Marques Bolden
- Year: Sophomore
- Height: 6-foot-11
- Position: Center
- This year's stat line: 3.9 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.0 BPG
- The Blue Zone's projected stat line: 1.5 PPG,1.1 RPG, 0.1 APG
Season breakdown:
After struggling to make an impact during an injury-riddled freshman season, Marques Bolden had to be effective while on the court this season in order to carve out a role for himself alongside star freshmen big men Wendell Carter Jr. and Marvin Bagley III.
Bolden took advantage of extended minutes during non-conference play in order to showcase his improvements on both ends of the court. The DeSoto, Tex., native opened eyes with an eight-point, 10-rebound performance on Thanksgiving Day against Portland State, filling in for Bagley who was in foul trouble.
Bolden's signature performance came less than two weeks later on Dec. 5th. The 6-foot-11 center took advantage of an undersized St. Francis (Pa.) squad to record his first-career double double. Bolden accumulated a career-high 17 points and 10 rebounds in just 15 minutes of play.
These performances helped Bolden earn a role as one of the first Blue Devils off the bench in conference play.
Although Bolden missed almost all of January due to a knee-injury, he picked right back up where he left off after his return. Over the final 12 games of the regular season, Bolden logged more than 10 minutes in all but one contest, while converting on 75.8 percent of his 29 attempts from the field.
Results relative to expectations:
Bolden exceeded expectations in his sophomore season, beginning to play more like a former top-20 recruit, while eliminating comparisons to Chase Jeter.
Perhaps the most encouraging sign for Bolden was his increased strength. Bolden was much more of a force in the interior on defense this season, constantly affecting opposing players' shots before snatching defensive rebounds off the glass.
On the offensive end, Bolden used his 250-pound frame to back down defenders and drop the ball in the basket. The Desoto, Tex., native also added a hook shot to his increasingly diversified skill set, which helped him make an impact against some of the bigger centers Duke faced in the ACC.
After taking a big step forward in his sophomore season, Bolden has put to rest any concerns about his ability to play at a high enough level. The Blue Devils will most likely enter the 2018-19 season with Bolden starting at center, hoping that he can continue his rapid growth during the offseason.
Check back tomorrow for a review of Wendell Carter Jr.'s season. The Blue Zone has already reviewed Grayson Allen and Marvin Bagley III's campaigns.
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Digital Strategy Director for Vol. 115, Michael was previously Sports Editor for Vol. 114 and Assistant Blue Zone Editor for Vol. 113. Michael is a senior majoring in Statistical Science and is interested in data analytics and using data to make insights.