DURHAM - player to keep an eye on in the future is freshman quarterback Brandon Connette. Patrick Cacchio talked with Connette after the spring game where he took several snaps in an effort to replace the mending Sean Renfree. While Renfree will be the starter going into the season, Connette seems destined to earn the number two slot.
Just press play -
Chapel Hill, N.C. - BDN took in J.P. Tokoto's first game at the TOC last evening as he scored 13 points to help his team to a close comeback win. Tokoto is a nice athlete but needs work on his outside shot. Prep Stars ranks Tokoto 5th in the class of 2010. Here is the post game interview with [private] Tokoto.
More to come ... [/private]
WASHINGTON - This is what you get for ever picking North Carolina, Mr. President.
President Barack Obama on Thursday heaped praise on the Duke men's basketball team for winning the NCAA championship last month - a Blue Devils squad that capped its run in one of the more exciting title games in recent memory, a 61-59 contest against upstart Butler that came down to the final shot.
But standing in the Rose Garden on a sticky day, Obama was still taking heat for (correctly) picking North Carolina, Duke's rival, to win it all in 2009. Duke's coach Mike Krzyzeki bristled a bit at Obama at the time and said the president should stick to fixing the economy. The two have since made up.
"It was nothing personal," Obama joked on Thursday with the coach and team standing behind him. "Just trying to win some money."
A smiling Krzyzewski returned the favor by giving Obama a framed copy of this year's winning bracket - with Duke right in the center.
Obama lauded Duke for growing as a team and being part of their community. After their moment at the White House, the players and coaches were headed to the Pentagon to thank members of the military and then to Arlington National Cemetery to pay respects.
The president commended the coach for his style, quoting Krzyzewski's philosophy as saying a team is like a hand, which can attack with more force when it comes together like a fist. "Very subtle, Coach," Obama said.
The hoops-loving Obama spent time talking to the players and taking photos before the ceremony.
"For him to take the time out to greet us in such a way is just terrific," Krzyzewski said.
Don't look now but a lot of Orlando fans would like to see JJ Redick take over for Vince Carter in tonight's lineup against Boston. As it turns out when Redick is in the lineup the Magic are outscoring playoff opponents by 20 points. On the other hand, when Carter takes to the court they are 22 points in the hole. I doubt you'll see a change take place in the lineup this evening but make no mistake this has been Redick's coming out season. Redick has raised his stock and jumped through a lot of hoops in Orlando and other NBA teams are taking notice. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the near future in that Redick is becoming a fan favorite while Carter is closing out his career as an underachiever. Carter has always been a sensational athlete going back to his days at North Carolina, but he has never seemed to buy into the team concept. I'll never forget my first impression of Vince Carter from back in the day when he was in Chapel Hill. You can often see Duke and UNC players visiting local malls and there was a day when Carter strolled through the now defunct South Square Mall in Durham. People were asking for his autograph and he signed them but never looked anyone in the eyes while acting like he had won the nations MVP. The Tar Heels had just lost in the NCAA Tournament and Carter could only talk about how he would be in the NBA soon. Perhaps that is why he came off the bench as a freshman under Dean Smith for he always seemed focused on himself. His freshman campaign was a bust in Chapel Hill in that he came out of high school as one of the most hyped players in his class. Carter didn't look any of the fans in the eye that day while signing and acted like a a guy who knew he was the man with his arrogant like demeanor. By contrast, Antwan Jamison accompanied him and was all smiles showing tremendous character and caring by mingling with fans and children. But the real key is Jamison talked team and returning to UNC to lead them to a title while Carter talked individualism. People change, but Carter will retire without an NBA ring if he disappears tonight against an active Celtics defense. Too bad he didn't learn any lessons from the affable Jameson nor did the highly hyped freshman start for Smith in his first season. The reason for that was that the talented Carter wasn't a team first guy and he seemed to think his flashy dunks were proof enough that he should start. But Carters troubles are Redicks gain for now and despite what happens in the future with Orlando, Redick seems to have his career at a point where he is taking off. Carter is wrapping up his legacy and all he will likely have to show for it is scoring a lot of points not that there is anythiong wrong with that. But in the NBA and at UNC, Carter was never able to help lead a team to a title. For more on Redick and Carter, go to link from the Orlando Sentinal.
Bob Gibbon's Tournament of Champions kicks off this weekend in the Triangle where games are played on the campuses of Duke, North Carolina and North Carolina State. The NCAA will likely pass a rule in the near future which would take tournaments away from major college facilities. A lot of talents has passed through the TOC over the years including LeBron James and Greg Oden to name a few. This may be your last chance to catch one of the premiere AAU events, so check out the action if you are in town for Memorial Day weekend. Some of the Duke recruiting targets there include, Shabazz Muhammad, Marshall Plumlee and JP Tokoto. BDN Premium will be on the scene to bring you our usual great coverage.
Another quick congrats to Doug Collins who is now the coach of the Philadelphia Sixers [76ers]. While Chris will be at Duke this season one cannot help but wonder if he will stroll the sidelines in the NBA one day. During an in season press conference, Krzyzewski said he could see Chris in the NBA one day and I can too. Chris is a good x's and o's guy and his lineage and familiarity with the league is a huge benefit. Rumor has it that he watches just about every NBA game going when not serving Duke. Chris of course will be in Las Vegas often helping Krzyzewski with Team USA. Not saying Chris will not stick around nor that more colleges will not be calling, but it's not a stretch to think he will be coaching an NBA team one day.
The Duke Blue Devils became the ninth school to offer junior quarterback Brock Berglund this past weekend. Berglund stands 6-4 and weighs in at 205 pounds making him a prototypical size for the position. Berguland is a Colorado native playing his high school football with Victory Christian. He grew up a Colorado Buffaloes fan but he recently claimed that other schools were in the running for his services. Among the schools that have offered are Colorado, Colorado State, Utah, Kansas and Kansas State. When Cutcliffe targets a signal caller he knows what he's looking for and Berglund has all the tools to be one of the nation's best. The Blue Devil Nation will have more on the latest offer later in the week.
Kyler Brown is a 6’5” 215 pound junior out of Charlotte Christian High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. Duke football fans are familiar with the Brown family, as Kyler’s older brother, Kelby, will be joining the Duke program as a freshman linebacker this fall.
In his junior year, Kyler played on both sides of the ball, lining up as a defensive end and also as a wide receiver. Most college programs are looking at Kyler as a defensive player, but his quickness makes him an intriguing prospect at several potential positions. On defense, Kyler’s strengths are his ability to bring pressure off the sides and “use speed to attack the ball.” He currently runs about a 4.80 second 40-yard dash, but continues to work on his strength, speed, and hands going into his senior year. Kyler believes that his ability to use his hands is one of his strengths on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Off the field, Kyler describes himself as a “quiet guy,” but on the field, he is an enthusiastic competitor and a great teammate. Coming off of a 2009 NCISAA 3A Championship, Kyler and his senior class hope to win a state championship of their own in 2010. Individually, Kyler said it would be “awesome to get All-State or All-Conference,” but listed a state championship as his primary goal.
When approaching his college choice, Kyler is placing an emphasis on academics, as he knows that a college degree is a great “back-up plan if football doesn’t work out.” He’s also looking for a program that will develop him as a player and allow him to build strong relationships with the coaching staff.
To date, Kyler has received scholarship offers from Duke, East Carolina, and Illinois. He has been in close contact with coaches from Stanford, Oregon, Virginia, North Carolina, NC State, West Virginia, Vanderbilt, and Wake Forest. He is hopeful to receive additional scholarship offers this spring, and he noted the possibility of an offer from Oregon coming soon.
During his brother’s recruitment, Kyler was able to tour many top football programs around the country, but is now setting out on his own process. In the ACC, he’s been impressed by all four in-state programs, having visited Duke, North Carolina, NC State, and Wake Forest. Kyler described all four programs as “getting better” with “good coaching staffs.” He was impressed with North Carolina’s preseason ranking and noted the winning tradition being built at Wake Forest.
Kyler is finalizing plans for summer camps and hopes to make a decision before the start of his senior season, but is not opposed to waiting until after the fall to make a decision, if necessary. After not receiving much playing time early in his high school career, Kyler had a breakout junior season; with strong summer workouts and a standout senior year, more offers may be on the way. Though some might believe Duke would have a natural advantage because of the opportunity to play alongside his brother, it sounds like Kyler is looking to make his own college choice. Kyler described Duke as definitely a “program on the rise,” but he plans to evaluate all of his opportunities before making a commitment.
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