Blue Devils notch solid ACC win

After losing two straight games to open the conference season, Duke has come on strong to win five in a row. Their latest victory comes against Boston College. BC is no slouch, and before the game was the top team in the ACC. Duke continues to improve with each game they play. In this one Duke dominated the entire game, not even giving BC a chance to get into it.

Josh McRoberts followed his great game against Clemson, and dominated once again in this one. He finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 blocks. It is not even a surprise now to see McRoberts dominate like this. After starting the season slow, he is now proving that he is one of the top players in the ACC.

DeMarcus Nelson was the top scorer for Duke with 17 points. He was one of the most consistent players for Duke today, and also had 8 rebounds. Some of his best work was on defense, were he took care of every player he was assigned to. He is without a doubt Duke's best defender.

One of the bright spots of the game was Lance Thomas. He was solid at the beginning of the season, but after an injury he had been flat out useless. This is the kind of game he needed to get back to the player he was. He finished with 10 points, 9 rebounds, and looked to have the confidence that he displayed earlier this year. I can't wait to see what Thomas does to follow this effort up.

I am sure everyone is worried about David McClure. After having another solid game, he went down with an injury to his knee. The broadcast team said it might just be a tweak, but no one was for sure. Hopefully we will know more tomorrow, and have David back as soon as possible. McClure, like always, was making big plays to help lead Duke to a win.

Scheyer had another strong game with 11 points. Paulus had a great assist day with 6 of them, and only turning the ball over 1 time. Pocius finally got some playing time, and looked very sharp scoring a quick four points, and showing that he is always ready when we need him.


PLAYER OF THE GAME
Josh McRoberts
Another dominating game for Josh. Does anyone even remember when we were worried about if he could take over a game?


It is a pleasure to watch Duke play right now. The team play has been awesome, and even when they make a mistake they never let it bother them. The rough schedule doesn't stop as Duke will will travel to Virginia to play the Cavaliers on Thursday. If Duke can continue to play at this level, then they will be looking sharp by March.

You want a piece of Duke, Gilbert?

Maybe you should rethink that........

You remember that faithful night in April 2001. Gilbert Arenas was playing for the Arizona Wildcats. Playing for Duke was probably one of the greatest college basketball teams ever assembled. Both teams were playing for the National Championship. Arenas shot a horrific 4 for 17, and Duke celebrated their third national championship.

This article tells of how Arenas is so offended for being cut from the Olympic team. I guess even people who get paid for playing a game can get their feelings hurt. Grow up Gilbert. You are enjoying your best year in the NBA, and all you want to do is cry about getting cut.

Does it make you feel good to talk about how you can beat a group of 18-22 year old kids. Poor guy. I think we should all take the time to buy Gilbert a "hope you are feeling better" Hallmark card.

I am not an NBA fan, but Gilbert Arenas is a fun player to watch. He is no doubt one of the most talented players in the league. But before he feels like he has something coming to him, maybe he should win do something first.....Like win a championship......on any level.

And the bottom line Gilbert.......Duke is a dynasty that rules the ACC and college basketball. Coach K has three championships and is a hall of fame coach.

What have you done lately???

McClure's last second finger roll leads Duke to win

For practically the whole game Duke dominated Clemson. On the boards, and in the points column. Then when Duke was up by five with about 15 seconds left, Vernon Hamilton drove to the basket and scored a quick two points. All Duke had to do was get the ball in, and get fouled. However, Josh McRoberts wasn't on the same page as Greg Paulus and threw the ball right to Vernon Hamilton who made a three point shot to tie the game at 66 with 4.4 seconds left. And in a sort of homage to Sean Dockery, McRoberts passed the ball to Jon Scheyer, who passed it to a cutting David McClure, who dropped the ball in the hoop with 0.1 seconds left for a great end to an exciting game.

McRoberts was solid for the entire game. He had 17 points and 12 rebounds and was a big reason why Duke was leading the entire game. However, he had five costly turnovers and seemed to always do it in the worst possible situation. All in all, Duke won the game and he was their leading scorer.

Greg Paulus has another good game, scoring 13 points and dishing out 5 assists. But he did have 4 turnovers, and made a few to many mistakes. He is playing a lot better than he was at the beginning of the year, and all his former critics(including me) are starting to shut their mouth.

Jon Scheyer has another rough shooting night. He went 2-10 from the field and 2-8 from behind the arc. He still had 12 points, and had the key pass that setup the game winning shot. DeMarcus Nelson had a quiet 13 points and 8 rebounds. He has been doing it all year, and is one of the most solid players in the ACC.


PLAYER OF THE GAME
David McClure
Yeah he only had 8 points, but those two key points were the ones that mattered the most. He is one of the best sixth man in college basketball, and will probably soon be starting if Lance Thomas doesn't get out of this funk. I am glad to see McClure playing like this night in and night out. Without him, we would be in serious trouble.


Next up for Duke is another big test. Sunday they will host Boston College, who is another top tier team in the ACC. Duke is playing well, but will have to be at their best to take care of BC.

Goodbye Sonny Vaccaro....

.....don't let the door hit you on the way out.

In an article written today on ESPN, Sonny Vaccaro announced that he would not be holding many of his summer league camps. Vaccaro, who became famous for attracting the biggest names in high school basketball, was the leader of "grass roots" basketball programs in this country for many years.

It is good to know that the man that tried(intentionally or not) to ruin college basketball, won't be showcasing future college All-Americans to the NBA and their "potential is my favorite word" scouts. It is true that many college coaches go to Vaccaro run camps to recruit, but knew that they would be competing against the NBA and the possibility of making millions of dollars.

A year ago I read a book entitled The Jump by Ian O'Conner. It follows Sebastian Telfair's senior season at Abraham Lincoln high school in New York City, and also goes into the mafia like and dark world of big time high school basketball. At the center of this world is Sonny Vaccaro. Maybe Andy Katz wasn't that far off when he stated that Vaccaro is "The Last Don" of basketball.

In the article, Vaccaro says that he will start up basketball academies in major US cities. These academies will concentrate of the fundamentals of basketball. If this is the case, then I will tip my cap to him. However, looking at his track record it is hard to say that he really cares about the way kids play the game, but how much money they will make.

With Vaccaro away from the top high school kids in the country, the spotlight will be significantly darker for the NBA to see. And hopefully this will lead to the college basketball world keeping some of the talent for more than one year.

Roll Devils Roll...

Another game, another Duke blow out. In the last three games since Duke lost to Georgia Tech, they have won by an average of 22.7 points. Defense has been outstanding, and they have been scoring points. Something they haven't been doing very well this year.

In the win against NC State, their were five Blue Devils in double figures. Scheyer(20), Nelson(15), Paulus(13), McRoberts(13), and McClure(10). Henderson had a solid game also with 8 points. This game was good from start to finish. After Duke started with an early lead, NC State barely ever saw a glimpse of being in it.

Scheyer is making a case why he should be ACC Freshmen of the Year. He is continuing to get better and better with every game, and is one of the true offensive weapons on this team. Paulus had another great game. His shot looks so good when it is on, and every time he plays well.....the Blue Devils play well.

Nelson had another solid game offensively, and seems to be fine with other players taking the leading scorer roll. Nelson has got to be one of the most underrated players in the nation, and hopefully by next year, to country will know what we already know.

McRoberts does what he usually does. Making his stat sheet light up. He finished with 13 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks. He is finally found that consistency that we wanted to see from him. And I still feel that he doesn't have to score 20 a game, as long as every one else keeps on their game.

It is a pleasure watching Gerald Henderson improve with every game. He is going to be something to watch in the coming years (hopefully he is around), and even by March should be even better than he is now.


PLAYER OF THE GAME
Jon Scheyer
Two out of the last three games he has been the leading scorer for Duke. This game with 20, and had 25 against Miami. Not much more I can say about what he is doing, besides WOW, and KEEP IT UP!!!


The road is going to get a little tougher as Thursday, Duke will welcome Clemson, and then Boston College on Sunday. After these two games, we shall see if this three game streak is for real.

Momentum keeps Devils rolling

Momentum is a funny thing. It can change the complexity of a single game in a matter of minutes. Duke needed to get back its momentum in Miami, and they did it convincingly. And it didn't seem to get lose in between Miami and Durham. Duke came out firing getting up on Wake Forest early and never gave a hint of giving it up.

Paulus was on fire, hitting it from every where. You can definitely see when his confidence is up. Every time he got the ball he look to put it up, because he knew he was going to make it. And as far a handling the ball, he was solid with 4 assists and only 1 turnover. Paulus was the top scorer in the game with 17 points.


Josh McRoberts had a rough shooting night, and really didn't assert himself on offense. However, his stat sheet was loaded as always. 11 points, 9 boards, 6 assists, and 3 blocks. McRoberts never really felt like he had to do anything with Paulus playing so well. And even though he looked a little stall, he still had a decent game.

Jon Scheyer seems to be in a funk where when he is good he is really good(25 points against Miami), and when he is bad, he is bad for the whole game. Really frustrating watching him put up brick after brick. But after getting fouled hard came back with and managed to put up 9 points. The shooting for Scheyer tells his story.....3-11 FG, 1-6 3FG. Scheyer will be alright, but I hope his consistency gets better.

Don't know if you heard but Gerald Henderson has some "hops". And he showed it last night. Henderson came off the bench and got a solid 9 points. Just about all of them were thunderous dunks. The rebound dunk was a pure athleticism, with his head about two feet above the rim, and his arm fully extended. He was a human highlight reel, and a dunk like his really gets the team going. Henderson is making a strong push for the true sixth man, and playing really well.

Nelson had a decent game with 9 points, but was never able to find a groove. McClure like always being that roll guy that you need to win a championship. Thomas really got set back with his injury, but looks good running the floor. He didn't take a shot and only played 15 minutes.


PLAYER OF THE GAME
Greg Paulus
How fun was it to watch Paulus play like he did. The Gonzaga was great, but this one was more proof that Paulus has it, but has to bring it every night. "Keep it up Greg. PLEASE keep it up."


The Blue Devils will try to keep it rolling on Saturday, when they travel to NC State to play the Wolfpack. The Wolfpack are much like Wake Forest, in the fact that they are struggling to find there identity. But they are still dangerous. And it is tough to win on the road against the ACC. Should be another good test. Saturday 2:30ct on ABC.

Scheyer leads Duke to first ACC victory

After two frustrating loses to open the ACC, Duke came to Miami to face a very dangerous Hurricanes team. It didn't seem to bother them that Miami took down Maryland early in the week. They controlled the game from the minute they came out on the floor.

Jon Scheyer who has been inconsistent with his shot in the previous loses, blew up shooting almost perfect from every spot on the floor. He finished with a career high 25 points. This is the kind of production we have to come to expect from Scheyer for most of the year. Even though he has struggled the last few games, this is a great sign.

Greg Paulus rebounded from terrible performances against VT and GT, to have a very solid performance with 15 points, and only turning the ball over twice. He along with Scheyer had a great shooting performance.

DeMarcus Nelson was another bright spot on offense scoring 14 points on 7-8 shooting. Josh McRoberts had a alright game with 11 points, but fouled out with a few minutes left.


PLAYER OF THE GAME
Jon Scheyer
I predicted that Scheyer would be a huge part of this team for years to come. He can score in so many different ways, and he is so deadly from behind the arc. Keep it up Scheyer!!!


For the first time in a long time the offense was clicking for the Blue Devils. I am sure every fan enjoyed seeing the Blue Devils score with efficiency. They could of scored 100 if they wanted to, but with about six minutes left played conservative. The defense got better in the second half, and frustrated Miami into taking bad shots keeping them from making it close.

This is the kind of name Duke needed. Even though it is January, this was a must win game. They needed it to feel confident, and prove to themselves that they can play with ACC teams.

The next game for the Blue Devils will be Thursday at Cameron against Wake Forest. Another good test for Duke, as they try to continue their winning ways.

They sucked.....They teased....Then they sucked some more

What can you say about the way Duke is playing. Nothing good I am afraid to say. The losses in the past two games, against GT and VT, have been horrendous games to watch for even the casual Duke fan. Are problems might look vast, but there is a one problem that makes all the rest seem so big. Greg Paulus, and his play as of late, is the reason we are losing games. We might not look like the prettiest of teams when we are on the floor, but with the play of Paulus we can't do anything. He is a liability right now, and doesn't seem to be getting any better.

If it wasn't for Paulus's play, we would be fine. That might sound crazy considering that not every player is playing up to par. However, he runs the floor, he has the ball in his hands, and he is the reason we are inconsistent. We need a PG who can slash the lane, and make crispier passes. Greg Paulus is flat out not getting it down. Coach K knows this. He hates to sit Paulus on the bench, but what other choice does he have. Scheyer is not being utilized to his full potential when he is PG. This hurts the team, but right now he is the best option.

Adjustments have to be made. Coach K has done this before. He needs to have some magic to make this team good enough to play in March. Who would of thought the country would actually be looking at the possibility of Duke not making the tournament. That might be extreme, but right now it is not guaranteed.

Coach K doesn't have to prove anything. However, he somehow turns this team around, and they make a good run in the post season, it will just prove even more that he is one of the best.

Questions to be answered....

Duke comes into tonights game against Georgia Tech a little down. After the disappointing lose to Virginia Tech at home, the Blue Devils are going to have to prove to themselves that they are good enough to compete for the ACC championship this year.

Greg Paulus, after playing so great recently, had a huge setback against VT where he saw the game from the bench more than on the floor. He needs to have a big game tonight to get his confidence back.

Josh McRoberts, much like Greg Paulus, was playing at a higher level than at the beginning of the year, had a rough time against VT. He didn't fall as hard as Paulus but still, he needs to be more efficient and continue to be the solid player he was just a few weeks ago.

The freshmen need to continue to get better. Jon Scheyer is just short of being consistently good. He needs to be more on his shot, and run the floor with more aggressiveness. Gerald Henderson just needs to keep doing what he has been doing. He is putting up points finally, and being a big time contributer. He, like Scheyer, needs to be more on with his shot. Lance Thomas, after being hampered by injury, needs to get back to the player we saw earlier this year. We need his athleticism down low. When Brian Zoubek gets in the game, he needs to stop making bone-headed plays. He has been doing better, but still not where he needs to be.

Every single player on this team needs to look at themselves in the mirror, and think to themselves how they can make this team better. A big win against GT on the road, and suddenly the VT game doesn't look as bad.

LETS GO DUKE....LETS GO DUKE....LETS GO DUKE....

Duke can't overcome turnovers

I apologize for the lateness, and for a short post today.

Obviously a terrible lose, that we didn't want to see. This is one of those bumps in the road that a young team has to endure. Paulus was dreadful. Hopefully, this was just a fluke, because this isn't the best team we will face this year. McRoberts even though getting the double-double, matched Paulus with 6 turnovers. This is not what you want from two of your best players.

Nelson was a solid, and kept us in the game. He is the go to guy, and right now the leader of this team. As far as freshmen, Scheyer and Henderson both received important playing time. Even though their shot percentage wasn't there, they contributed good efforts. The freshmen class continues to improve.

All in all our defense kept us in the game. If Paulus plays like that every game, forget it we are done. If this is just a game where he has to look himself in the mirror, and realize that he is better than this, then it might work to his advantage.

Wednesday we will get to see the character of this team. Georgia Tech is a solid team, and it is our first true road game. Should be interesting to see how Paulus and McRoberts react.

Duke captains lead victory

Last year, in Philly, Temple gave Duke all they could handle. This year, at Cameron, was a different story. Even though Temple came out shooting, and lead early in the first half, the young Duke team proved that they could weather any storm by being patient, and eventually getting the lead. Midway through the first half, the Duke shots began to fall and they found themselves starting to pull away from the Owls.

Josh McRoberts had his best scoring output of his college career, and had another stat sheet filled day. He finished with 21 points and 9 rebounds. McRoberts is continuing to do what he was supposed to do. Flat out dominate!!! We will see wants ACC play rolls around if he is for real.

DeMarcus Nelson got back into his groove scoring 14 points. The big part of his game was the 11 rebounds he pulled down. Nelson has got to be one of the best rebounding guards in the nation.

Greg Paulus was perfect from the field scoring 12 points. He didn't distribute the ball as much, but his leadership on the floor is what drives this team. And the fact that he is finally playing with consistency, is good news for Duke fans.

David McClure has been proving all year he is a valuable asset to this team. He only had 6 points, but had a game high 12 rebounds. McClure is a surprise that every Duke fan hoped for. And the good news is, is that he his going to be around for 2 more years.

Brian Zoubek who has struggled as of late, had a solid game with 8 points and 6 boards. If he continues to improve, it will be a great combination with McRoberts, Thomas, and Zoubek in the front court.

Coach K is starting to show his cards as far as the lineup goes. The rotation has been consistent throughout this month. McRoberts, Paulus, and Nelson all have seemed to notch their starting spots. And Scheyer has been the most consistently started freshmen thus far. With Thomas out, Henderson and McClure have been sharing the fifth starting spot.


PLAYER OF THE GAME
Josh McRoberts
For the second game in a row he is my "Player of the game". He is looking very comfortable with his role on this team. And like this team in general, he showing improvement in every game.



It is now time to start the ACC schedule. Time to separate the men from the boys if you will. First test will be Saturday against Virginia Tech. Everyone remembers last year when the Hokies came to town. And if you don't remember ESPN will probably show it half a dozen times. The game will start 12e/11c. The Hokies have a had a solid start to their season, with a four guys averaging double figure points. Their rotation thus far has been very deep. The Blue Devils need to realize that this game is know walk in the park. Should be a good test to start the ACC season.

Duke closes 2006 with impressive win

Duke took a long break after their big win against Gonzaga. It had been ten days since they played their last game, but Duke looked as good as ever in their win against San Jose State.

The Blue Devils started off hot getting a big 16 point lead late in the first half. However, San Jose State went on a 15-2 run, and for a period between about 5 minutes left in the first and six minutes into the second they looked like they were going to give the Devils a game. Duke didn't let their lack of offense bother them, as they eventually got their game back and went on a tear, eventually putting San Jose State away. 70-51 was the final score and they Devils continued to improve, and are looking better and better each contest.

Greg Paulus, who had his best performance against Gonzaga, had another solid game. He had 12 points, and continued to play great basketball LEADING the Blue Devils to another victory.

Gerald Henderson got the starting nod, and played very well. He had only 8 point, but had some really good moments, that showed that he is continuing to get better.

DeMarcus Nelson, after a pitiful performance against Gonzaga came back in a big way. He was one of three Blue Devils in double figures with 13 points. He did have 4 turnovers, which is uncharacteristic, but was all over the floor making some big plays.

Jon Scheyer's shot was definitely not on. He went 3-9 from the field, 1-4 from behind the arc, but still managed 8 points.

Pocius, McClure, and Zoubek all played quality minutes and had a handful of buckets.

I noticed for the first time that Lance Thomas was on the bench in street clothes. I haven't heard any indication of injury, but will follow up on this situation.


PLAYER OF THE GAME
Josh McRoberts
McRoberts had a monster of a game in getting a double-double. His stat sheet read 15 points, 17 boards along with 5 assists and 3 blocks. Another solid performance for the big man. He continues to use every single aspect of his game to help this team win. The fact that he isn't averaging 20 a game, won't hurt as much if he continues to put up stats like this.


2006 is over, and this young Blue Devils team has truly made all its fans excited for what is to come. Duke will have one more non-conference game Tuesday against Temple, before starting their ACC schedule. The next, and last non-conference opponent, after Temple, will be Feb. 25th against Saint John's.

*The Blue Devil Blog wants to wish all its readers a very happy and healthy 2007!!!