Tag Archives: Semi Ojeleye

Semi Ojeleye drops 10 on UNC-A

Duke was able to play a lot of players tonight, but Semi Ojeleye was quick off the bench and he had productive minutes.  The freshman went 3 for 3 from the field, including two three pointers.  In high school and AAU ball he showed off his range and tonight he showed the Crazies what is to come.  Ojeleye ended the game with 10 points and he grabbed 5 rebounds while dishing an assist to go with 1 block and 1 steal.  Blue Devil Nation caught up to Ojeleye for his post game thoughts -

The Consigliere: Tom Konchalski on Duke Recruits

Legendary Scout Tom Konchalski
Legendary Scout Tom Konchalski, Photo by Kevin Armstrong

Tom Konchalski is a 6'6" sexagenarian who can walk into a basketball gym from South Side of Chicago to Harlem and South Florida to Maine and be enthusiastically greeted by coaches at all levels, anxious players, and grateful parents. Modest, focused, loyal, industrious, pious, honest, and generous, Mr. Konchalski embodies all of the qualities that his heroes, Mother Theresa and C.S. Lewis, championed.

For the better part of five decades, the Queens, NY native has analyzed recruits, coached players, and advised coaches, parents, Athletic Directors, and players. A devout Catholic, Mr. Konchalski has prayed on the behalf of everyone from the '69 Mets to Coach Jack Curran, his high school gym teacher and future Basketball Hall of Fame inductee who passed away last month at the age of 82.

A consummate workaholic, Mr. Konchalski travels via public transportation and the generosity of his legions of friends to observe recruits on an almost daily basis with the ferocity of a hungry lion eying cheetahs. His omnipresent yellow legal pads and Bic Cristal pens have been the tools of choice to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of everyone from LeBron James as a freshman to seniors looking to catch on at a Division-III college. In a world of three-minute YouTube highlight videos misconstrued as scouting tapes and fly-by-night internet recruiting charlatans looking to broker players, Mr. Konchalski is refreshingly anachronistic.

Three days ago, a pair of his friends, Bernard King, who invited Mr. Konchalski to join him on his official trip to the University of Tennessee, and Rick Pitino, who worked closely with Mr. Konchalski as a counselor at the Five Star Basketball Camps, were announced as inductees to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Author John Feinstein '78 once wrote that Konchalski, the publisher and editor of the HSBI Report, was "the last honest man in the gym," but the statement doesn't quite convey all that he has done for this game and the people involved in it at all levels.

Recently, Mr. Konchalski, a friend and mentor, gave his assessment of the 2013 Duke commitments and some Blue Devil recruits.

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Duke Incoming Freshman Jabari Parker, Photo by Andrew Slater
Duke Incoming Freshman Jabari Parker, Photo by Andrew Slater

 Jabari Parker: Well, obviously he has a great combination of size, skills, athleticism, and savvy. To proclaim him the best player since LeBron as Sports Illustrated did last year is that it raises the one question about him that I have which is whether or not he can be an assassin. LeBron was an assassin. Kobe was an assassin. I think he was better as a junior than Kobe was. I saw Kobe a lot. Kobe was always an assassin. Obviously, he has great skill, size, and athleticism. He's productive and has a very mature understanding of the game. He's also got very good character and he's coachable.  He's thinking about staying two or three years. It would be a wonderful thing if he did. It would be a breath of fresh air. It would be a tremendous thing for college basketball if he did. I would say the closest player to him at Duke would be Grant Hill because they're forwards, they're both big forwards. Eventually, he's going to be a three-man. He's a hybrid forward right now. He's closer to being a three-men offensively than he is being a three-man defensively. He's just a forward right now, a hybrid forward, that's got to tighten his body.

I'll tell you what he did. Between his freshman and sophomore year, he really tightened his body. He lowered his percentage of body fat. He became much more athletic and much more explosive. He's got to continue to streamline his body, maybe see a nutritionist, and get on an exercise regimen. I guess the closest comparison would be Grant Hill although Grant Hill was a different physical type, but overall, Grant Hill is the closest comparison in terms of Duke players.

The one reservation I have about Jabari...here's a guy who has an obviously high basketball IQ. When he's in shape, he has good athletic ability. He had improved his athletic ability towards the end of his sophomore year and towards the beginning of his junior year and he has skill. The one reservation that I had was whether he had a killer's instinct.  I didn't know if he's an assassin. He's developed more of a disposition to take over games and to be assertive in the last year.  Now, that's something that I think runs contrary to his nature. He's got to overcome his off-the-court temperament. He's got to be bipolar or sort of a schizophrenic to be a good basketball player. You have to be a lot meaner on the court than you are off, but I think he's making strides in terms of his aggressiveness and assertiveness and willingness to take over games, not to defer to other teammates and whatever..to be the go-to guy..and that's what he's got to do because I think Kobe always had it and LeBron always had it, but, for the most part, it's something that you're born with..that kind of toughness and aggressiveness and wanting to really take over games. Crush the opponent and when they're down to sort of put your foot on the neck and that sort of thing. And I think he's made strides in that regard. I hope he gives serious thought when he goes there not to be an automatic one-and-done. Not that it may not happen, but he should have an open mind in that respect.

Semi Ojeleye, Photo by Andrew Slater
Incoming Duke Freshman Semi Ojeleye, Photo by Andrew Slater

 Semi Ojeleye: Semi Ojeleye..his win or strength is his versatility. He can defend multiple positions. Now, I think he's going to be even more valuable to them on the defensive end of the court. He's an inside-outside player who I really liked. He plays a lot much more for result rather than effect. He's not a guy who goes out there to showcase his different skill sets. He'll step out and hit the three, he'll handle the ball, he'll play a little bit on the perimeter, and he can go inside and bang a little bit too and generate some points inside. He's really..I'll tell you what he does..he plays quick. I really think he's going to be a terrific Duke player because I think it's more likely that he's going to be a three or four year player. He'll really stay around and help them on the defensive end and he can guard the four-man, he can guard the three-man, even at times be able to guard a two. I really think he's a major recruit for them. I hadn't really paid attention to him at the Boo Williams, but you had mentioned him and I didn't really remember him, but when I saw him down at the Peach Jam, I really, really liked him.

Duke Recruit Jahlil Okafor, Photo by Andrew Slater
Duke Recruit Jahlil Okafor, Photo by Andrew Slater

 Matt Jones: Matt Jones has a very unorthodox shot. He's a bit streaky as a three-point shooter. He's long and lean, he's got to get a little bit stronger. He's a big guard who I think has growth potential as he gets stronger and shoots the ball. You know, he doesn't have good rotation on his shot. He has an awkward shot, but it puts the ball in the basket. For the most part, it's been effective for him. He's another guy who's going to be a three or four year player with them. Hopefully, Jabari will stay for more than one year and if you get a Jabari, you've got to take him, but you've got to build the program more around guys that are going to be there three or four years. You've got to have balance.

 Jahlil Okafor: Jahlil is a guy who has terrific skill for a big guy and another guy who is a very intelligent person like Jabari. And, you know, he's not an explosive athlete, you know he's not a bad athlete and he runs okay. Obviously, I think he can really streamline his body and, when he gets to college, people are going to get him into the weight room. He's going to do an awful lot of work. His percentage of body fat with drop dramatically, but he has terrific hands and really good skills for a post player. You know that he can step out, shoot the elbow jumper, he's a good passer, he can pass out of the post, and he's not quick-reacting to the ball, he's not quick moving laterally to the ball in the lane around the basket. That's what I think he's got to work on- his body and also his lateral movement. But just in terms of overall, he has a big strong frame, he has a superior basketball IQ for a big man. Usually big, young guys don't understand the game as well as he does. He's very intelligent and, you know, another nice guy who can be, you know, because of his size, he can be down the road, you know, I'm not saying he's more skilled than Jabari Parker, but because he's 6'10", 260 or 270 or whatever he is, I think he can be an even greater influence on the game than Jabari Parker. I would say he's about 6'10", they list him at 6'11". I think he's a legitimate 6'10" when I stand next to him. He's a major weapon both on the high-post and the low-box. He can be a major, major factor in college. On the defensive end, I don't think he's as much of a shot-blocker. He impacts the game through intelligent positioning.

Quickness is comprised of two components. It has a physical and an extra-physical component. The physical component is just how naturally quick you are. The extra-physical component is, first of all, mental preparation and correct technique. You could be quicker just by being mentally prepared and alert. And the other part using correct technique, but I think he's a guy, I think any big guy, ought to live with a jump rope. Both those guys, in particular, should live with jump ropes. They both have the kind of bodies where they can put on weight and where, if they're not careful, but I think both of them should live with it as their daily routine for both of those guys. They're both guys who are extremely intelligent and have very good skill and they both, I think, can be really dominating players at the college level if they stay around long enough and possibly dominating players at the level beyond that. I think at the college level, Okafor is a center. He's a center because he's a force. If a college coach can fill the middle of his lineup with a point guard, a leader, someone who's going to run the team and with a quality post-man like that, well, then that's the team. Everyone wants that one position down...Fives want to be fours, fours want to be threes, threes want to be twos, twos want to be ones, and ones probably want to coach the team. But if you look at even a great team, they're teams that have dominating big men and great guards. The wings fill in around those players, but that's what you need. You need someone that's going to run the team and organize the floor, hopefully contain the point guard at the other end of the court. Hopefully contain the ball at the other end of the court. Stop dribble penetration from their point guard and you need a big guy in the post. You need to be able to score easy baskets.  And even the thing is, even as 3 point arc-oriented as most teams are and as many college teams are, and how Duke has become increasingly, still, the more post-offense presence you have, forget about even on the defensive end, the more open 3's that show up. Most 3-point shots are shot off of inside-out action or relocation. Things like that. Just in terms of the half-court, the more you can draw the defense in, the more you can open up the spot-up outside shooters. In the past, Duke sometimes has become too reliant on that and not as much of an interior offensive presence. Both of those guys are going to be terrific players.

 Trey Lyles: Trey Lyles is a 6'9" kid with good skill, good body, and the guy who has a real good feel for the game. He has a high court

Duke Recruit Trey Lyles
Duke Recruit Trey Lyles

IQ. Usually that's a term that's more applied to perimeter players. When you talk about guards..especially point guards...in terms of high court IQ, but he plays for result rather than effect and he's very efficient. You know he can score. He doesn't need to have the ball on the floor in order to score, although he can put the ball on the floor some from the high post. But the main thing is that he's very efficient. He does an awful lot offensively without the dribble. And he's a guy who, you know, can score. Can score from the high post and down in the low box. When he went to Basketball Canada when they had their camp at the end of the summer and they had Steve Nash, who's the Jerry Colangelo of operations of Basketball Canada right now, they had all of their guys...Jamaal Magloire came in to work with the big guys and everyone was there and they had all very good young players. Tristan Thompson, Cory Joseph, Myck Kabongo, then they had Andrew Wiggins, and Tyler Ennis, and Trey Lyles. Trey Lyles, from what my brother told me, is as impressive as any player that they had in their program.  They are really, really high on him. When they played down in South America in FIBA Tournament, you know, he had a very good tournament. When he came back, people in Basketball Canada are as high on him as they are on Andrew Wiggins. He doesn't have quite the athleticism that Andrew Wiggins has, but what really, I think, makes him different is his understanding of the game and his efficiency for a big guy. Usually, big young guys aren't as..well, they don't have the feel for the game that he does and they don't play with the degree of efficiency with which he plays.

Duke Recruit Tyus Jones, Photo by Andrew Slater
Duke Recruit Tyus Jones, Photo by Andrew Slater

 

 

Tyus Jones: He's a point guard, combination guard, a high scorer. He can handle the ball, control the tempo, he plays at different

speeds. He's very good. He has a very good tempo to his game. He has a very good sense of ball security with his game.  He shoots the ball extremely well.

 

 

 

 

Kevon Looney: He has size. He was 6'7", 6'8" when I saw him in Chicago. He can play on the

Duke Recruit Kevon Looney, Photo by Andrew Slater
Duke Recruit Kevon Looney, Photo by Andrew Slater

perimeter and in the low-post, he can defend. He's probably a better low-post defender than he is a perimeter defender right now.  Well, certain players he can defend on the perimeter. He's got a nice stroke, he sees the floor well, he's a good passer. I really think he can be an elite level player. Now, I've only seen him once. I can't think of any more skilled power wing players in the class of 2014.  In terms of position, assuming he grows, I think he's more of a perimeter player..because I think at that size with his skill set, it makes him more valuable.

 

 

Duke Recruit Theo Pinson, Photo by Andrew Slater
Duke Recruit Theo Pinson, Photo by Andrew Slater

Theo Pinson: Pinson is a big kid with a lot of quickness. He's got good skill level, he can shoot the ball, he handles the ball well, he uses his great athleticism to defend multiple positions. I don't think he's a knock-down shooter, but he's pretty good.

 

 

Duke Recruit, Photo by Andrew Slater
Duke Recruit, Photo by Andrew Slater

Justice Winslow:  He's a lefty from Houston Hoops. He's an intense competitor. He's versatile. His versatility is one of his greatest strengths. He's strong enough and athletic enough to post and score inside. He can rebound. I don't think he's much of a three-point threat right now, but he has a good mid-range game. He's a pretty good passer. He's a kid that's very strong, great body, and he really uses his strength to post-up in match-ups against others. He's really a very difficult matchup because of his versatility and his range. He's also very skilled with the ball. He can get to the basket. He's a very difficult matchup because of his strength, his quickness, and his ability to get the ball to the basket. He really plays hard. He's a very intense competitor.

 

 

 

Malachi Richardson, Photo by Andrew Slater
Malachi Richardson, Photo by Andrew Slater

Malachi Richardson: People talk about him being a second guard, but I don't really think that he quite is now. He can shoot the three and he's a very good three-point shooter, but he's, you know, a big wing who's probably more of a 3/2 than a 2/3 right now. He's a guy who has a great touch, who has a lot of athletic ability, and has a good body. You know he's grown an inch since his freshman year at Trenton Catholic Academy and he's got a lot of potential. If he wants to be a two guard, he's got to be a little better playing off of the dribble, a little better playing with the ball, and he's got to work awfully hard at guarding a two guard because, right now, his better defensive nature is as a three man. What he is right now is a skilled wing with good size and a lot of athleticism..and at an early age, in terms of only being a sophomore, so he has an awful lot of potential.

 

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6'3" Isaiah "Boogie" Briscoe, Photo by Andrew Slater

Isaiah Briscoe: Well, I mean, he played terrific against St. Anthony's and didn't play like a sophomore. He was very assertive, he was very aggressive, looking to take the ball to the basket, and really forced the issue. Here's a guy who has size, can shoot the ball, he has aggressiveness, he is not intimidated at all. The one thing here, I think, about him is that he's got to be very careful about his body. It's going to be very imperative for him to get on a good diet and to stay in as good a condition as he possibly can because he has the kind of body type where he can put weight on. He's a decent athlete, but he's not a great athlete. He's not a tapered athlete. He's not someone that when you look at him you think "athlete". When you look at him, you see someone who is a scorer and a guy who scores primarily on his aggressiveness, which is based on his temperament. He has a scorer's temperament. He doesn't defer to anyone. He's ready to play against the best teams in the country right now. He won't be intimidated. He won't back down.

He's about 6'3". I don't think he's really a lead guard. I think he's a combination guard right now, but he can handle the ball. You know what they try to do. They try to take anyone who can dribble the ball three times without kicking it into the seventh row, they try to call him a point guard or a lead guard. That's not it at all because, first of all, not only do you have skill with the ball, but it's more of an attitude. It's more of a temperament, it's more of a disposition to try to make other people better, and really, you know, a real good leader. A real point guard or a real lead guard is someone who thinks, he probably thinks pass before he thinks shot and I think that's not the case with Isaiah. You know, he's a guy who can handle the ball and will make plays for some other people, but his first instinct is to look to score himself. Almost by definition, there are more piano carriers than there are piano players, so I mean, anyone that can score like him, you don't want to take that away from them. You don't want to domesticate him too much and it's easier to find someone to set the table than to find someone that will put the ball in the basket. Coach Taylor is probably going to give him the opportunity to display with the ball in his hands next year, but I don't think there are many synthetic point guards or lead guards. I think it's more something that you're born with. Leadership and temperament are what makes a true point guard. [/private]

Monday Musings – It’s all about Atlanta for Duke this week

This week is all about Atlanta. Duke in Atlanta, that is. The Blue Devils basketball and football teams will visit the land of the Peach Tree in two high profile games. Coach Mike Krzyzewski and his charges will jump first on Tuesday evening, when Duke takes on Kentucky in a Battle of the Blues. This game is part of the State Farm Champions Classic, and pits two of the nation's most storied programs facing off in an early season slugfest. On Saturday, the football team takes on Georgia Tech and with a win, followed by a victory in their final home game against Miami, the Blue Devils can play for the ACC Coastal Division title. So there is no doubting that Hot 'Lanta will be the center of the Duke universe this week.

Blue versus Blue or Duke versus Kentucky

Two thoroughbred programs will take to the court tomorrow evening in Atlanta, and by evening's end either the defending national champions will once again be standing tall or Duke will have served notice that they are a true contender for this season's crown. A lot of folks want to make something out of early season basketball games, more so than they should at times.  Even if it's true, the fact that neither Duke nor Kentucky played all that well in their season openers really means little, as those performances indicate almost nothing about how the season will ultimately go.  The winner of this game could have a leg up with the polls and the talking heads, if nothing else.  That is, until Duke next travels to the absolutely loaded Battle in Atlantis.

During today's press conference, we got nothing more than the standard coach-speak from John Calipari. He was quick to point out that Kentucky is a freshman-dominated team, when in fact their veteran depth is very much alive and well, and in reality is likely the key to a Wildcat win. Calipari also mentioned that PG Ryan Harrow, a transfer from N.C. State, has been sick, is still sick, and may not make the journey. This means he'll likely play. Calipari also mentioned that Duke would probably have the most fans in the arena, when the reality is that Atlanta is known for garnering a huge Kentucky turnout. I'd take the bet that attendance is 2 to 1 or better for the Big Blue Nation.  Calipari also mentioned the Wildcats would have to rebound better, but that goes for Duke as well, as the Blue Devils have not been as proficient on the boards as many anticipated in their two exhibition and one regular season game. Coach-speak comes in many forms; Krzyzewski has his own, so sometimes you're forced to read between the lines. The bottom line is this: it's a huge matchup, especially for the fans and the network. We'll go into more detail in our game preview a bit later, and we'll be in Atlanta to bring you all the latest from court side.

Duke in line for ACC Title

The Duke football team will take its turn in Atlanta this Saturday at 3:30 when they face Georgia Tech.  The Blue Devils are a double figure underdog. A few weeks ago, a lot of folks were pointing to this game as the best chance for Duke to get to six wins, but this is ACC Football -- and much can change in a single weekend. Now the Yellow Jackets are peaking after they blasted North Carolina on the road, putting up ridiculous offensive numbers. In order to become bowl-eligible, Tech needs wins in its last two games, versus the Blue Devils and a highly ranked Georgia team.  Which team do you think their coaching staff feels they have the best shot to defeat? Duke was off last week, so had extra time to prepare for the vaunted option attack that many teams struggle to stop.  It'll be up to the Duke offense to put up enough points to win in what could be a wild and woolly affair. A lot of great story lines in this one, and a Duke win sets up a game with Miami next week where a win would vault them to the ACC Championship game versus (probably) Florida State. But first things first.  The Yellow Jackets are more than just a bump in the road. The beauty of the whole thing is that nobody would have thought that Duke's final two games in 2012 would have such meaning, and that they'd have the opportunity to actually compete for a championship.

The Intangibles

When Duke was searching for a football coach, they landed David Cutcliffe, but before that happened they interviewed Paul Johnson, the current Georgia Tech coach. He took the Tech job for less money than Duke offered, and it has been rumored that he's not said a lot of nice things about Duke's program ever since. His teams handled Coach Cut's early teams easily, but the gap has closed.  Or has it? We'll find out this Saturday. It is also worth noting that Duke senior quarterback Sean Renfree ended up deciding between Duke and Georgia Tech, so this game has to have some extra meaning for him as well. As I said, lots of story lines. I think you will see a physical game, with the toughest team coming away with the win. With conference championship implications on the line, this is one of the biggest Duke football games in some time.

On the lack of playing time for Alex Murphy

Everybody noticed that Alex Murphy didn't get any burn in the season opener against Georgia State.  We decided not to address this situation past what Coach Mike Krzyzewski said, which was that it was a coach's decision.  I suppose it's because we've been around the Duke program for a long time and have seen this same type of thing happen to many players, including the likes of Nolan Smith. The bottom line is while it may be a shock to some that Murphy did not play, many Duke players in the past have had to pay their dues, or been in some sort of similar place that Alex is in now, and the vast majority of them worked things out over time. I have no first-hand knowledge of the situation, but I would advise against overreacting to this one game decision. A single game-day decision is by no means a long-term projection as to how things will go. My bet is another player will be on the bench at some point this season while Murphy plays, and then I will have to start this explanation all over again. That's it! Let's wait for something more clear and consistent to emerge.

Semi Ojeleye and parents visit Durham, BDN Photo

Semi Ojeleye and Family

Semi Ojeleye visited Duke on his official visit this past weekend. There are no first-hand accounts as to what happened, only that he is a sealed deal for Duke. Ojeleye is an interesting prospect who fits the Duke mold in more ways than one. He's an athletic and versatile player who is unlike many of the current kids on the roster, and he already possesses a college-ready body.

 

 Kyrie Irving tearing it up
In his second season, Kyrie Irving is looking like an NBA All-Star.  If you can get past some of the garbage pail offerings from the likes of SB Nation, you will find a lot of good stories on his start to the season. Here is one of the better reads on Kyrie.

Duke Basketball Recruiting Update – Key visits taking place


In our latest premium update for members, we have new information on Tyus Jones and more. Join today and get all the latest on the recruiting trail. Photo copyright Blue Devil Nation

As many of you know, the Duke Men's Basketball staff has been on the road for official in-home visits with many key prospects. For our members only, BDN Premium recaps the latest happenings and previews what is to come (and there is a lot) in our latest team and recruiting update.

As a refresher, let's start by recapping the visits that have already occurred.  The first was with Semi Ojeleye, who went against the grain by not inviting the full-on media onslaught that so often accompanies these things. Ojeleye is considered a perfect fit at Duke and he knew exactly where he wanted to go after Blue Devils Coach Mike Krzyzewski gave his final presentation.

In committing to Duke, Ojeleye, of course, joins shooting guard Matt Jones in the (current) two-man Class of 2013.  Jones committed to the Blue Devils long ago, but he still received a visit last week, which we'll recap in a later update.

The Blue Devils then checked out the Tennessee home of Austin Nichols. Nichols is as close to a prototypical Duke frontcourt player as you can get, being a 6'11" guy who can go inside/out. The worry from a few involved is that [private] Vanderbilt and Tennessee provide him an opportunity to play closer to home, and it is worth noting that his sister goes to Tennessee as well.  Many continue to mention Virginia as a player in this recruitment too, but the style of play employed in the Cavaliers' system is a known turn-off. Nichols also raised some eyebrows when he decided not to participate with Team USA this past off-season, but that has not diminished Duke's interest in him.  As mentioned in the last update, Duke gets an official visit with Nichols on October 6th, and the goal is to close the deal at that time or at least have a good indication of what will happen. One thing to look for is how he gets along with the players here. While Nichols is far from a sure thing, the staff does seem to feel good about him. Nichols was more of a priority for Duke than was Marcus Lee, the talented California frontcourt prospect who recently dropped the Blue Devils from his list.

Julius Randle likes Duke, but has 10 other schools currently listed as well and Kentucky making their play.

The Blue Devils also went into the home of Julius Randle, but minus the gimmicks and bling the other coaches used. This week, five more schools follow Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, and North Carolina with in-home visits, yet the puzzling thing is everybody with a pulse knows not one of these other five will make the final cut. A lot of people have been in Randle's ear lately, and his recruitment is now the most hyped of his class. This one will go on for a long, long time, so strap yourself in for one stressful ride. I have been covering Duke recruiting for a long time, and I hoped to avoid the dog-and-pony show, but it never fails: one player changes his whole demeanor going into his senior year. It wasn't that long ago that Randle gave four schools every indication that they would be announced as the finalists and then bam, we now have ten in-home visits? In any event, at the in-home they were straightforward with Julius as to what they have to offer and why Duke presents such a good opportunity for him, and Duke still feels they are in good shape with him.  The Blue Devils will be in it the day Randle chooses, but that day will not come until Spring.

But yes, Kentucky is in the mix in a big way and the Blue Devils cannot or will not match some of the things that Kentucky is about, offering a den of luxury and simpleton classes, easing the path for kids to coast to the League.  They are pushing the envelope to the edge with NCAA rules. They use the hip-hop culture, power personalities that show the bling and spoils of the life many only read about, and then they convince kids they'll be in an environment that caters to their every whim. School? Really? Anyhow, Calipari and his assistant Orlando Antigua go to events like the Peach Jam, sit right in front of the NCAA Compliance people, and push the edges of the rules.  They know exactly where the boundaries are, and have found ways to use them to their advantage. Kentucky doesn't hide the fact that they are a luxurious pit stop for prospects on their way to the NBA, and the lifestyle they offer is now swaying kids who valued education when growing up --  see Alex Poythress.  The school is at the forefront of overhyped dog-and-pony shows and in today's culture, prospects who cannot see the bigger picture in life easily get caught up in it, making it a tough act for a school like Duke to go up against.  Until something is done and the charade is halted, Kentucky will be a regular thorn in the side of everyone involved in the recruiting process.

Justise Winslow is set to visit Duke during Countdown to Craziness. BDN Photo

Now, despite what I just said, I would not concede Julius Randle just yet. In no way do I feel BAD about Randle and Duke, but there was a time not long ago I thought the good guys were a prohibitive favorite. That in turn caused me to downplay Jabari Parker a bit, and I am not the only one who did so. The truth is Duke and other schools were asked to back off a bit on his recruitment awhile back, but they have been and will be in this one until the end as well. Despite what you have heard to date, let it go and start with a fresh take.  Duke's in-home with the Parkers is on Friday, and it's a big deal as Coach K will join Chris Collins to sell the Duke way and their vision for Jabari. Duke would of course take both Parker and Randle but realistically, that will not happen in the current landscape.  But they sure as heck would love to get one of them.  Expect Krzyzewski to go after both equally hard. In fact, he is doing so already.

As you know, the staff also goes to see prospects work out in open gyms. The most recent visits have been to see Trey Lyles, Justise Winslow, Karl Towns and Grayson Allen. They will continue to monitor each of them closely. Duke went to Memphis on Wednesday to watch Austin Nichols and Coach Krzyzewski will go to see Trey Lyles again today, because he wants a firsthand view.

Duke will visit Jahlil Okafor as well, now that the teachers strike in Chicago is coming under control. The Blue Devils have stayed strong with the big man and feel they're in great shape at this time, but much work still needs to be done.

And let's not forget the consummate winner, the outstanding point guard Tyus Jones. I got word last evening that Coach K will drop in on him today, which leads me to talk of the fast approaching Countdown to Craziness. Jones has confirmed he will visit for the affair, as will Justise Winslow, a key target in his own right.

Duke expects to get 2015 big man Karl Towns in Durham for CTC, as well as Theo Pinson, who is still on the mend from an injury. The injury to Pinson seems to have made his camp a bit more proactive, possibly out of fear of falling behind in the process. The Pinsons have taken their time with the process, but it's getting to the point where they are starting to do some more serious looking, as well as watching more closely what other key players are doing in their recruitments.

That pretty much sums up the latest, and as always we ask that you keep the information here per contract agreement. A lot of times recruiting information is sensitive and does not belong in public forums, as those can give competitors unfair advantages. For me to continue to share information we all covet, it is important to adhere to set standards.

In closing, thanks for being a member of Blue Devil Nation Premium and supporting our efforts to bring you the best coverage available. Please let others know about us, and if you have further questions on hoops recruiting, Andrew or myself will do our best to answer them on the message board. [/private]

Semi Semi Ya: Duke Lands Semi Ojeleye

 

Semi Ojeleye, Copyright BDN Photo

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore is not an act, but a habit.

-Aristotle

Semi Ojeleye was born in Overland Park, Kansas and his family’s tale is one of the American Dream. His father, Victor, arrived in Kansas from Nigeria, looking to do an internship and residency at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Dr. Ojeleye now operates as a family physician in Ottawa, Kansas, roughly fifty miles south of Kansas City, Kansas, with his wife, Joy, a registered nurse.

The Ojeleyes had two boys, Victor and Semi. Victor, the oldest, was heavily involved in community service, became Ottawa High School’s all-time leading scorer, and was valedictorian of his graduating class. After not receiving much basketball interest coming out of Ottawa high school, he opted to do a postgraduate year in North Carolina, where he played under veteran coach, Chris Chaney. It was there that then Kansas St. assistant coach, Dalonte Hill spotted the 6’5″ Ojeleye and ultimately convinced him to walk-on for his home state Kansas State Wildcats. Victor wound up being a reserve player for the Wildcats, led his teammates in Bible studies, and was an All-Academic Big XII winner in each of his three seasons, culminating in this season’s inaugural Dr. Loge Award for the Big XII Conference’s highest academic honor. Last May, he received his degree in Finance and Accounting before joining Koch Industries.

Semi has the ability to stretch the floor with his three point shot. Photo copyright BDN

Semi Ojeleye was blessed with the same genetics and work ethic as Victor. He’s been a 4.0 student, but will shatter Victor’s basketball records for the Ottawa Cyclones. The 6’6″ wing averaged nearly nine rebounds and thirty-three points per game this season, never scoring below twenty-five in a single game, while leading Ottawa (KS) to a third consecutive Class 4A State Title game. The high water scoring mark for this season came when he knocked down eight three-pointers and hit all ten of his free throws for a fifty point game and a win in front of Missouri Coach Frank Haith.

Last season, Semi, a devout Christian, played all five positions for Coach Jon McKowen’s Cyclones and knocked down seventy-eight three pointers at nearly a forty percent clip on the season. In the state semi-final game, Ojeyele grabbed fourteen rebounds and scored thirty-two points. In, ultimately, a close 56-52 loss to Basehor-Linwood in the Championship game, Ojeleye, who has tried to slowly convert himself from more of a post player to a perimeter force, scored thirty-two points and snagged twelve rebounds. For his efforts, the 6’6″ senior, who now has 1,811 career points and helped his team to a 24-2 final record, earned an All-State distinction.

This AAU season, the versatile wing first caught the eye of the Duke staff for a half of a single game at the Nike EYBL Minneapolis, but it was his performance at the EYBL Boo Williams that was a turning point. According to Semi, Coach K felt he saw a lot of his untapped potential at this event. Rather than get satisfied, Semi continued to improve, mesh with his Mo-Kan Elite teammates, and was, without any college coaches in attendance, the critical player for a run of EYBL wins in Oakland that enabled his AAU squad to earn a trip to the coveted Peach Jam in July.

When June began, Semi and his family came to the Gothic Wonderland in Durham for an unofficial visit. The trip was meant to provide a bit of due diligence and gauge his comfort level with the staff, program, and University. It coincided with the Coach K Academy, a fantasy camp for charity that pairs former Duke players with fans looking to experience a taste of what it's like to play at Duke. By the end of the weekend, Semi was offered a full scholarship to Duke.

Over the next few weeks, Ojeleye played at the NBAPA Top 100 Camp in Virginia and competed alongside fellow Duke recruits Austin Nichols, Julius Randle, Matt Jones, and Theo Pinson at the elite LeBron James Skills Academy in Las Vegas.

At the Peach Jam, which collects twenty-four of the best AAU teams in the country, Semilore Ojeleye elevated his undermanned team to new heights, catapulting his squad to the semi-finals of the ultra-competitive July tournament. His standout Peach Jam game was against Detroit's The Family AAU program, which featured a consensus top ten player in 6'6" James Young. After holding Young, a talented wing, to a woeful five for twenty shooting game by "bodying him up" in a win over The Family in Oakland, Semi once again out-dueled the well-promoted wing in a win at the Peach Jam. In this playoff game, Ojeleye would score a whopping thirty-three points in twenty-nine minutes on a highly efficient ten of thirteen shooting (four of six from beyond the arc) and a perfect nine for nine at the charity stripe, grab eight rebounds, and hold Young to seventeen points.

Versatile Wing Semi Ojeleye, Photo by Andrew Slater

Semi Ojeleye was the first person that Coach Mike Krzyzewski of Duke was scheduled to make an in-home visit with. Yesterday, shortly after the visit with Coach K and Coach Steve "Wojo" Wojciechowski, Ojeleye told the staff that he would like to join Duke's program. There were some efficiently placed phone calls and texts to various services, but none of the three-hat monte, self-indulgent forty minute speeches, dancing cheerleaders, awkward satellite interviews with cable services, or amateurish "off-broadway" productions with teammates that have become somewhat customary amongst elite-level players.  This "old school" way of handling your recruitment was not surprising for a player that is concerned more with the collective measure of success, wins, than his individual game totals.

Duke is getting a cerebral, physical 6'6" wing who has the versatility to defend tall shooting guards, athletic small forwards, and even undersized college power forwards. Offensively, unlike some wings, he brings a comfort level with playing on the inside that speaks to his natural and earned strength, former responsibility as an interior player as a younger player, and fearlessness to the physicality that is relatively commonplace among interior players. He's got good elevation on his jump shot and, although streaky, has improved his three-point shooting to the point that he must be guarded at all times. As a hard worker on and off the court, Semi undoubtedly will continue to work on conditioning as well as skill development, including improving his mid-range game, his left hand, and making his three-point shooting more consistent.