Blue Devil Nation continues its season long coverage of high school basketball with updates on Austin Rivers, Josh Hairston, Tyler Thornton, J.P. Tokoto, Trey Zeigler, and Marshall Plumlee. The High School Hoops articles will be a weekly feature at Blue Devil Nation as they were the past two years; Edition No. 4 is being posted just four days after Edition No. 3 due to a significant volume of activity taking place on the hardwood these past few nights. Blue Devil Nation encourages everyone to check back late Sunday evening for High School Hoops 2010 Edition No. 5. [private]
Austin Rivers earned MVP honors at the Rotary Tip-Off Classic as Winter Park HS won the championship. Rivers scored 20 points, in the championship game, as Winter Park defeated Winter Springs 59 – 32. In the semi-finals, Winter Park defeated Oak Ridge 71 – 57. The Orlando Sentinel has a video recap posted. Rivers scored 28 points and drained seven 3-point shots in a 70 – 43 opening round victory over Lake Brantley.
In his next game, on Tuesday (Dec 8), Rivers scored 21 points in a 75 – 34 victory over Colonial.
Josh Hairston played his debut game at Montrose Christian in the Caron Butler Invitational in Washington D.C. Hairston scored 26 points as Montrose defeated Theodore Roosevelt HS 63 – 47. Theodore Roosevelt was 2 – 0 coming into the game. Montrose Christian and Hairston’s next game is on Friday night.
Tyler Thornton drew an offensive foul with 28 seconds remaining to seal Gonzaga's 64 - 59 victory over Carroll High. Thornton scored 16 points, including going 6-6 from the charity stripe, and delivered four assists in the game. He is shooting 90.9 percent from the free throw line through three games. Gonzaga and Thornton will be back in action on Thursday evening.
J.P. Tokoto scored 19 points as Menomonee Falls defeated Milwaukee Marquette 56 – 36. Menomonee Falls and Tokoto will be back in action on Friday night.
Trey Zeigler was the leader in scoring and rebounding with 30 and 13 as Mt Pleasant defeated Midland 69 – 46. He also dished out seven assists. In this article, from The Morning Sun, Mt Pleasant Coach Sam Taylor states, “Trey was solid. But it won’t be his best game of the season I can tell you that.” Duke University representatives attended the game to scout Zeigler (I heard through the grapevine it was Nate James, but I cannot confirm who was in attendance). Here is another recap of the action.
Marshall Plumlee grabbed nine rebounds to go along with four points as Christ School opened conference play with an 80 – 67 win over Rabun Gap. Plumlee is averaging 7.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game through the first nine games of his junior season.
In case any of our faithful readers have not already seen this article with two embedded videos, here is a Kyrie Irving preview from MassLive.com. [/private]
This edition is a bit of a preview edition as many high schools tipped off their first games in early December and newspapers across the country kicked off their high school basketball coverage with season previews and articles focused upon key players. [private]
Christ School improved to 5 - 0 on the season with back to back wins at the Christ School Tip-Off Tournament. The Greenies defeated Greenville High School 89 - 60 and Greenfield School 89 - 70. Junior Marshall Plumlee (7'0" 200) recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds in the first game and added 9 points and 8 rebounds in the championship game.
Sophomore J.P. Tokoto was in foul trouble and held to 10 points as Menomonee Falls fell to Milwaukee King 65 -62 in overtime. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has a game recap posted as well as a detailed preview on Tokoto. By the way, J.P. stands for Jean Pierre.
Tyler Thornton and Gonzaga College High School are looking to win the WCAC Championship this season. Here is a seven minute video preview of the team.
Austin Rivers is ready to start his junior season at Winter Park High School and the Wildcats are considered one of the favorites to win the Class 6A State Championship. The Orlando Sentinel has an article posted on Rivers as well as a video interview in which Rivers discusses his team’s loss in the state semi-finals last season. Winter Park will be hosting the Rotary Tip-Off tournament Dec. 2-5.
Trey Zeigler is a 6’-5” shooting guard at Mt Pleasant High School in Michigan whose name has been mentioned in connection with Duke. There is some speculation Duke will pursue him if things do not pan out with Roscoe Smith. Zeigler is ranked as the # 35 player in the Class of 2010 and his father is the coach at Central Michigan University. This article from the Morning Sun discusses Zeigler and his focus on team play.
Quality Education Academy lost to Findlay Prep, 69 – 63, at the Tournament of Champions in Peoria, IL.
And Bradley Beal, ranked number seven in the Class of 2011, according to Scout, has given a verbal commitment to play his college ball at the University of Florida. The St Louis Today has a nice article on Beal’s commitment.
Prep sports coverage in online newspapers across the nation is still focused upon football, but basketball coverage will pick up as football seasons come to an end. As the coverage increases, Blue Devil Nation will keep you posted on game results for Duke recruits and recruiting targets with links to articles and box scores from across the country. [/private]
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
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
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]
The Duke Men's Basketball staff has been very busy during the most recent open recruiting period and they hope that the hard work pays off by months end. This should prove to be an eventful week for Duke in that they have in homes and official visits in place.
Let's start out talking about Austin Rivers. As some of you may know by now, Rivers had a great visit, so much so that many feel Duke made more than just a good impression. It's up to Rivers now [private] in that he must first de-commit from Florida before Duke can actively recruit him. The Duke staff told Rivers and his Mom to go home and discuss the matter with Doc. There is a lot going on behind the scenes these days in Florida and Donovan is learning that building on those two titles is not so easy. It is not out of the realm of thinking to see that a player sees how the Gators treated Jai Lucas and that they are still going after Brandon Knight. So, all eyes are now on the Rivers camp to see when they make an announcement. Rivers is a Duke player through and through and he got along with the players very well during his visit. We'll have more on this hot issue later.
Duke has cooled on the aforementioned Knight, only because Kyrie Irving is their first choice and they feel very good about the New Jersey native becoming one of their own. Coach K and Chris Collins will be in Jersey today to visit with Irving and he will then visit Duke. I think Irving will be a Dukie, it's just a matter of time. Irving fits the Duke system well and the team has defined his role already.
Duke is taking no breaks with Harrison Barnes. In fact, Coach K and Wojo visited Barnes during an open gym in Ames yesterday. The Blue Devils are in very good shape with Barnes and in my opinion are the leader for his services. UNC came in hard but they were late in doing so. While I am not counting them out, I think the visit is more than wearing off. The Heels gave it their best shot and followed up with a Roy Williams visit, but they now realize it is going to be tough to swoop him away and they are running out of bullets. Barnes is still considering Kansas and Oklahoma.
The Blue Devils had their in home visits with Josh Hairston and Tyler Thornton on Sunday as we mentioned earlier.
Not much out there on Roscoe Smith due to trying to get in touch with him at Oak Hill Academy. Here is the deal, Nate James visited Roscoe at his school this past week. Duke is working on setting up an in home with his parents and that will likely take place in the next couple of weeks.
In the class of 2011, Duke has seen Quincy Miller,Marshall Plumlee, Brad Beal, Adonis Thomas, Michael Gilchrist and Trevor Cooney during this open period.
Duke took in2012 prospect Amile Jefferson, and JP Tokoto has also been seen this month. So needless to say, the Duke staff has been working their butts off.
Here is a list of standing offers - Kyrie Irving, Harrison Barnes, Brandon Knight and Roscoe Smith from 2010. Quincy Miller, Marshall Plumlee, Brad Beal and soon to be Michael Gilchrist in 2011. In 2012, only JP Tokoto has been offered. [/private]
Austin Rivers will visit Duke this coming weekend - BDN Photo
Austin Rivers will visit campus this coming weekend with [private] his Mom. The Rivers family contacted Duke last week to set up the visit. There are positive vibes surrounding his visit, meaning that the staff feels they can make a great impression.
The men's staff was out in force a week ago seeing Brad Beal, Kyrie Irving,J.P. Tokoto and Quincy Miller in open gym sessions. Duke will concentrate on Beal after the Rivers and Kyrie Irving official visits.
The visit went very well with Kyrie Irving this past week. How good? Well, Duke canceled their in home visit with Brandon Knight which was scheduled for tomorrow. Duke is hoping that Irving pulls the trigger in the next month or earlier. Duke will stay on Irving big time, so much so that they will visit an open gym on Tuesday of this week.
There are good feeling surrounding Quincy Miller, but with Brian Clifton involved there could be a long delay before he is ready or allowed to verbal anywhere. When Duke offered Miller, he wasn't even near the top ten in the rankings. He soared in the next go round of ratings showing that the Devils do have a good eye for talent.
Irving drives the lane at this past seasons NBAPA Top 100 Camp
Harrison Barnes was in a similar situation as well. Duke offered Barnes shortly after the NBAPA Top 100 Camp in 2008. He climbed the rankings steadily since that time. Barnes is still slated to take all of his visits, but there was some reason for optimism on the recent visit to see Barnes.
Duke will be visiting Marshall Plumlee at Christ School this week as well.
So, breaking it down, I feel good about our chances with Irving, Barnes and Rivers. Yes, Rivers. Duke is a great fit for this young man and he'll certainly get a good look with his Mom. If all goes well, Duke will set up an official visit and in homes. Duke will go after Beal once the dust clears on a busy September. They are in the process of setting up visits.
Duke will continue to set up plans on a week to week basis going forward. Ideally, they get verbals from Miller and Tokoto early so they can concentrate on other areas.
The men's basketball staff is looking forward to the season and working with players as a whole instead of small groups. There are no serious or nagging injuries being reported, meaning the team is in good health. [/private]
Duke has an in home visit scheduled with Brandon Knight
As you know by now Roscoe Smith is slated to visit Duke this coming week. The visit [private] caught Duke off guard because it was not planned until recently. Despite that, Duke is elated to have him visit, especially Nate James one of the lead recruiters with Smith. After his visit to Durham, Smith will head to Oak Hill Academy where he will ready for the start of the school year. Our understanding is that Duke will set up an in home visit with Smith in the near future. Smith still has a standing offer but nobody expects him to pull the trigger soon.
Tyler Thornton and Josh Hairston's official in home visits will take place September the 20th. Hairston, of course, transferred to Montrosse Christian Academy. Duke is ironing out last minute details on "Countdown to Craziness," an event that will take place on October the 16th. The event will kick off the fast approaching season and should be a lot of fun. The aforementioned Hairston and Thornton will attend the event. There are other visitors in the works for that day as well, more on that later.
While Brandon Knight expands his list of schools, it may interest you to know that Duke is working on an in home visit in September. One must remember that Duke has kept their name in there for a good while now. While they would like be happy with Kyrie Irving pulling the trigger quickly, they are covering the bases. In fact, Duke seems to still have some type of back-up plans should Irving and Barnes suddenly sour. Speaking of Kyrie Irving, Duke will be in-home with Kyrie on September the 9th. Harrison Barnes is slated for October the 5th. Please check past updates for the official visit dates. Duke is waiting for the Rivers camp to solidify a visit, but they are not pushing for it, instead allowing them to do on their time. Austin Rivers is still expected to visit in September. There is word that the visit will coincide with one to UNC as well.
Mason Plumlee will room with Ryan Kelly this season. Both players continue to work hard in the weight room under Williams Stephenson. Miles Plumlee has the highest measured vertical leap on the team. When standing side by side with Mason, their hands raised, Miles has about a four-inch reach advantage. Lance Thomas is the team's strongest player in the weight room.
Recruiting analysis - With Barnes now saying he will take until spring to make a decision, Duke is covering the bases with Smith, a player who has shown a decent amount of interest in Duke. Duke was obviously hoping Barnes would decide in October. The same holds true with Kyrie Irving, who Duke will be all over this month. Duke feels really good about their chances with both kids, but they need one of them to go ahead and verbal no later than October so they can move on with plans for 2011 and 2012. Other prospects holding offers are Quincy Miller, Marshall Plumlee and J.P. Tokoto.
We'll add an addendum to this post a bit later. Thanks for your patience while I took a mini break and sorry for the run-on post in that I am suddenly having format issues.[/private]
Blue Devil Nation continues its season long coverage of high school basketball with updates on Austin Rivers, Josh Hairston, Tyler Thornton, J.P. Tokoto, Trey Zeigler, and Marshall Plumlee. The High School Hoops articles will be a weekly feature at Blue Devil Nation as they were the past two years; Edition No. 4 is being posted just four days after Edition No. 3 due to a significant volume of activity taking place on the hardwood these past few nights. Blue Devil Nation encourages everyone to check back late Sunday evening for High School Hoops 2010 Edition No. 5. [private]
This edition is a bit of a preview edition as many high schools tipped off their first games in early December and newspapers across the country kicked off their high school basketball coverage with season previews and articles focused upon key players. [private]
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