There’s a new aura in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke is quiet and focused. At the same time, it's raw, unpolished and like crude oil, this year’s group of young ballers is dangerous when given a spark. And, boy, do they have some firepower.
Fireball after fireball flew from the hands of the Blue Devils as they squared off against Maine; Duke jumped to a 24-9 lead as they entered the game hot, and rode that momentum for the rest of the contest.
Freshmen Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach got their first starts in a regular-season game, and they made sure to not disappoint. Experienced guards Caleb Foster and Tyrese Proctor took a backseat to the scoring barrage, but made sure to leave their impact, playing smothering defense and stretching the floor with some timely threes.
Knueppel was unstoppable, scoring 13 points in the first 10 minutes of the game, finishing the first period 5-for-8 from the field. The numbers are impressive, but it was the attitude with which the buckets fell that was even more impressive. The Milwaukee native was red with aggression as he looked to score every time he touched the ball, driving with determination and pulling long-range shots with an unfettered confidence.
“Everyone's confident in each other. We just go and find our guys in the right spots, and everyone can hit open shots,” Proctor said.
Knueppel's energy and aggression offensively was balanced out by Flagg's determination on the other side. The 6-foot-9 freshman terrorized ball handlers and jumped in passing lanes, working hard to find quick opportunities to get out in transition.
While not the most efficient night for the big name freshman, the forward “was close to having 25,” head coach Jon Scheyer remarked.
It was easy to see why, as the point forward acted as the puppeteer of a scary Duke offense, swinging the ball across the court with ease. The Blue Devils looked their best as the ball flowed effortlessly between them, scoring six of their first 11 buckets off of assists. That unselfishness early helped the entire team find momentum quickly in the first period.
“When we get into rhythm ... the ball is moving side to side,” Proctor said. “I think it stuck a little bit too much at the end of the first half. ”
The young team looked like cool veterans even against a significantly more experienced Maine squad. However, the inexperience did show some chinks in Duke’s armour, as the Black Bears lingered around for the latter part of the first half. Maine found success in tough mid-range shots, dropping baskets over top the fingertips of both Flagg and others after being down initially. The Black Bears clawed their way back into the game to keep it an 11-point ball game heading into half.
However, the Blue Devils reentered the court with a renewed focus, helped by veteran leadership from the Australian native Proctor and other upperclassmen like his backcourt mate Caleb Foster, and bigs Maliq Brown and Mason Gillis.
“We were all talking to each other … Some of the older guys, as well as myself, [said] ‘just stay in the course guys,’” Proctor said.
The team’s demeanor was apparent, as they looked determined to flip the script both defensively and on the boards after allowing the small comeback. Proctor, Flagg and Knueppel got their hands on the ball early, after renewing the team’s energy during halftime. Even after a slow 3-for-9 start, Flagg kept his foot on the gas by getting to the basket and imposing his will on the interior, earning plenty of trips to the line, finishing the night 6-for-6 from the charity stripe.
Even without carrying the bulk of the scoring on his shoulders, the Newport, Maine, native had a different mission to reinstate the Blue Devils' physicality down low, as the team had surprisingly struggled on the boards. Unfettered by tough bounces off the rim, No. 2 ensured his impact was felt as he grabbed board after board and ran the floor for 30 long minutes, before suffering from apparent cramps late in the second period.
By the time Flagg had sat down on the bench, the scoreboard reflected the team’s determination, up 30 in the final seconds of the game.
“I guarantee you Kon’s pissed at himself, because there's something he could have done better. It's just how he's wired. And Cooper is the same way,” Scheyer said.
Even in the locker room, after much of the team’s first collegiate win, there was little celebration, just a quiet, humble expectation. It spoke to a simple, but monumental reminder that Monday night was just the first step on a long journey to the ultimate goal. Were there things to improve on? Mistakes made? Yes, of course. But, the amount of focus and determination shows that when the hype reaches an uproar, the Blue Devils look well equipped for the dogfight of the college basketball season.
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