Here is a rivals article worth our time, in that it talks about what players to watch for the coming basketball season.  He speaks of the battle for the two guard spot at Duke and touches on McRoberts and the National scene.

 Who will start at the two guard spot?

Here is a good read on Kyle Singler in case you missed it.  Welcome to Duke !

DURHAM, N.C. - Freshman center Brian Zoubek led all scorers with 27 points and added 10 rebounds and three blocked shots to highlight Duke’s annual Blue-White scrimmage on Saturday evening at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Zoubek connected on 11-of-15 field goal attempts on the night and had 15 points, six boards and all three of his rejections in the second game.

The scrimmage consisted of two 15 minute games.  After the first 15 minute stint, the teams were shuffled and the score was reset. 

Zoubek had 12 points for the Blue squad in the first game, leading them to a 28-23 victory.  David McClure and Gerald Henderson added six apiece while freshman Lance Thomas led the White team with 10 points, Josh McRoberts had seven and DeMarcus Nelson six.

The White team overpowered the Blue team in the second game, winning 34-17 behind Zoubek's 15 points, six rebounds and three blocks.  Jon Scheyer had five assists while Henderson added eight points for the white team.  Jamal Boykin led the way for the Blue team with six points and six rebounds while Thomas added five points. 

Overall, rookies Thomas and Henderson scored 15 and 14 points, respectively, while McRoberts enjoyed a fine all-around evening with 11 points, five rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks.  Scheyer had five points and a game-best five assists while Boykin carded eight points and a game-high 11 rebounds, seven of which came on the offensive end.

Duke is next in action on Thursday when the Blue Devils host Shaw in an exhibition contest.  Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

Box Score                 Herald Sun 

Note- Several links are listed in the story which are related to this story.

One of the most sought after basketball prospects in the Nation announced that he will  travel from Oregon to North Carolina to play his college basketball for Duke University.  

Kyle Singler stands 6-9 and weighs 220 pounds.  He is a multi-talented player who is the Nations top ranked SF in the class of 2007. He elected to play the rest of his basketball career under the tutelage of Mike Krzyzewski.

The decision was made official shortly after 6:00 EST in Panthers Gymnasium, the home of  South Medford High , where he will play out the remainder of his senior basketball season.

South Medford HS coach Dennis Murphy said "It's a good deal for Kyle," and I have to agree.  This is a win-win situation for both Kyle and Duke.

He joins Taylor King  and Nolan Smith in a class that would be ranked the Nations best if coveted PF Patrick Patterson selects Duke in his pending mid November decision.

Several people have tried to describe Singlers game, comparing him to some pretty good former NBA players.  I have heard some basketball aficionados say Rick Barry or Larry Bird's name when searching for a fit.

Kyle and his Dad watched film Larry Bird while he was developing basketball skills.

Kyle has a little "old school" in his game and I do not think the above comparisons are necessarily a perfect fit, but I can tell you a little bit about his game having seen him play on the AAU circuit.

Kyle has the ability to carry a huge load or blend into the team concept. He is a very adept scorer, being a threat from inside and out.  He has great hands and moves well with and without the ball.  He is ahead of the curve with his passing skills, making him a double threat.

Singler is a consensus top five player in the country.

There is no doubt that Kyle is a piece of a future championship puzzle for Duke.  He is the type of player that make those around him better.  May felt he was the best player on the court when he participated for Team USA U-17.

In an earlier interview I had with Kyle, he stated  that he was ready for the process to end in August, yet he honored all of his visits before deciding it was time to make his choice official.

Kyle's Mom played basketball at Oregon State.

Here is the interview I did with Kyle in August.  Kyle likes to hang out with his friends and enjoys playing paint ball.  He described himself as fun, crazy and likable.  He has no fear of playing any particular style of basketball in college.  He states that he loves watching Larry Bird on tape, marveling and learning how he played all aspects of the game to make those around him better.

Many have felt all along that Kyle was a Duke lean and his neighbors probably knew of his college choice, but managed kept it quiet unlike the cyber world.  It would have been hard for them not to have known because on October the 5Th on the last day of the contact period Coach K visited with the lead assistant in Kyles recruitment, Wojo.  They were greeted by family members and close friends of the Singlers which is a tale, tell sign that Duke was in good favor.

Regardless of the chatter about leaks, this is a happy day for the Singler family and I for one am ecstatic to welcome them to the Duke Family. It should prove to be a fruitful relationship for all involved.  Yes, it is official ... Kyle Singler is the newest Duke Blue Devil.

Kyle average d 20.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 3.1 assists as a junior, leading his team to the runner up position in the Oregon State Finals.

Kyle was an accomplished football player at South Medford .

Kyle chose Duke over Arizona and Kansas.  He eliminated UCLA earlier.  Lute Olsen and Bill Self visited his school quite often during the battle for his services.

Kyle was a 2ND team Parade All American as a high school junior.

High School Achievements:

-Named as a junior in 2005-06 Parade Magazine All-America second team, EA Sports All-America 2ND team, USA Today All-Junior Class, EA Sports All-America second team, all state tournament first team, all-state first team, Southern Oregon Conference (SOC) Player of the Year, All-SOC first team and All-SOC defensive first team.
- Named as a sophomore in 2004-05 all state tournament first team, all-state second team, All-SOC first team and All-SOC defensive first team.

High School Notes:

-Has played three varsity seasons at South Medford High School (Ore.) and has been a starter in 81 of 81 games played.
-In his three seasons at South Medford H.S. (Ore.) his teams have compiled an overall win-loss record of 83-7 for a 92.2 winning percentage, and state tournament finishes of first (2004-05), second (2003-04) and third (2005-06).
- Has compiled in three varsity seasons 1,339 career points, 629 rebounds, 191 assists, 115 steals, 72 blocked shots, while shooting 55.2 percent from the field and 70.0 percent from the foul line.
- Set South Medford H.S. career scoring record in just three seasons.
- Recorded career high of 34 points.
- As a junior in 2005-06, averaged 20.5 ppg., 5.4 rpg., 1.9 apg., while shooting 58.4 percent from the field, 52.6 percent (20-38) from 3-point and 72.2 percent from the foul line. Helped team to a 27-2 record and a state runner-up finish.
- As a sophomore in 2004-05, averaged 19.9 ppg., 7.0 rpg. and 3.0 apg.
- Also played football and earned 2005 all-conference first team honors as a tight end and as a defensive back, and was named in 2004 all-conference third team selection at tight end and defensive back. 
- Played in 2005 and 2006 for AAU Portland Legends.

Personal Notes:

• Born May 4, 1988, in Medford, Oregon.
• Son of Kris and Ed Singler, has one brother, EJ, and one sister, Katie.
• Father, Ed, played football at Oregon State; mother, Kris, played basketball at Oregon State; uncle, Rick Brosterhous, played basketball at University of Oregon; uncle, Greg Brosterhous, played football at University of Oregon; uncle, B.G. Brosterhous, played basketball at the University of Texas; uncle, John Brosterhous, played football at University of Oregon; uncle, Bill Singler, played football at Stanford University; cousin, Ericka Brosterhous, played basketball at Oregon State.

Oregons local media has had good coverage of Kyle.

Here is the DBR checking in on Singlers decision.

The Durham Herald Sun checks in on Singler.

Then there is WSOC TV from Oregon that has it's blurb.

Another local TV Station checks in.

From the press conference-

DeMarcus Nelson spent his summer training with former NBA players in his home state of California.

Markie participated in a Navy Seals conditioning program which makes his upper body muscles bulge.  "It definitely helped my conditioning by working out over the summer" he stated on the opening day of practice.

DeMarcus will be 1/3 of the Duke captains this season and much of the responsibilities will be placed on his shoulders.

Coach K recently stated, "DeMarcus is an energy player ... we don't want to mess with his game because he is everywhere on the court and we like it the way it is."  Coach was making reference to thoughts he would be used at the PG spot after Paulus went out with an early season injury.

The first of two official polls is out for the coming basketball season and the Duke Blue Devils are ranked 11th in the Nation to start off the season.

Here is a link to the Top 25 Poll.

The soccer game with Clemson was moved to Saturday at 1:00 as the Number two ranked Duke Men's Soccer team goes for the regular season title at Clemson.

Kyle Singler will be announcing his colleiate decision tomorrow at 6:00 EST.   Kyle has been one of two players the Blue Devils are actively recruiting for the 2007-08 season.

 We will have Singler news after his press conference tomorrow.

Greg Paulus had Duke fans holding their breath when the news came out of Durham that he suffered a broken foot in the second practice of the young basketball season.

The Blue Devil Nation was on hand for Wednesday scrimmages and brings you the good news in the picture below-

Greg Paulus did not participate in the practice, but he did exhort his teammates from the sidelines.  More importantly, he was not wearing the protective boot.

The Duke medical staff will continue to monitor his progress on a daily basis.  He was still using a stimulator, but seemed to be in good spirits as he took a couple of short shots and walked around in a way that looked positive.

In more good news, Brian Zoubek scored 9 points and snared 9 boards in the first of two twelve minute scrimmages which featured ACC officals in order to simulate game action.   Exstensive overage of this and much more is in the newsletter.

Lance Thomas threw this dunk down on Wednesday while getting ready for this Saturdays Blue-White game.  You can read  the early season buzz and see exclusive photos like these from yesterdays scrimmage by joining the Blue Devil Nation Premium Newsletter.  You will find the illustration we provide nowhere else on the internet.  There are constant timely updates posted daily and you will quickly learn that the coverage is second to none. 

Here is a recent testimonial -

Flashback to August Interview

BDN- What three words best describe Kyle Singler?

KS- fun, crazy, likable

BDN- Who do you pattern your game after?

KS- I like Larry Bird.  I watch a lot of film of him.  I liked the way he passed and worked all aspects of the game.

BDN- Your team plays a lot of zone.  Do you feel as if you can adapt to man to man defense?

KS-  Oh yeah!  I can adjust to any defensive style.  I like playing man to man.

BDN- What do you like to do away from basketball?

KS-  I hang with my friends, go to movies  ... I love to play paintball.

BDN- You grabbed a big rebound in your teams win.  Were you looking to get in position for a key miss late in the game?

KS- I knew the game was on the line, so I did what my team needed and the ball came off right.

BDN- Is there a decision timetable?

KS- No. Not at the moment.  I will take visits to Kansas and Washington, and UCLA and Duke are right there too.

BDN- Are you ready for the process to end?

KS- Yeah.  It is getting a little tiring.  I will be glad to concentrate on my Senior year.

BDN- Did you learn a lot playing for the US U-18 team?

KS- Oh yeah.  It was a great experience.  I had an opportunity to play with some great teammates and got some good coaching.

Would you like to play for team USA again one day?

KS-  Yes.

BDN- I understand you'll be taking time off and rest for the remainder of Summer ...

KS- Yes.  I want to spend some time at home and with my family.  I have been going non stop and want to rest for a bit.

The memories Grant Hill provided for me will forever have him entrenched on the All Time Duke Team.  Be it the sensational catch and dunk versus Kansas to help Duke win their first National Championship or his amazing senior year where he led the Devils to another title game, to come up just short.  I can forgive him for the fade haircut which doesn't make him too happy that it forever stands in time on a 1991 Sports Illustrated cover, but in talking to him a few years back, he laughed at the style of the day.

That is Grant for you -- humble as they come despite coming from a family where his Dad played for the Dallas Cowboys and his Mom hangs with Hillary Clinton.  A few years back, Grant could be seen in a local Duke haunt called Sam's Quick Shop.  He would try to blend in but that was tough, especially when he had a thing for the gossip rags, being the National Enquirer and Star magazine.  In fact, I peered over his shoulder as he was looking at his future wife Tamia in Black Beat which makes you wonder if he had his eyes on her then. Anyhow, Grant is quite the ambassador for whatever he chooses, be it his Alma mater or a cause in Orlando.

The following article tells of how hard it is for a local beat writer in Orlando to criticize Grant, whose injury problems have been frustrating to his fans.  It is a good read on former number 33.

Here is Grant Hills Bio on his official site.  Yep!  Ole watzone was lucky enough to see every home game Grant played in and was on the floor for his jersey retirement  He is one of my favorites.

Here are the second round of images from a Duke Basketball Practice.   This Friday, Duke holds it's open practice for the general public.  If you can make it, look up the Blue Devil Nation.

 Coach K instructs Josh McRoberts in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Coach K confirmed that Greg Paulus would likely be back in two weeks.  This is great news for Duke basketball.  He is currently wearing a boot with a stimulator.  The injury occured in practice when he stepped on DeMarcus Nelsons foot.

BDN Photos

Greg Paulus will return to action in two weeks.  The Blue Devil Nation is very happy about that!

Now confirmed by the Associated Press -

DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said the foot injury that sidelined point guard Greg Paulus will keep him out of action for weeks and not months.

Paulus injured his left foot on the second day of practice, aggravating an old injury. Krzyzewski said Paulus stepped awkwardly on the foot of teammate DeMarcus Nelson during a drill. He's wearing a protective boot with a bone stimulator to improve healing.

Krzyzewski said the injury is progressing through rehabilitation, and while he's hoping it will take a few weeks, he and the team will have to wait and see.

The Blue Devil Nation attended two days of practice and would like to share a few images with Duke fans.  You may see them here, where they are best viewed by hitting the slide show mode after selecting a picture.

The picture above is from practice #7 and shows Zoubek, McRoberts, Thomas and new walk-on Johnson.  There are additional pictures and extreme coverage of several practices in the Blue Devil Nation Premium Newsletter.  There are constant recruiting updates as the Blue Devils hope to land Kyle Singler and Patrick Patterson, two of the Nations most coveted talents.  Their decisions are expected soon, so it's a great time to consider joining to get  accurate and timely information.  If you would like to join, the info is located on the menu to your left.

Duke had the ball on the Miami six yard line with three seconds left to play, but freshman Thaddeus Lewis threw his fourth interception of the day and Miami held on for life, trimming the Blue Devils 20-15.

Lewis led the Dukies on several impressive drives in the second half of play and Duke adjusted better than they had all season at half time, outscoring Miami 15-3 after the intermission.

True freshman Thad Lewis led the Devils to the Miami six yard line as time ran out.

The learning curve proved too much for Lewis to overcome, while Miami QB Kyle Wright had the game you would expect from a vet, throwing for 299 yards with one interception.

Duke played hard today, making the fans who stayed proud.  The atmosphere in the fourth quarter was all a college football fan could ask for.  The students who remained cheered hard and Duke had the Canes on its heals.

The Devils had more first downs and total yardage, not to mention holding the Miami running game to 37 yards. 

The game was full of excitement in the fourth quarter.  One Miami fan sitting near me was clearly stunned and one said "It looks like yall are going to tear the goalposts down."

For awhile that seemed a possibility.  Duke scored two TD's in the fourth quarter one a pass to Raphael Chestnut and the other a run.  There was yellow jacketed security on the sidelines as Duke drove the length of the field with excellent clock management.  On this day, they fell short, but if they continue to build on this game, it'll be hard not to think Roof may have this team moving in the right direction.   The offense is painfully young, but some players stepped up today and served notice that Duke may not be the ACC's worst team and that he future may be bright on offense. 

Duke got the ball back with 1:43 left and had a drive that went to the Miami six yard line. The Canes on the ropes, but the Blue Devils fell just short of victory on a day where they outgained Miami on offense.

The Duke defense held Miami on a key third down play, but offensive drives eventually faltered twice.  Duke took Miami to the last play of the game and if the ball had been ruled a fumble, you would have seen footage that rivaled California-Stanford a few years back.  It was a truly bizarre ending, but it showed that Duke never quit and that the fans wanted them to win as badly as the player did.  We were that close today and one day soon, Duke will find a way to end the skid if they keep playing with the effort they showed today.

Duke-Miami Images

For best results, hit slideshow option after going to the link above.

The Blue Devil Nation was on hand for the Duke Men's team practice and took a few notes on this years team.  This fresh information appears in the BDN Newsletter which features premium basketball recruiting information, some behind the scenes views, as well as commentary and a bit of speculative chatter.  A one year subscription is 100.00. 3 months usually runs 36.00 but there is currently 29.00 special.

 If you have any interest, go to "how do I join newsletter" on the menu.  It's not for everybody, but if you want commentary or information on the Duke recruiting scene, you may want to give it a try.

"Shelden Williams isn't here to block shots this year!" - Coach K to the 2006-07 Blue Devils in practice number 7 of the season.

 BDN gives it's views on scrimmage and practice in the premium-newsletter.

"The freshman are ahead of last years." 

"We are not a good shooting team. So, we need to take good shots and rebound on the offensive end."

Coach K

Here is a link to the official Duke Site for TV Schedule information and ticket sales for the CBE Classic in which Duke opens the 2006-07 men's basketball season in Cameron Indoor Stadium vs Columbia on November 12th and the winner of UC-Davis or Georgia Southern the following evening.

 The season starts November 12th versus Columbia in the CBE Classic.  The first two games are in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Houston wants former Dukie to take a bigger role on offense and is expected to take more shots as a Rocket.

Shane Battier responds -

Battier smiles, because he remembers having a similar discussion with another coach a few years ago.

"I had this talk before my sophomore year at Duke, when I averaged seven points and was a banger, rebounder and screen-setter," Battier said. "Coach K (Mike Krzyewski) brought me into his office and said, 'That's not gonna cut it anymore.'

"Then he really got on me my junior year after Elton Brand, William Avery, Corey Maggette and Trajan Langdon left. Coach K used to call me every day in Chicago, where I was interning in the summer. He'd say, 'Can you picture yourself as a 20-point scorer?' I'd say, 'Well, coach,' and he'd hang up on me. He called me every day, and the second that I hemmed and hawed, he'd hang up on me.

"It took me a few days. When I finally said, 'Yes, coach, I can see myself being that guy,' then we had a normal conversation."

Here is the link from the Houston Chron which tells of the Rocket brass wanting Shane to take on a larger offensive role by shooting more often.

When Duke takes to the field this weekend, they hope to continue building around freshman Thad Lewis. Here is an article on his surprising progress.

 Lewis starts as a true freshman QB in the ACC

Here is a link where Mrs. Patterson told a local Kentucky newspaper that some had jumped the gun in dismissing Duke.  As I told you in the Blue Devil Nation Premium Newsletter two days ago, Patrick Pattersons Mom denied reports that her son was down to Florida and Kentucky.

BDN will continue to follow this recruiting battle and will cover Kyle Singlers pending decision too.  With the season starting and recruiting heating up, it is a good time to consider subscribing so that you will not miss any of the news or action coming from Durham.

Support the Blue Devil Nation and be kept abreast of all the latest recruiting happenings and behind th scenes coverage.

The 2007 version of College Basketball 2K7 video game features JJ Redick on it's cover.  It is the numbr one ranked college basketball game for several years running. This article discusses what to expect and how he came about signing to be the cover boy.

Former National POY, JJ Redick is making money from endorsements.

From the article -

2K Sports, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), announced today a number of unique new features in College Hoops 2K7, the #1 rated college basketball simulation series for four-straight years*. With the revolutionary Chant Creator, the enhanced Coach Mode, and the even more realistic college game atmosphere, College Hoops 2K7 fans will be caught up in the excitement and pageantry of collegiate basketball like never before.

Jon Scheyer is making an impact on Duke Basketball and the season has yet to start.  The wide eyed freshman has been thrust into the role of running the team.  Greg Paulus injury has Coach K turning to a freshman shooting guard and in only the third practice of the young season.  "He has first crack at it" said one assistant coach.  How many off guards are handed the keys to the ship from Coach K?  Not many.  Scheyer may not be your average freshman though.  Jon was named the outstanding player in the Chicago area last season.  The windy city constantly produces some of the counties best players, so that is a pretty big endorsement.  Here an article from the Chicago Tribune on Jon Scheyer adjusting to the Duke spotlight .

 Freshman roommates Zoubek and Scheyer

I guess I can see why when reading this excerpt on our offensive woes -

Simply stated, Duke cannot run the football. The Blue Devils averaged a paltry 1.3 ypc against FSU, while Duke's leading rusher in that game (Re'quan Boyette) tallied only 25 yards. And it was not an aberration, as Duke is the nation's 117th-ranked running offense. The Blue Devils rank similarly in passing offense (96th), total offense (116th) and scoring offense (117th). Indeed, teams have had absolutely nothing to fear when facing the Duke offense, and that has put quite a strain on freshman quarterback Thaddeus Lewis. The signal-caller has thrown for only 913 yards and three touchdowns, while he has thrown five picks. Of course, he is also under relentless pressure, considering Duke has given up more sacks than all but two teams in Division 1-A.

 All eyes will be on the Canes conduct this weekend where Duke goes for their first win of the season in Wallace Wade.

Here is a Miami-Duke preview from the Canes point of view.

More on Miami football rep

Go Duke on the match up

From Atlanta - Shelden Williams had dinner Monday night here with his good friend and former Duke teammate J.J. Redick. While Williams has tasted plenty of competition through the first four games of the exhibition season, Redick has yet to play. A soft tissue tear in Redick's left foot has sidelined the 11th pick in the June draft.

Shelden had a double-double to deal the Magic their first loss.

Former Dukie, Mike Dunleavy throws 32 points on Denver.

Meanwhile, Chris Duhon hopes to take on a larger role while resting his injured back.