Takeaways: Countdown to Craziness
The entire Duke community had been waiting for this night since the Blue Devils last took the court in front of fans at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 7, 2020.
And the return of Countdown to Craziness did not disappoint.
The night was as special as any over the last two seasons for Mike Krzyzewski and he showed his appreciation to the fans between the two 12-minute scrimmages.
Following the game, those sentiments were expressed yet again.
“It was a great atmosphere, and it was outside beforehand. I thought our kids played hard and pretty well. I was really pleased with the entire day.”
No doubt that CTC provided Duke players, coaches, fans and the community as a whole, the electricity and sense of normalcy that everyone has been craving.
But beyond that, the scrimmage itself gave everyone a first glimpse of what this team brings to the table.
And to be quite honest, it brings a lot.
Here are a few reflections from Friday night’s event:
THAT FRONTCOURT IS DOWNRIGHT SCARY
We all saw what Mark Williams could do in the final month or so of last season. And we all knew he would only improve over the summer and early fall. No surprise, but he proved us all right.
Williams cleans up everything around the rim. He has the ability to simply own the boards. The thing with Friday night is he didn’t do it against a walk-on or someone that he could just push around - he did it against Theo John, a force in his own right in the paint.
Offensively, he’s really worked on his footwork, and balance in the paint. And perhaps the most notable thing for me offensively was that he did not shy away from physical play. That’s a huge bonus going forward.
As for his running mate, freshman Paolo Banchero: this guy can flat out be a game changer. His versatility to play around the rim, and break defenders down off the dribble is impressive. In the first scrimmage, Banchero had probably the best move of the night when he used a lightning quick first step to drive past his defender and throw a hammer down that sent the Cameron Crazies into a frenzy.
The high-low between he and Mark Williams will be a thing of beauty as their on-court chemistry grows.
Then there was John, whose experience shined through. He plays smart on both ends of the floor and even showed solid footwork in the paint, particularly with a baseline, turnaround hook shot. He will give Duke big minutes this year and will be a critical piece to that frontcourt.
TREVOR KEELS WILL MAKE HIS PRESENCE FELT
Trevor Keels gets my game ball for the night. He was so assertive and confident on both ends. Offensively, he really sees the floor well and is great on the ball. He gets his teammates involved while also showing an aggressiveness to attack the basket. He has long been noted for his accurate perimeter shot, but it’s how complete his offensive game has become that was most impressive to me.
Defensively, he was so active. Keels has a big, strong body and he used it to his advantage on the defensive end of the court. He showed quick hands to create turnovers, and wasn’t afraid to go after loose balls or battle for rebounds.
I really, really like what he brings to this team.
TRANSITION GAME CAN BE REALLY GOOD
This team’s transition game has the potential to be very good. Potentially seven guys (when AJ Griffin returns) have the ability to push the ball up the floor.
Jeremy Roach, Wendell Moore Jr., Joey Baker, Keels, Banchero, Griffin and even Jaylen Blakes, can push the ball in transition. That means Duke can play fast.
We saw a number of guys do damage in transition, and one of the most impressive things we saw was how Banchero ran the ball up the floor and was able to find Williams and others. Keels was also really good in this regard. The others were, too.
The bottom line is Duke can run. If they are as active defensively as their play tonight indicates it can be, then the Blue Devils will be able to put a lot of pressure on opponents.
Additionally, the versatility of this group - and we see it with their ability to push the ball - will be a strength and will likely cause matchup problems. That’ll likely be true both in transition and in the half court, but also on defense. The ability to switch can be a major advantage for this team.