Three huge Duke basketball recruiting races nearing finish line
By Matt Giles
Where Duke basketball chances stand with Trevor Keels
- Composite rank: No. 18
- Hometown: Fairfax, Va.
- Finalists: Duke, Villanova, Virginia
The Trevor Keels camp has long been notably mum when it comes to hinting at either a favorite or a timeline for choosing a winner. Eric Bossi of 247Sports recently echoed that observation but also repeated what many have been saying as of late in terms of two schools seemingly being in better shape than the third finalist:
“Trevor Keels has been locked in on a final three of Duke, Villanova, and Virginia for some time now…there doesn’t appear to be any kind of hurry for him to make a decision. The general thought is that Duke and Villanova are a little bit ahead…they appear to be in a dead heat. At the same time, Keels himself hasn’t said anything about a timeline or if he is leaning one way or another.”
Now, seeing that it’s been more than four months since the 6-foot-5, 210-pound wise sharpshooter named his top three, some suspect an announcement could come any day now. There are others, though, who believe Keels might be waiting to see if any young Duke, Villanova, and Virginia guards look ready to bolt for the NBA come spring, thereby freeing up playing time.
Right now, that doesn’t seem to be the case for the Blue Devils. Yet Duke basketball combo guard Jordan Goldwire is set to graduate; therefore, assuming he doesn’t take advantage of the free year of eligibility the NCAA has granted everyone this season, his 30-plus minutes per game (through a 5-3 start) will need replacing.
Moreover, since freshman point guard Jeremy Roach was a five-star teammate to Keels at Paul VI, his return would probably work in Duke’s favor a smidge.
Meanwhile, now that Keels has begun a lights-out senior campaign with a combined 98 points, 37 rebounds, and 19 assists across his team’s first three games, the potential value of the prize at stake appears to be at an all-time high.
Ball Durham prediction: DUKE