Jasmine Thomas hit a key 3-pointer in a hard fought game as the USA U19 women defeated Spain 74-66.

Eighty men competed in the Coach K Academy this past week.  Not only do they take the camp seriously, their coaches do too.  Each team is named after a coach.  For instance, Team Dawkins edged Team Alarie on Saturday in a comeback win.  For those who think, Dawkins is mellow, well, you should have seen this game.  He worked the referees hard showing emotion throughout the game.  Both Dawkins and Alarie were plenty animated when they weren't drawing up plays for the attendees.

   

Dawkins isn't exactly consoling his friend and former teammate after his teams win.  Wojo is working the refs on what he feels was a missed call.

In the following game, Wojo showed there was plenty of bulldog left.  His counterpart, Christian Laettner was not too happy with his teams play or his coaching.  There is a reason Christian won so many games in Durham.  Rumor has it that nobody wanted to be the locker room after a loss in the 1992 season.

Between some really hard play from the participants to good coaching, you would have thought these games counted.  Afterall, the goal for the Coach K Academy was to present a realistic atmosphere and from my vantage, it was a rousing success.  Here is a Picture Gallery for you to peruse.  Go to the slideshow mode to the bottom right of the first picture that comes up in the link.

  

In the end, the lowest seed, Team Bilas shocked Team Ferry, but fell in the championship to Team Laettner.  Matt Hancock was the MVP of the regular season, Ted Virtue garnered the True Blue Hustle Award while Gailen Venerick won the tournament MVP.  The auction on Saturday evening raised an amazing $500,000, all of it going to charity.  If you missed it, here is a link to an article on the opening ceremony.

Krystal Thomas scored 13 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the USA U19 Women crushed South Korea 113-69 in preliminary round play in the World Championships being played in Bratislava, Slovakia.  Jasmine Thomas contributed 10 points and four rebounds.  Here is the game recap and box score.

The USA faces Spain in their next game.

Do you love recruiting?  Do you want to know which players Duke is looking at for the future?  Do you enjoy behind the scenes information?  How about exclusive pictures from pick up games to AAU events?  If the answer is yes, now is the perfect time to join the Blue Devil Nation Premium Newsletter.  You can join in the paypal links to the right.  The BDNPN offers a 3, 6 or 12 month membership.  The one year rate is by far the cheapest way to go.  At a little over 2.00 a week you can stay ahead of the curve on Duke Athletics.  The AAU coverage is top notch and the BDN interviews prospects year round.  Then there is the best photography from the AAU circuit or Duke events you can find.  I just recently added a premium only message board for members to discuss Duke Athletics and recruiting.  I have also added a monthly chat, where we get into the key issues.  There is a lot of bang for the buck, so give the Blue Devil Nation Premium Newsletter a try.

 

The newsletter will follow the recruitment of Elliot Williams and Greg Monroe.  Our archives hold several recent interviews with these prospects, along with many others.  It's information you can only get by joining.

**Just added July 31st, an update on Kenny Boynton, Brandon Knight and Kendall Marshall from Orlando, Florida -

  

 

 

Duke prospect, Greg Monroe tallied 19 and is averaging 19.5 ppg after two victories.  Hollis Thompsson chipped in with 18.  They play for USA Team 3 in the event which is being played in Portland, Oregon and sponsored by Rivals. Monroe showed off his skills, once grabbing a defensive rebound only to dribble the length of the court and finish in a matter of seconds.  Box Score

One of the ways Duke newcomers benefit in preparing for the season is playing against former players.  It's not unusual for players to return to their old stomping grounds over the summer during various events.  When asked, all of the former standouts said the family atmosphere is the main reason they drop by when they can.  "Coach K is always there for you.  If you phone him and he's out, he returns your call right away," said Carmen Wallace.  I have a wonderful inteview with Wallace which will appear later this week, so please check it out.

In the picture below, old school takes on new school.  Gerald Henderson is guarded by Trajon Langdon, while Christian Laettner takes on Kyle Singler during a recent pickup game.

The young guys won three of the five games played on this day.  I will have more up on the former players a bit later.

Elton Brand co-produced the movie Rescue Dawn which is garnering stellar reviews.  Elton use to love DVD's when he was at Duke.  They had just come out at the time and we talked of his affinity for movies in 1998.  Who would have ever thought he would become involved with the sleeper hit of the Summer.  The film was not marketed heavily, so it is playing in what some term "artsy theaters."  My understanding is that it is on the verge of being released in more outlets when a deal is reached.

Elton the Producer

90% Positive Reviews at Rotten Tomatoes

My friend, Al Featherston chimes in on the Coach K Academy.

Ross chimes in -

I appreciate you recognizing most everyone that is behind the scenes that makes K Academy possible, but you omitted a key to the camp's success: the managers. Under Mike Schrage's direction, they do all the little things that add to the magic of the camp: setting up video equipment for special moments to be seen again, keeping statistics during games, and transporting the "players" everywhere they need to go. Their goal is to blend into the scenery, and it is possibly a compliment of their work that they were overlooked.

 

Indeed!  That's what my ... was meant to represent;)  The managers do a great job and they do keep a low profile.  I've witnessed my fair share events over the years, so I do recognize their effort.  Another person I left out is David Bradley who plays a key role with Blue Planet, a Duke Basketball magazine.  I feel certain there are even more.  The tell-tale is that none of the Duke Family tries to stand out, which is testament to teamwork. - Mark

 

A student Manager assists Johnny Dawkins during the opening day of the Coach K Academy.

 

The USA Women's U19 World Championship Team (1-0) jumped out to a 30-5 first quarter lead and never looked back to cruise to a 95-25 win over Ivory Coast (0-1) to open preliminary play Thursday in - Continue

Barry has an article up on Skip Prosser which handles the delicate situation with care.  All ACC fans are dismayed by his early passing.

Skip Prosser

Sad news folks!  Wake coach Skip Prosser died from an apparent heart attack today.

My heartfelt condolences go out to his family and Wake fans.

It was a typical sunny and warm July afternoon in Durham, North Carolina.  If you happened to be driving near downtown, you may have seen a few NBA players crossing the street to get in the Emily Krzyzewski Family Life Center.

The Center housed the opening ceremony for the  Coach K Academy.  What is the CKA you ask?  It's a fantasy camp which allows eighty or so fans the opportunity to become a part of the Duke family for one week.

Some of the attendees come from as far as London, England, others from New York or California.  But all of the participants share in a desire to rub elbows with the best while learning basketball and leadership skills.

Many of the participants are already a CEO or famous in some manner.  A look up and down the roster shows a former Chronicle writer, a cohort of Warren Buffet or the Father of a recently graduated Duke player.

One of the more recognizable names is Gunar Peterson, who you may know as a personal trainer for the stars.  He has become a regular of the camp, as has his brother Tor who made the trip from Switzerland.

       

Each is treated to an elaborate and well planned out event. Coach K told the media that he wants them to feel as if they were an actual Duke basketball player.  This comes through immediately.

One of the key people behind the scenes of Duke Basketball is Mike Schrage.  He can often be found barking orders to youth in the annual Duke Summer Basketball Camps.  Mike is the director of basketball operations and he takes his job seriously.

He has assisted in setting up well oiled, time tested stations where he directs participants to drills or practices.  So accustomed to his role with youth, he jokingly warned the campers to forgive him if he treated them like children.  It wasn't long before the men were playing scrimmages in front of the coaches, which is in this case consisted former Duke players.

This is all done in a backdrop which includes the banners that were replaced in Cameron.  If that weren't enough, the court surface is a piece of living history.

Coach K was able to get the Final Four flooring from the Metro Dome, where Duke won it's second National Title.  It's a reminder of the care which went into the Emily Krzyzewski Family Life Center.

Let me tell you a little about the Emily K Family Center.  It serves disadvantaged youth in the downtown Durham area.  It was of course named after Coaches Mom.

She passed a few years back, but her name lives on due to her sons diligence.  Emily was famous for her chocolate chip cookies which she would bake for not only her son, but his team over the years.

More importantly, she believed in family and that has been passed to her son whose program thrives on togetherness.  There is no doubt that she's proudly looking down on some pretty incredible accomplishments from a man who went from the windy streets of Chicago to the United States Military Academy, only to end up as a living legend at Duke University.

So, family is the keyword when talking about Duke Basketball.  "Coach K is one of the few guys that could pull an event like this off," said colorful ex Dukie Kenny Dennard.  He went on. "He has players who love to come back and be a part of things."

One look around the gym proves this.  JJ Redick can be seen giving interviews to local media while ESPN's Jay Bilas , Mark Alarie, David Henderson and Associate Head Coach Johnny Dawkins are together sharing the moment at mid court.

     

It doesn't end there.  In one corner stands  Danny Meagher, one of the first players recruited under Coach K.  Speaking of the early years, Chip Engelland, a renown NBA shooting instructor is there too.  He is one of the players who was a holdover  from the Bill Foster years when K arrived in 1982.

Clowning about in the stands is Casey Sanders flanked by Shavlik Randolph.  Not far from them sits Nate James, Chris Carrawell, Ricky Price, Sean Dockery and Jason Williams.  In the other corner Mike Gminski and Kenny Dennard are getting an early start on the draft while a proud Father, Quin Snyder bolts past them chasing down his son.

Draft you say?  Oh yeah.  The players serve as coaches and draft the players after checking out their skills.  This is done inside Cameron Indoor Stadium and no expense is spared.

If you were to have gone from the event to Cameron, you would have seen another part of the Duke family, a young lady named Rachel Curtis setting up the event.  It was in the style of a banquet with previous camp attendees names adorning jerseys in the backdrop.

Later that night, each player would be drafted NBA style and allowed to take the podium.  I'm certain a few jokes were likely cracked in the background as many of these folks have gotten to know one another.

Relationships are a key part of the Duke Family too. Coach K can be seen talking with attendees, obviously knowing them from previous events.  Afterall, it is relationships that have players like Christian Laettner and Cav's GM, Danny Ferry coming in to join the festivities, wanting to be a part of something that is bigger than themselves -- Duke Basketball.

     

Family and relationships go together, but another keyword at Duke is discipline.  Over the years I've come to appreciate this while watching Duke events.  Everybody has a role and each person knows it and loves to do it.

The guys at the camp get to stretch under the watchful eyes of William Stephenson the long time Duke Strength Coach.  Overseeing some of the event is Coach K's secretary, Gerry Brown and lets not forget Laura Ann Howard.

There are so many more in the Duke family which make sure events like this go off with precision, be it Mike Cragg, Jim Jackson, Matt Pilzga .... you get the idea. 

Soon to be at the event are assistant coaches, Chris Collins and Steve (Wojo) Wojociechowski.  They have been in Las Vegas and Orlando on recruiting trips.  Others like Roshown McLeod will slip in as the week progresses, all knowing of the opportunity to see ex-players or mingle with some they've never met.

While it is easy for this fan to have been caught up in watching all the players, this camp is about the attendees and the opportunity to have fun.  Be it Wayne Chang from Glen Allen, Virginia, David Cohen of Short Hills, New Jersey to Ashok Reddy or Fred Perpell from Atlanta, Georgia, this is their week to take a break from life's duties and enjoy the Duke Basketball experience.

So, if you were to walk by Cameron during this event, you would see tent city with some unusual names adorning said tents and there is good reason.  In a camp called the Coach K Academy, men live out their dreams playing in front of Duke legends.  Relationships are formed, life lessons are shared and everybody walks away having learned something new.

"It's been an amazing success and a lot of fun, and it's helped fund some really good things," Kryzewski said.

 

The USA Pan Am Team opened the competition with a loss to Uruguay.  The USA made only 3 of 21 3-point attempts, while Uruguay was successful on 7 of 23 attempts.

The Coach K Academy is officially underway and the Blue Devil Nation is proud to bring you a couple of pictures from the opening ceremony. 

The event was held at the Emily Krzyzewski Family Life Center.  Proceeds from the event help more than just than just the community.  I will fill you in on that a bit later, so please check back for an article which should be up first thing in the morning.

I will have an article up on this charitable event tomorrow morning, so please check back.

WRAL Video

 

 

 

 

Coach K is allowing attendees of the Academy a chance to be a part of the Duke family.  In the first picture K addresses this years crop. He speaks with the media in the second.

In the third picture, JJ Redick interviewed by local TV station.  The fourth picture features pals, Chris Carrawell and Nate James.

The fifth picture reunites four of the five starters from the 86 team which still holds the single season record for victories at 37.  Left to right, Mark Alarie, David Henderson, Jay Bilas and Johnny Dawkins.  The sixth picture shows a proud Father, Quin Snyder posing with his son.

Blue Devil Nation Premium Newsletter Subscribers have access to the complete collection.  There will be more here in the coming days.

Riding a huge fourth quarter scoring explosion as a team and a 27-point individual scoring effort by Matee Ajavon (Rutgers / Newark, N.J.), the USA Women’s Pan American Games Team (5-0) outscored host Brazil (4-1) 30-13 in the game’s final quarter to record a 79-66 win and capture the Pan American Games gold medal Tuesday evening in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The victory kept the U.S. team’s slate a perfect 5-0 and earned the Americans the gold medal, the United States’ first gold medal in Pan American Games competition since 1987.   ...   more

I love reading about the history of Duke Athletics.  For that reason, I had a hard time putting down Wallace Wade, Championship Years at Alabama and Duke.

Many of you know that I'm somewhat of a super fan.  In fact, I remember Wade attending Duke football practices for years.

Even then, he had an aura of confidence about him and he should have.  Wade led Duke to two Rose Bowls and made the Blue Devils a powerhouse.  Yep!  Back in the day, Duke could be found in the top ten year in and year out.

What I didn't know was the depth of the man.  This is where author, Lewis Bowling filled in the gaps for a wonderful trip into the past.  Bowling was quite meticulous with the details about old Durham, Duke as it was then, and well, everything was well researched.

The book has about 350 pages and is well illustrated. I admit I skipped to when Wallace Wade took over the Blue Devils.  Still, it makes one want to go back and get the rest of the story. 

Wade was an amazing man and it's good that Bowling brought his exploits to life.  As a Duke fan, I found myself proud of Duke's illustrious football past. 

Be it tales on Ace Parker or George McAffee, no legend is left out.  Each season is well documented, from the Rose Bowl in Durham to when Duke was unbeaten, unscored upon with no ties in 1938.  So, if you want a read that makes you feel like you have been transported back in time to witness the glory days of Duke (and Alabama) football, this book is for you.  I highly recommend adding it to your summer reading list, so that you may learn of an amazing man and a time we should never forget. There are far too many interesting details in Wallace Wade, Championship Years at Alabama and Duke for you not to check it out.

For more reviews or to purchase the book, please go to the Amazon link on the menu to your left.  You help support the Blue Devil Nation when you purchase books through the links.  I have no problem if you go directly to Carolina Academic Press which offers a 10% discount.

TSN weighs in on the ACC's media day for football.  I will have a bit up on Duke later.  The BDN's ISP issues have hopefully been resolved.

The Louisville Courier-Journal has an article posted about Olek Czyz.  Czyz states that he currently does not have a favorite college, but that he is looking for a great coach and a place where he can play some minutes when he gets there.

I hope you were able to see Team USA play an inter-squad game today.  Kobe Bryant put on quite a show scoring 26 points leading his team back for a narrow victory. One player that should help in the quest for the Gold is Jason Kidd.  He will find a lot of open players on a very talented team.  Still, the eventual team will face a lot of zone, deliberate offensive sets and great shooting in the FIBA Championships.

You have to love the TV time Coach K received from State Farm.  The commercial was a spin on the upcoming Coach K Academy.  K has invited all 17 players back, stating, three days wasn't enough time to properly evaluate the prospects.

Our coaching staff looked good in the Team USA shirts.  This has been great opportunity for Steve Wojociechowski, Chris Collins and Johnny Dawkins.  They were able to participate and run the NBA stars through drills.  It's been a busy weekend for the staff.  Coach K, Johnny and Wojo took in Kenny Boynton and Brandon Knight's game earlier today.  There is a bevy of AAU events going on in Vegas this weekend.  For more information on the targets they are watching, join the Blue Devil Nation Premium Newsletter.

All in all, the commercial and the game certainly can't hurt Duke recruiting efforts.  Here is to hoping the youngsters playing in the AAU events have access to TIVO.

ESPN

Do you follow recruiting?  Do you want the latest from the important recruiting week in Las Vegas?  Would you like to read two recent interviews with Greg Monroe?  If you are a fan of Duke athletics and recruiting, you are missing out on the information Blue Devil Premium Newsletter subscribers receive.  We are in the bell lap of the recruiting season, so now is the time to join.  Don't worry, the BDN will keep up with all the legitimate targets year round too.  The paypal links under the menu offer 3, 6 or 12 month memberships.  So, come on in and check it out for it's more than just recruiting and run of the mill information.

 

 

Williams, Knight, Monroe and Boynton are four of the Blue Devil's targets.

Serbia won the U19 World Championship with a 74-69 victory over the USA.  Serbia outrebounded the USA 34-32, while the USA shot just 28.5% (6-21) from behind the 3-point arc.  Serbia led by as much as 19 points and held of a furious USA comeback attempt.

Down two points at halftime, the USA Women’s U19 World Championship Team opened the third quarter with an impressive 18-2 run that carried the Americans past host Spain, 79-71, in Sunday’s final exhibition contest in Santa Cruz de La Palma, Canary Islands...continue

Deon Thompson's double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds paced the USA to a 78-75 victory over France.  The USA will face Serbia in the Gold Medal Game.  Here is the game recap.