Duke basketball: Trio of Blue Devils earn USBWA All-American honors

Three Duke basketball players were named All-Americans by the United States Basketball Writers Association for their outstanding performances on the court in Durham this season.

The United States Basketball Writers Association released its All-American teams for both men’s and women’s basketball for the 2019-20 season, and three Duke Blue Devils were named for the prestigious honor.

On the men’s side, freshman Vernon Carey Jr. was named as a Second Team All-American while sophomore Tre Jones was named to the Third Team, and on the women’s side, senior Haley Gorecki was named as a Third Team All-American.

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Carey Jr. and Jones were also named as Associated Press Second and Third Team All-Americans, respectively, while Gorecki was tabbed an Honorable Mention by the AP.

Carey Jr., a freshman big man from Southwest Ranches, Florida, was the ACC Rookie of the Year and averaged 17.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game for the Blue Devils on 57.7 percent shooting from the field while Jones truly elevated his play in his second season as the point guard in Durham.

Jones was named as the ACC Player of the Year and the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year while leading the Blue Devils to a 25-6 record and averaging 16.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.8 steals per game in the process.

ALSO READ: Tre Jones, Vernon Carey Jr. named as All-Americans

The Apple Valley, Minnesota native also shot 42.3 percent from the floor and 36.1 percent from 3-point territory.

As for Gorecki, she led the Lady Blue Devils on a run at the end of the season that would have resulted in an NCAA Tournament berth, but she ended her career as a Blue Devil by averaging 18.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game on 39.7 percent from the field and 33.7 percent from 3-point range.

ALSO READ: Haley Gorecki named as AP Honorable Mention selection

Haley Gorecki will enter the WNBA Draft as a senior and is expected to be taken in the later rounds while Tre Jones has already announced his intentions to enter the 2020 NBA Draft as the Blue Devils still wait on a decision from Vernon Carey Jr., although the expectation is that he will also pursue a professional career.