Tag Archives: Jeremy Roach

Core Players And A Lot Of Possibilities For 2020-21 Duke Basketball

When trying to come up with which players will be in the court in crunch time for Duke next season, I keep coming up with four players. My current feeling is that Duke will want true freshman Jalen Johnson, Jeremy Roach, and returnees Matthew Hurt and Wendell Moore Jr. on the court most of the time.

We should see a vast improvement from Hurt and Moore, both of whom will be depended upon to lead via knowing the Blue Devils system of doing things. Ideally, you want some older players in the lineup but Duke will be a pretty young team, save two key backups, if you can call them that, in Jordan Goldwire and Joey Baker.

Jalen Johnson is a sure bet one and done talent and Duke will allow him plenty of freedom to grow his game while in Durham. Jeremy Roach will be handed the keys to point guard duties early on as well.

So, I see these four as starters for most of the season which begs the question, who will the fifth starter be? Well, to start, Duke will have a lot of players fill that role and it will come down to how players are working in practice and matchups.

When Duke goes big, they can look to freshman Mark Williams and to a lesser degree Jaemyn Brakefield and Henry Coleman. The staff will also have incoming Columbia transfer Patrick Tape in the mix in the frontcourt. I can see all of these players getting a start and when practice resumes, we will have an idea of who is adjusting to perceived roles.

As for the freshman, Brakefield and Coleman each bring their skillset to the mix. Brakefield is a solid offensive player who can stretch the floor and Coleman is a versatile hard worker around the paint. Williams can be a basket protector and a force in the paint and has continuously improved in the past two years.

But Duke can go smaller as well and this is where I enter another freshman D.J. Steward into the mix. He is a potentially prolific scorer and talented enough to fill that fifth spot. In fact, when I took a poll of the few people I trust, he seemed to be what most considered the best bet for the fifth starting spot.

But, hold on a minute. This is where we talk about Jordan Goldwire. Talk about a hard worker that will get after you defensively. And then there is Joey Baker who is always a three-point threat and a player who can do much more than that.

This is where I tell you that while I have penciled in some perceived starters, it does not mean they will have to play ironman minutes. In fact, there are many lineup possibilities.

Duke can go small and pressure the heck out of teams with Roach, Steward, Goldwire, Moore, and a big. Or they can try and match up with the likes of bigger teams with Williams, Johnson, and Hurt with some help from Tape.

The Blue Devils have tweeners as well to insert into the mix, so at least early in the season, Duke will be able to go as deep as they did a season ago with concern to their lineups. I will go out on a limb and predict up to ten players will get a start at some point in the coming season.

While Duke will be young, they will be deep again this season. The key will be to get back on campus and get accustomed to one another as we all await positive news on the virus which has yet to clear.

Also, keep in mind this is my early take on Duke hoops in 2020-21 and it will change as we get closer to the season. But for now, this is a gauge on what we might expect.

I will be discussing other aspects and possibilities concerning Duke Basketball as we tie several articles in as an early bird preview in the coming days where we'll answer a lot of team questions. And speaking of questions, send any into our bluedevilnation@twitter feed with the hashtag #AskBDN and we will address the best of them.

Duke Will Entertain Trevor Keels, Jeremy Roach, and Jaemyn Brakefield

The Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team will entertain two prospects and two verbal commitments when they take on arch-rival North Carolina Tar Heels tomorrow night in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

One of the visitors is 2021 shooting guard Trevor Keels (Paul VI, Va.) whom Duke offered this past December. He impressed Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski during the Hoophall Classic where he blew up in the rankings after his overall performance in the event.

If Keels high school sounds familiar it's because Duke commitment Jeremy Roach attends the same school. Roach will be making the trip to Durham where he'll take in the atmosphere as Duke will celebrate their annual senior day and the last game in Cameron Indoor Stadium for the 2019-20 season.

Another player who will arrive on campus next season will be coming in from West Virginia. The Blue Devils will welcome 6-8 forward Jaemyn Brakefield who plays for Huntington Prep.

Also in attendance will be 2022 Durham Academy prospect MJ Rice. This would mark the second straight game where he will have been behind the Duke bench.

Duke Hoops Making Offers

The Duke Men's Basketball staff has been busy during the break between games. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski and his assistant coaches have been on the road to visit both commitments and prospects at various high school basketball events.

There is a lot to unpack here. The Blue Devils crew most recently visited the National High School Hoops Festival where they were taking a look at next years, incoming point guard, Jeremy Roach.

Roach had been sidelined since a season ago due to injury, so there were many wanting to see his first few games this season and how he'd respond. Well, the good news for Duke fans is he is showing off his high ranking and that he is back to being the type of player who gained a Duke offer.

What many did not expect to see was the stellar play of his Paul VI teammate, Trevor Keels. The 6-5 junior shooting guard from Fairfax, Virginia put on a show in front of Krzyzewski and that led to the latest Duke offer.

The Duke staff was also pleased with the play of IMG Academy's Mark Williams. The future Blue Devils big man showed off an improved game from this summer as he steadily gets better. Williams team, minus his teammate and fellow Duke commitment Jalen Johnson lost to Paul VI in a hotly contested game.

The improvement of Williams has drawn attention as he could now be a candidate for being one and done at the college level. And that had something to do with another recent Duke offer to Canadian junior, Charles Bediako.

Standing at 6-10, Bediako could possibly reclassify per some. But regardless of whether he enters the class of 2020 or remains a 2021 prospect, the Duke staff liked what they saw from the talented and potential laden Bediako. Duke has been determined to keep mining Canada for basketball prospects after their turn with RJ Barrett.

Duke has also offered another highly ranked junior in point guard Kennedy Chandler on Tuesday of this week. Chandler has a long list of suitors which includes their rival just down the road. Chandler led Mokan Elite to a solid season on the Nike EYBL circuit.

The Blue Devils also have standing offers to Patrick Baldwin and Max Christie and there are good relations with both of these top-end prospects. Duke is also heavily in the mix for Johnathan Kuminga. And, of course, the Blue Devils have a verbal commitment from highly rated AJ Griffin.

Duke is likely not finished with new offers, but they are quickly identifying players they want to be a part of their future core group. The staff will be on the road in December for more high school basketball tournaments.

This is also the time of year when the staff will work on both some unofficial and official visits and perhaps even setting up in-home visits. So, when the fanbase is taking this long break between games, as usual, Duke Basketball never stops.

This year's team returns to the court on December the 19th to take on Wofford. With Louisville, Maryland and Michigan all losing, Duke, ranked 5th in the coaches poll, is poised to ascend in the rankings.

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Duke Hoops Signs Talented Class


DURHAM, N.C. –
 Duke men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski has announced the signing of six future Blue Devils during the NCAA's early-signing period. The class is ranked No. 2 according to ESPN, which would give Duke's signing classes a top-two ranking in each of the last seven seasons.

Jaemyn BrakefieldHenry Coleman III, Jalen Johnson, Jeremy Roach, D.J. Steward and Mark Williams will enter the Duke program for the 2020-21 season. Duke's previous top-ranked classes in the ESPN 100 came in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018, while the 2016 and 2019 classes were ranked No. 2.

Jaemyn Brakefield – 6-8 – 215 – Forward – Jackson, Miss. – Huntington Prep (W.Va.)

  • A five-star power forward
  • Ranked as the No. 23 overall player in ESPN 100's rankings for the class of 2020
  • Ranked as the No. 1 player in the state of West Virginia and the No. 5 player at his position in the ESPN 100
  • Played for Team Phenom University in the EYBL with fellow Duke signee Jalen Johnson and averaged 15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists last summer with two double-doubles
  • Committed to Duke on October 4, 2019
  • Chose the Blue Devils over Louisville, Michigan and Auburn, among others

Henry Coleman III – 6-7 – 210 – Forward – Richmond, Va. – Trinity Episcopal School

  • A four-star power forward
  • Ranked as the No. 42 player overall in ESPN 100's rankings for the class of 2020
  • Also ranked as the No. 5 player in the state of Virginia and the No. 8 at his position in the ESPN 100
  • Averaged 18.2 points and 6.4 rebounds this past summer on the Nike EYBL circuit for Team Loaded
  • Is senior class president at Trinity Episcopal School
  • Committed to Duke on September 27, 2019
  • Chose the Blue Devils over Michigan, NC State, Virginia Tech and Ohio State, among others

Jalen Johnson – 6-8 – 215 – Forward – Glendale, Wisc. – IMG Academy (Fla.)

  • A five-star small forward
  • Ranked as the No. 4 overall player in ESPN 100's rankings for the class of 2020
  • Ranked No. 1 in the state of Florida and No. 1 at his position in the ESPN 100
  • Led Nicolet HS in Glendale, Wisc., to a state championship last season before transferring to IMG Academy for his senior campaign
  • Played for Team Phenom University in the EYBL with fellow Duke signee Jaemyn Brakefield and averaged 17.2 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists last summer with five double-doubles
  • Committed to Duke on July 4, 2019
  • Chose the Blue Devils over Arizona, Kentucky and Wisconsin, among others

Jeremy Roach – 6-2 – 180 – Guard – Leesburg, Va. – Paul VI HS

  • A five-star point guard
  • Ranked as the No. 15 player overall in ESPN 100's ranking for the class of 2020
  • Also ranked second in the state of Virginia and ranked third overall at his position in the ESPN 100
  • Missed his junior season of high school (ACL)
  • Played for Team Takeover in the Nike EYBL and averaged 6.6 points and 3.1 assists in the summer of 2018
  • Has won a pair of gold medals with USA Basketball – at the 2017 FIBA Americas U-16 and the 2018 FIBA U-17 World Cup
  • Was the starting point guard for the U-17 team and averaged 6.4 points and 2.7 assists
  • The first five-star player in the class of 2020 to announce his commitment, committing to Duke on May 8, 2019
  • Chose the Blue Devils over Kentucky, North Carolina and Villanova, among others

D.J. Steward – 6-3 – 175 – Guard – Chicago, Ill. – Whitney Young HS

  • A five-star combo guard
  • Ranked as the No. 26 player overall in ESPN 100's ranking for the class of 2020
  • Also ranked second in the state of Illinois and ranked seventh overall at his position in the ESPN 100
  • Averaged 24.1 points and shot 41 percent from three-point range in the summer of 2019 for Team MeanStreets on the Nike EYBL circuit
  • Attended the same high school as former Blue Devil Jahlil Okafor
  • Committed to Duke on September 18, 2019
  • Chose the Blue Devils over North Carolina, Louisville, Indiana and Texas, among others

Mark Williams – 7-0 – 230 – Center – Norfolk, Va. – IMG Academy (Fla.)

  • A four-star center
  • Ranked as the No. 30 overall player in ESPN 100's rankings for the class of 202
  • Ranked No. 4 in the state of Florida and as the No. 5 center in the ESPN 100
  • Played three years at Norfolk Academy before transferring to IMG Academy for his senior season
  • On the Nike EYBL circuit, played for Team Boo Williams and averaged 14.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game, while shooting 64 percent from the field
  • Improved his numbers to 23.5 points, 12.0 rebounds and 76 percent shooting at the Peach Jam
  • His older sister, Elizabeth, played for Duke from 2011-15 and now plays for the WNBA's Atlanta Dream
  • Committed to Duke on November 2, 2019
  • Chose the Blue Devils over UCLA and Michigan, among others.

Hunter Dickinson Highlights Visitors to CTC

The Duke Blue Devils unofficial start to the basketball season is their annual Countdown to Craziness event in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

While the event is designed to introduce the Cameron Crazies to the 2019-20 version of the team, it is also a time when key recruits and or prospects attend.

This year is no different where Duke will be entertaining 2020 center Hunter Dickinson of DeMatha High for his official visit. Duke seeks a verbal commitment from Dickinson and Mark Williams who will visit later this month to round out what could be a seven-player class.

Dickinson has been linked to Michigan which got a verbal commitment from Isiah Todd yesterday who is a power forward from North Carolina. His official visit begins today where he will be on campus early for the festivities.

Three 2020 players who have already given Duke a verbal commitment will attend the event as well. PG Jeremy Roach will come down from Virginia to join the last two Duke commitments, Henry Coleman and Jaemyn Brakefield for the festivities.

Roach was a former teammate of Hunter Dickinson and he will surely be in his ear as will the other players which form the Class of 2020. Roach was the first prospect to commit to the Blue Devils and he, along with Jalen Johnson has been active in recruiting teammates.

The Blue Devils staff has also secured visits from two 2021 studs. Big man Paolo Banchero will be making his first trip to Durham. Banchero has been on the Duke radar and every other blue blood program since his stellar play during the summer circuit.

Another consensus top ten rated player AJ Griffin, a small forward out of New York will also be in attendance. Much like Banchero, Griffin is a physically mature player who will thrive at the college level even if it is for a single season.

There may be a few other young or local players attending as well and Blue Devil Nation will keep you posted on further developments.

Duke currently has the top-rated class for 2020 with the aforementioned Brakefield, Coleman, Johnson, and Roach. The other prospect on board is Chicago combo guard, DJ Steward.

Countdown to Craziness starts in just a few hours now where the doors open at 6:00 but there will be festivities in K-Ville around 4:00. The Blue-White game will finish things off starting around 8:30.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

4 p.m. - Festivities begin in K-Ville

6 p.m. – Doors open

7:55 p.m. – National anthem

8 p.m. – Introduction of the 2019-20 Blue Devils

8:25 p.m. – Blue-White scrimmage

Duke Basketball Recruiting Update Posted

Who will the next Duke commitment be? More on the recruiting front in our latest in-depth update.

We love doing recruiting updates at Blue Devil Nation but only after we have good information.  Our latest offering is 2304 words of what is going on with 2020 class and how things should play out.  After the exciting commitment from DJ Steward, Duke now has three players for 2020, but the staff is far from finished.

Who will be the next player to commit?  Where does Duke stand with key prospects?  When are they visiting and who else is in play for their services?  I try to answer those questions to clear the picture on the Blue Devils hoops future.

Be sure to take advantage of our one-year special, which is 60 bucks for the year in the link above.  I have been covering Duke since Coach K stepped on campus and that allows Blue Devil Nation to offer a unique perspective on the program which is set to get things underway for the upcoming season.

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