participate.  The much anticipated debut of Kyrie Irving will likely come next week where he joins Kyle Singler on his team.

Interestingly, the Duke players are scattered about on the teams, while Team Stackhouse has been dubbed Team Tar Heel by the fans.  N.C. State fans got a chance to see their incoming class last evening where Ryan Harrow took to the court for the first time as well.

The event continues on Thursday evening and the games start at 6:00.  Admission is absolutely free, but be prepared to walk a good ways to get in due to construction which cut out an entire parking lot.  Crowds have been outstanding to date and at times were approaching capacity.  Once the event settles in and the players appear on a more consistent basis that crowd may well push a record. 

Duke fans can only hope that they see more of their players like the efficient Tyler Thornton.  And the reason fans turn out is to see the local schools kids play.  My understanding is that the issue of playing time for the better players will be addressed, but in fairness, this only happened in the third contest. 

Be sure to check the N.C. Pro Am out for it is good free entertainment in a friendly atmosphere.

Follow Blue Devil Nation on twitter and get updates from the N.C. Pro Am and Adidas Nationa ad the LeBron James Skills Academy.  Go to the right sidebar on the front page and join us.

Duke Basketball

Ryan Kelly, Mason Plumlee, Steve Johnson and Todd Zafirovski are happy Blue Devils

Duke National Champions
And the place went nuts! BDN Photo

INDIANAPOLIS - BDN Caught up to Ryan Kelly, Mason Plumlee, Steve Johnson and Todd Zafirovski during the Blue Devils trophy presentation.  The Blue Devils won their fourth national championship in what turned out to be one of the most amazing seasons in Duke Basketball history.

Just press play -

Duke Basketball

Five Questions for Duke Basketball Heading into 2010

Scheyer Singler ThomasIt is New Years Day and Duke fans are asking, “How far can this team go in 2010?” Thus far Duke has looked like a solid team capable of competing to win the ACC regular season and defending the ACC Championship they won in Atlanta last March. Advancing deep into the NCAA Tournament is a realistic possibility.

The ACC regular season is set to start as Duke (11-1) hosts Clemson (12-2) on Sunday evening in a 7:45 pm contest. Duke is simultaneously a very experienced team and a young team still developing. Five upper classmen on the roster have a combined 280 starts, while three freshmen and a sophomore are all playing significant minutes in the rotation. How these two opposite elements meld is an important factor to how good the Blue Devils can become.

So the jury is still out on how good Duke can be in 2010. There are many questions remaining to be answered before it is known whether this squad can become the 11th Mike Krzyzewski coached Duke team to compete in the Final Four. The five questions discussed below are a good start for analyzing the 2009-10 Blue Devils’ chances of advancing to Indianapolis.

How dominant can S Cubed be during the ACC season?

Kyle Singler started the season as a legitimate candidate to earn All America honors. Jon Scheyer has been playing like an ACC Player-of-the-Year Candidate. And Nolan Smith appears to have made the performance jump everyone expected him to make last season. These three players, S Cubed, form the core of the 2009-10 Duke Blue Devils and in order for the Blue Devils to win the ACC and develop into a legitimate Final Four contender all three must bring their strengths onto the court.

Singler, at 6’8”, is a match-up nightmare at small forward for most teams. He is bigger and more athletic than the typical small forward in the college game. Singler has the ability to place the team on his back and carry them. His 28 points in the loss to Wisconsin is a good example even though the end result came up short. In 2010, the requirement to step-up and carry Duke to victory is going to present itself to Singler more than once and the Blue Devils will need him to respond in order to achieve their potential.

Scheyer values the basketball. With an assists to turnover ratio of 5.5, and an 18.6 points per game scoring average, he is a tremendous asset at point guard. After Scheyer scored 36 points against his team, Gardner-Webb Head Coach Rick Scruggs stated, “He was unbelievable. Anybody that says there’s any weakness is out of their minds. He shot it, he controlled the game, he doesn’t turn the ball over. He does everything you could ask of him at his position.”

Smith is the player Duke will rely upon to contain an opponent’s speedy guard. Smith is currently the team’s second leading scorer at 18 points per game so he is obviously an important offensive player. However, defense is where Duke needs Smith to standout. Limiting dribble penetration, pressuring the ball, and creating perimeter turnovers that lead to transition opportunities will be key to Duke winning big in 2010.

Singler, Scheyer, and Smith are the core of this year’s Duke Blue Devils and all three must be consistent throughout the season in order for Duke to achieve their maximum potential. In most games, Duke will be okay as long as two of the three show up with their “A” game, but against the crème de la crème all three will need to be clicking.

How good is the defense?

Duke held Gonzaga to 41 points on December 19th. Gonzaga entered the game as the #15 ranked team in the nation averaging 79 points per game. Back on November 27th, Duke held #13 Connecticut to a season low 59 points. In the other nine games they’ve played, Connecticut has averaged 75 points. Were these performances an aberration or is Duke capable of consistently shutting down Top 25 offenses?

Duke is a big, physical team inside. Gonzaga Coach Mark Few stated, “Their physical play bothered us as far as finishing shots around the rim.” Connecticut Coach Jim Calhoun stated, “Duke physically handled us.” Duke is averaging 5.7 blocked shots per game with sophomore Miles Plumlee leading the way with 1.3 blocks per game.

Versatility is another defensive characteristic this season. Senior forward Lance Thomas has the ability to defend every position and Coach Krzyzewski relies upon him to tackle the tough assignments. Coach Krzyzewski’s comments after the Gonzaga game included, “Lance played a great game today. The kid Harris, I think he is a really good player, and Lance did a great job on him.”

Through the first 12 games of the season, Duke has a +8.5 rebounding advantage. Basketball is a game where every possession is important and this Duke team denies opponents second chance points by aggressively controlling the boards.

Can Brian Zoubek continue to be a legitimate center during the ACC season?

Zoubek has been playing very solid basketball over Duke’s first 12 games. He is a rebounding machine averaging 7.7 rebounds per game in only 16.7 minutes of playing time. That equates to 18.4 rebounds per 40 minutes of playing time. With the start of the ACC season, the level of competition is going to increase and Zoubek must step up his game and continue to dominate the glass when on the court.

Duke is deep in the frontcourt with four players 6’10” or taller but three of the four are underclassmen. Senior Zoubek must be play up to the level of his experience and be a steady influence upon young big men Miles and Mason Plumlee. If Duke is to develop into a team capable of advancing to Indianapolis, Zoubek must remain solid as the competition stiffens because the Blue Devils need his leadership.

Coach Krzyzewski recently commented, when discussing the defense, “The kid who really hasn’t gotten much attention for us, is Zoubek. Brian has had a hell of a year so far.” Blue Devil fans desire to hear the coach make similar statements after big ACC conference games.

Can the bench players remain viable options?

All nine scholarship players, on Duke’s roster are averaging double digit minutes of playing time. The issue is Duke has only nine scholarship players so all nine must continue to improve and perform as the season advances. This Duke team is vulnerable to injury and can be hurt by a single player suffering a lapse of confidence. Duke needs all nine players contributing in order to ensure maximum team performance from now until late March.

How high is Andre Dawkins’ ceiling as a freshman?

We already talked about the bench players, but this question is a bit different. Duke needs an explosive fourth offensive option against top notch opponents. Is Andre Dawkins the guy? Or has Dawkins already played the best games of his freshman season? Once again, this is about tougher competition. Dawkins has shined in early season games averaging 9.8 points with double digit performances in five games including 11 points against Connecticut and 12 against Wisconsin with a season high of 20 points against Radford. The question is will Dawkins continue to be a consistent scorer in games against Clemson, Maryland, Florida State, North Carolina, and into the post season?

Duke is known for being a prolific 3-point shooting team and Dawkins is a guy who has the ability to stretch defenses past their comfort zone. Combining big, physical inside play with accurate outside shooting is a lethal formula so Duke needs Dawkins knocking down 3-pointers in 2010 like he did over the first 12 games of the schedule.

The 2009-10 Duke Blue Devils can become a legitimate Final Four contender with continued development as a team, and if the ball bounces their way a couple of times in key situations that are sure to arise. The factor promoting the most optimism in Durham this season is that this Duke team appears to be a squad, which will be much stronger and talented in March than in it was during November and December, and that is very bad news for the teams seeded in the same regional as Duke come March.

Duke Basketball

Media Day blitz continues with this Ryan Kelly interview

Ryan Kelly enjoyed media day and posed with a smile for the Blue Devil Nation - BDN Photo (C)
Ryan Kelly enjoyed media day and posed with a smile for the Blue Devil Nation - BDN Photo (C)

Covering the AAU circuit has allowed BDN a chance to get to know prospects and future Blue Devils, so conversation comes easy with the three incoming freshman.  Ryan Kelly was quick to crack a smile during yesterday's media event and was forthcoming about his adjustment to Duke and more in this extended audio interview -

Just press play -

BDN Premium Articles, Duke Basketball Recruiting News

BDN Premium’s latest Duke Basketball Team and Recruiting Update

Marshall Plumlee set to return to Cameron for Coundown to Craziness this Friday - BDN Photo
Marshall Plumlee set to return to Cameron for Coundown to Craziness this Friday - BDN Photo

There are a lot of special surprises in the works for this Friday's Countdown to Craziness, so be sure to either attend or tune in to this event.  More details are forthcoming, but they want to keep some of the entertainment and activities under wraps.  The promotions for this event are listed at GoDuke.com or the Countdown for Craziness site.

In a recent talk with an assistant coach, I was told that every single player had come back better than they were before.  As always Duke will adjust their team to the personnel at hand.   All three freshman are expected to play key roles in their first season.  Andre Dawkins will be asked to feel some big shoes which formerly belonged to Gerald Henderson.  Ryan Kelly will add versatility and Mason Plumlee will almost certainly start in the post.   Kyle Singler will be allowed more freedom which may mean we'll see what he can do at his natural position.  We've hinted that Nolan Smith could have a breakout year and they will give him more of a leadership role as well.  Jon Scheyer has them excited and there are no worries that he cannot thrive once again as a dual point with Smith.  BDN will bring members the news from Wednesday's season opening press conference with Coach Krzyzewski in a live blog and will have audio up shortly after the gathering.

Josh and Tyler will be in the house - BDN Photo
Josh and Tyler will be in the house - BDN Photo

So far, there are four visitors slated to attend Countdown for Craziness.  [private] Marshall Plumlee leads the pack of prospects and he'll be joined by Quin Cook.  Duke verbals Tyler Thornton and Josh Hairston will also be there.  We will tell you if any others join the frey as the week goes on, so there is no reason to ask about this on the message board.

Now, let's talk about Kyrie Irving.  As some of you have already seen, any calls to Irving will only result in what you already know.  The date for his official announcement is October 22nd and that will be televised by ESPNU.  As we've told you, Irving will visit Kentucky's Midnight Madness, but there is little reason for worry despite anything you are apt to hear.  Irving will be a Dukie so let's just be patient and wait it out.

That said I would like to address recent issues on the message boards where some posters go into a tailspin at what they hear from other sites message boards.  Our policy has long been to deal in facts, not rumors.  Neither myself or the BDN staff will answer all of the rumors for what we tell you is factual and informed.  Please do not send me the "He said, she said," stuff for I can assure you I hear pretty much everything that goes on.  Our sources are as good as they get and our network grows daily.  If you hear something here, you can count on it and our track record speaks for itself.  If there is anything going on, I will tell you what I can, so it isn't always necessary to ask about every little whimper.  We have created a rumor forum for the purpose of containing rumors, propaganda and paranoia.  I will not answer a lot of questions in that forum.  I have also instructed moderators to take a firmer approach in an effort to keep this the best board out there.

It's a two horse race for the services of Harrison Barnes - BDN Photo
It's a two horse race for the services of Harrison Barnes - BDN Photo

Now, back to recruiting news.  Many close to the situation feel that Harrison Barnes is a two team race with Duke and North Carolina.  The Tar Heels have made up some ground and negative vibes have been sent out through various channels in the most heated battle between the two schools since Shane Battier.  No matter what cards the Heels play, Duke can counter and the relationship between Krzyzewski and Barnes has been solid from the start.  UNC is playing catch up and they have done a good job of impressing Barnes, but I cannot see them as being the leader as some suggest.  Maybe there is no leader, but that could change with Barnes official visit to Durham on October 23rd.    Expect Barnes to come in knowing that his friend Kyrie Irving committed the night before and expect Duke to be real and put their best foot forward during the visit.

Speaking of this site blowing up on October 22nd, let me set the scenario for you.  We expect Kyrie Irving to verbal to Duke on Friday and then there is the Pfeiffer exhibition game which we'll cover.  Of course, Harrison Barnes is in town and Duke plays Maryland at home in football, where we will again cover the event.  The next morning I will head to Greensboro, North Carolina for ACC Operation Basketball which kicks off the season with all of the ACC coaches and players from each team.  In short, articles, news and information will be all over the place.  You can bet I will be taking my vitamins in the coming days.  As we have said before, there are times when this site explodes so be prepared for the fireworks.

Duke is still recruiting and staying in contact with Roscoe Smith, but will only turn their attention to him after Harrison Barnes makes his decision.  Of course, Barnes to Duke would like cause Duke to move on to 2011.

Duke is still working on getting Brad Beal to visit Durham, but if Irving and Rivers fall into place, they would likely have enough players at his position.  They really like Beal though, as does most everyone who has seen him play.

The Blue Devils also stay in close contact with Quincy Miller [offered] who they feel is a Duke kid through and through, but with advisers in his ear, this one will almost assuredly go on for a while.

On a football note, recruits have responded very well to Dukes 49-28 win over NCSU and this one is already paying dividends in the class of 2011, especially in state.  Duke is expecting to be healthy for Maryland on the aforementioned super weekend and Cutcliffe will emphasize how to enjoy a win yet still know you have to work hard to earn victories.  Of course, this is new for many Blue Devils and it will be important for them to get a proper mind set for the coming ACC season.

Lastly, we'll talk of Austin Rivers.  Rivers has officially opened his recruitment up for Duke and it is Duke and Florida for his services.  Expect Rivers to concentrate on his coming high school season and then make his decision.  You all know by now that I am calling Duke in this one and yes I feel very confident about that.  I am very excited having watched Rivers adoringly on the AAU circuit in about 15 games. [/private]