Duke basketball was once again in the national spotlight, as six of the men and women's teams' incoming freshmen competed at the Jordan Brand Classic this weekend. Let’s take a look at how each of the future Blue Devils fared:
Cooper Flagg:
Continuing a strong all-star circuit, Cooper Flagg once again put on a show this weekend in New York. The Montverde Academy product showed off his scoring prowess from the opening tip, scoring the first points of the game on a tough left-hand finish while also knocking down several contested jumpers. The consensus No. 1-overall recruit also showed off his athleticism, finishing an impressive one-handed alley-oop late in the contest.
On the other end, Flagg continued to display his elite defensive ability, playing excellent help defense while also crashing the glass at a high level. The Newport, Maine, native finished the contest with a statline of 19 points and 10 rebounds. Check out his highlights from the game here:
Isaiah Evans:
After some underwhelming performances offensively in prior all-star games, Isaiah Evans reaffirmed his position as one of the best pure scorers in his class Sunday night. While he started this particular game off the bench, the North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year showcased his elite shot-making ability, knocking down several contested midrange jumpers and displaying a confident stroke from beyond the arc on his way to 12 points. Take a look at one of those jumpers:
While not the calling card of his game, Evans also played great defense throughout, stripping his future teammate Flagg during the game and prompting some trash talk between the five-star recruits. Here’s that exchange:
Kon Knueppel:
The Jordan Brand Classic was Kon Knueppel’s first appearance during the all-star circuit, and the Wisconsin product made the most of his opportunity. While he did not start, the guard showcased his mature game. Knueppel finished several tough drives to the rim while playing excellent team basketball by finding open teammates for assists and setting off-ball screens. The five-star finished with eight points on 4-of-6 shooting while also pulling down five boards. Let’s take a look at one of his buckets:
Patrick Ngongba II:
After sitting out the Nike Hoop Summit due to injury, Patrick Ngongba II made his return to the court in New York in a strong showing. The big man had several impressive rebounds down low while also playing stout defense both in the post and on the perimeter, racking up a stat line of seven points and five rebounds. However, his highlight on the night occurred when he received a pass from Evans and finished over top of Flagg for an and-one, which you can watch here:
Darren Harris:
Harris was the second Paul VI High School product, along with Ngongba, to take the floor in New York, as the 6-foot-6 guard started alongside Flagg. While his usually reliable jumper did not fall as consistently as he would have hoped, Harris still played a big role in his team’s success, making several heads-up plays on both ends of the floor and dishing out four assists. Check out a nice sequence from him here:
Toby Fournier:
Fournier was the lone women’s participant in the game for Duke. The Canadian had another nice showing, displaying her defensive versatility and prowess scoring down low. Head coach Kara Lawson will undoubtedly enjoy having Fournier on the roster as the “Sisterhood” looks to reload after a Sweet-16 run this season.
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