Tag:

duke blue devils

Michigan State Sets Tone Early in Champions Classic

by Carl Berman
written by Carl Berman

Chicago, IL – Michigan State controlled the tempo for much of Tuesday night’s Champions Classic matchup against Duke in a 79-73 victory behind the playmaking of Jeremy Fears Jr. and a balanced offensive attack. The Spartans established control early with defensive pressure and efficient transition opportunities to build a 34-25 halftime advantage. Despite Duke’s second-half comeback attempt, Michigan State maintained its lead throughout the contest to secure the victory.

Michigan State junior 6’2 point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. orchestrated the Spartan’s offense with 18 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds in 33 minutes of work. Fears consistently manipulated defenders in pick-and-roll situations demonstrating excellent court vision and an advanced ability to change speeds. His patience allowed him to draw help defenders before delivering timely drop off passes or quick hitters to rolling big men. The Joliet native attacked the basket utilizing his hangtime off floaters and crafty finishes against Duke’s interior length. Despite only shooting 3-of-9 from the field, Fears generated multiple fouls and converted on 12-of-17 free throw attempts.

6’6 230-pound junior forward Coen Carr contributed nine points on an efficient 4-of-5 shooting performance in a short 17 minutes of action due to early foul trouble. Known for his explosive athleticism, Carr demonstrated hard finishes above the rim while also connecting on a perimeter three-pointer. The strong four man displayed soft touch with a turnaround mid-range jumper from 12 feet and was able to capitalize on opportunities created by Fears.  

Sophomore shooting guard Jordan Scott finished with five points and a team-high nine rebounds and six blocks in 31 minutes. Despite modest scoring production, Scott impacted the contest through defensive activity, length, and competitiveness. The 6’7 wing demonstrated good timing as a help defender disrupting passing lanes and challenging shot attempts with his wingspan. His willingness to pursue loose balls and battle on the glass provided value contributions.

The Spartan’s other off guard in 6’4 freshman Jasiah Jervis sparked Michigan State’s offense with 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting including a pair of three pointers on four attempts. Jervis’ patience operating off ball screens and utilizing change of pace created openings within offensive flow. His ability to connect on a step-back three-pointer off the dribble showed shot making development as another perimeter scoring option.

For Duke, 6’5 senior John Blackwell led the Blue Devils with 17 points while connecting on 4-of-11 from three-point land. The Wisconsin combo guard transfer demonstrated confidence in catch-and-shoot opportunities from the corners which kept Duke in striking range throughout the last 10 minutes of the game. Blackwell showcased his ability to create off the dribble utilizing a spin move into a mid-range jumper and provided ball handling services throughout.

Junior center Patrick Ngongba contributed 11 points, five rebounds, and six assists in 29 minutes of action. The 6’11 big man demonstrated passing instincts from the interior positions while displaying soft touch around the basket. Ngongba finished aggressively on cuts off the ball and converted on a baby hook through contact in tight traffic. His ability to facilitate offense from the front court added another dimension for Duke’s actions although he struggled from the free-throw line, converting on 7-of-13 attempts.

Four-man Drew Scharnowski also supplied a well-rounded offensive night for Duke coming off the bench. The 6’9 senior forward from local Burling Central had eight points on 2-of-3 from the field while going 4-of-5 from the charity stripe. In 15 minutes of action, he demonstrated a high motor consistently running the floor rim to rim while in the half court rolling to the basket effectively in pick and roll situations. In the rebounding department he provided timely tip outs to keep possessions alive while his willingness to be physical in the paint helped Duke’s second half push.

This article was written by Michael Schneiderman of NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Instagram, or on twitter.

We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout apprenticeship program. For information contact us and forward your resume.

Texas Tech Tops Duke with Second Half Comeback

by Carl Berman
written by Carl Berman

New York, NY – On Saturday night we had an exciting showdown at the mecca between two top 25 programs in No. 3 Duke and No. 19 Texas Tech and it would live up to the excitement. The first half of this matchup was pretty much dominance from the Blue Devils. Texas Tech started out strong going on a 9-0 run to open up the night, Duke would then go on to outscore them 46-27 from that point on giving them a 46-36 lead at the half. Although Duke had a balanced scoring in the half leading the way was projected top 3 draft pick Cameron Boozer who filled up the stat sheet with 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. As for the Red Raiders the frontcourt duo of LeJuan Watts and JT Toppin combined for 24 of 36 of their team’s points. 

Coming out of the locker room Texas Tech needed some production out of their backcourt, specifically Christian Anderson who had a quiet first half with 4 points despite being the Red Raiders second leading scorer this season. Anderson would go on to deliver greatly in the second half scoring 23 of his 27 points going 8-of-10 from the field. It proved to be even more important considering Watts fouled out  half way through the second half in finishing with 20 points. The Blue Devils started the night hot from beyond the arc going 7-of-14 in the first half but they would go cold in the second.

Cameron Boozer continued to generate many quality looks for his teammates throughout the half but the shots wouldn’t fall as they did earlier in the game. The Red Raiders’ star duo of Toppin and Anderson would continue to take advantage of Duke’s missed opportunities from the perimeter and the charity stripe. That eventually led to a big 82-81 Tech win over Duke, handing the Blue Devils their first loss of the season and snapping their 11 game winning streak. 

This matchup gave the fans a show with some excellent individual performances from both teams. From the Blue Devils the obvious standout was Cameron Boozer who showed exactly why he’s in the discussion to be the potential number one pick in the upcoming NBA draft. He finished the night with 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists showcasing his talent on one of the biggest stages in college basketball. Boozer displayed high IQ and overall great feel for the game, making some impressive reads out of the post for quality shots for his teammates all night. He was also strong on the glass. His ability to use his strength to get box out position and grab rebounds despite not being an elite vertical athlete is stellar. His scoring came naturally tonight with his soft touch around the rim getting opportunities by sealing his man and scoring out of the post in addition to the offensive glass. 

As for the Red Raiders they got great games out of the trio of Christian Anderson, JT Toppin, and LeJuan Watts. Toppin and Watts dominated the game in a similar way by doing their work on the block with their back to the basket and scoring in the paint with tough shot making at the rim all night. Toppin also was a monster on the boards grabbing 10 rebounds against a highly regarded Duke frontcourt. However, despite all these big-time performances the player of this game was hands down Christian Anderson who had 27 points on 9-of-14 shooting with five made 3’s. Anderson’s shot making was nothing short of incredible; he was dynamic being able to score off the dribble out of the pick and roll and getting to pull up jumpers from range. He also showcased an in-between game getting into the teeth of the defense for short range shots and mid-range shots. Anderson’s ability to get clutch time buckets was the main key for the Red Raiders significant win over the Blue Devils.

This article was written by Jordan Amadeo, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Instagram, or on twitter.

We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout apprenticeship program. For information contact us and forward your resume.

Duke Outlasts Kansas at Champions Classic

by Carl Berman
written by Carl Berman

New York, NY — The opening minutes of the Duke – Kansas game at the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden delivered the intensity expected from two blue-blood teams on the national stage. Both teams emerged competing on every possession, hustling for loose balls, pressuring the rim, and exchanging tough interior plays. The shooting numbers mirrored the early defensive tone for both sides, with Duke shooting 28% from three and Kansas averaging 30%, while still being efficient from the inside, with Duke hitting 41% overall and Kansas converting 52% of its field goals.

Kansas started the game in control despite star freshman Darryn Peterson’s absence due to a hamstring injury. Tre White anchored with physical drives and confident midrange scoring and pushed the Jayhawks to a 15–10 lead at the opening media timeout. Duke survived that opening stretch via the consistent scoring of sophomore Isaiah Evans, who demonstrated comfort in creating off movement and attacking gaps. Kansas gained a 24–18 advantage midway through the half, with Flory Bidunga’s hustle putting them up eight early rebounds and putting Duke on a lurch from the inside.

In the minutes before halftime, the game turned. Duke brought its defense into sharper focus, forced Kansas into tougher looks, and began to control the tempo. Evans buried a buzzer-beating three at the horn to complete a 21–7 Duke run that left the team leading with a 41–33 lead entering the break. Evans had 11 at the half; White 15 at the break, the highest of all scorers.

Kansas also answered with grit in the second half. The Jayhawks consistently attacked the paint on a night when perimeter shots wouldn’t fall, eventually cutting a double-digit deficit to 62–57 following a Bryson Tiller left-handed finish with 7:47 remaining. Both frontcourts fought foul trouble — Bidunga and Tiller with four for Kansas and Patrick Ngongba with four for Duke — and added pressure to every possession.

Evans held his own on a strong night, earning 16 points, four rebounds, and three assists, including 3-of-7 from deep. At 6-7, his length and versatility lets him score from multiple levels and also helps establish key passes on pick-and-roll. His poise was crucial whenever Kansas put together a run.

With a standout display — 22 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and two steals — White kept Kansas in reach using his strength and balance to generate offense inside the arc. Kansas also looked to   who, after halftime netted nine of his 12, and to the hard work of Tiller and Bidunga. Still, the lack of Peterson and a 4-of-21 (19%) team performance from three limited Kansas’ firepower.

Duke’s depth ultimately separated the teams. Much of the anticipation going into the night centered on freshman Cam Boozer (18 points, 9 rebounds), but his twin brother Cayden provided a timely spark with seven consecutive points in an important second-half stretch. He had four rebounds and three assists and stabilized Duke when Kansas threatened to close inside by shooting.

Ngongba scored 13 points and seven rebounds on perfect 4-of-4 shooting, thriving as a roller, lob finisher, and short-roll passer. His inside presence made Kansas rotate hard, leaving some pockets open for Duke’s wings to strike in. He has since collected multiple assists in each of Duke’s first five games, becoming a more playmaking big.

The defining moment came when Duke was on top 69–64 and only two seconds left on the shot clock from an inbounds situation. Evans curled off a Ngongba screen into the left corner, Cayden Boozer threw an accurate pass, and Evans rose over Kohl Rosario to drill a dagger three just before the shot-clock buzzer. Converting the lead eight points was an important piece of the game. Thereafter, it was sealed for good.

Kansas fought to the finish, cutting the deficit to three with less than four minutes on the clock, but Duke’s poise, as well as depth and execution, sent them home. The Blue Devils’ defensive rotations kept a tight grip, late-clock play-calling lit up all game, and their scorers made sure things went on as planned.

The final tally showed the difference: Kansas 19% from three, Duke’s balanced scoring, and a 78–66 win that proved Duke’s maturity and also that Kansas was capable even without its star guard.

Leaving the Garden, the contrast was clear: Duke played the way that their identity has been established. Kansas fought but still must find answers without Peterson.

This article was written by Courtney Chappelle, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Instagram, or on twitter.

We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout apprenticeship program. For information contact us and forward your resume.