Duke just finished one of the most dominant exhibition games against #8 Tennessee. It was a game that was briefly tied at 2-2 in the first half but as the Blue Devils went on a 15-0 run it was never close again. Duke ran away with the game and dominated on both ends of the ball. This was a scary performance by a deep Duke team.
Duke Guard Deron Rippey Jr. looked Scary Good
Deron Rippey Jr. showed his ability to shoot as well as attack the paint. His speed and quickness make it hard for defenders to stay in front and his shooting ability makes it hard to back off. Rippey finished the game with 21 points, 3 steals, and 3 assists while shooting 9/12 from the field and 3/6 from three.
Rippey made a strong case for sheyer to think about starting him. He had major confidence and not once did he look like a freshman. Not only did he show that he’s an offensive weapon, but his defense looked good too. He was hounding the opposing guards and was constantly in the right spots. This is the type of play that Duke will need all season from their freshman guard.
Duke Has a Deep Team
Outside of Rippey, everyone that played looked impressive. Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje and Patrick Ngongba were dominating the paint on both ends and knocked down three-pointers. John Blackwell was a constant threat from the perimeter with his shooting ability. Sebastian Wilkins came in and gave valuable minutes and was an energy piece. Lastly, Dame Sarr showed offensive improvement and continued to play the great defense we saw last year.
This team may be deeper than they were last season. They definitely have better shooters. Their players are versatile and can shoot or score in the paint. They are defensively connected and took away both perimeter shooting and paint scoring. They looked ready to start the season.
What’s Ahead
Duke is now headed into a month where they will be battle tested. Over the next two months they have to play 5 ranked opponents, 4 of which are in the top 6. After today’s exhibition game, Duke fans should feel confident heading into the season.
Even if it was just a preseason game, it still allows people to see what teams are made of. These games let everyone see the team getting ready for the regular season. What Duke showed is that they are ready to compete. This next month will show how good they actually are.
This will be an exciting season for the Duke fans around the world. After this game they should be excited to start the season. This will be another good season for the Blue Devils with hopes of a championship.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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