Duke basketball: 3 keys to the Florida State rematch
By Jack Burgess
Key to a Duke basketball victory against Florida State: Paolo Banchero
Watching the top Duke talent in Paolo Banchero has been somewhat frustrating over the past couple of games. Dating back to the dominating victory over crosstown rival North Carolina, the freshman has managed to record only a 34.5 field goal percentage over a span of five games. He’s shooting 47.0 percent for the season.
His recent lackluster performance on offense is a result of taking low percentage shots. Instead of using his NBA-ready body to his advantage in the post, the 6-foot-10, 250-pound power forward has been settling for far too many contested 3-pointers and mid-range jump shots.
Banchero’s physique is similar to that of some of the best players at the highest level. Why he would rather take jump shots than dominate his defenders in the post is beyond me.
The 19-year-old from Seattle is an excellent offensive rebounder and can give the Blue Devils second-chance opportunities at any moment. With that in mind, one of the biggest keys against Florida State is Banchero finding efficiency and momentum both in the post and on the offensive glass.
Paolo Banchero must take high percentage shots from the post while reducing his shot-taking outside of the paint and continuing to be a pest on the boards. If he does, then Duke should have no problem getting him going and benefitting from his interior dominance.
Duke holds the keys to this game. It’s a matter of whether the Blue Devils can execute and take advantage of their strengths and Florida State’s weaknesses down the stretch.
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