Duke Blue Devils news and notes:
Duke basketball rolls to a 102-62 win over Belmont in first exhibition matchup
Jon Scheyer and Duke took the court on Thursday night for the first of a three-game preseason exhibition schedule, and the Blue Devils didn't disappoint. Playing without Caleb Foster and Drew Scharnowski, Duke didn't miss a beat on the way to a 102-62 victory.
Prepare thyself for more Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje mania. The 17-year-old freshman overwhelmed Belmont both inside the paint and from the perimeter. He scored 19 points and grabbed 7 rebounds while blocking a pair of shots. Things won't always look that easy for him, but my goodness, he looked like a superstar in his debut.
Dame Sarr tied Boumtje Boumtje for the scoring lead, also netting 19 points. Sarr showcased an improved all-around offseason game. He looked more comfortable on the ball and getting to the rim.
John Blackwell (17), Cayden Boozer (12), and Deron Rippey Jr. (11) also finished in double-figures.
It was an impressive overall performance for the Blue Devils. The next exhibition matchup is Tuesday, October 20th, with Tennessee coming to Cameron Indoor for what should be a major test.
Caleb Foster and Drew Scharnowski miss Duke's exhibition vs. Belmont
Unsurprisingly, both Foster and Scharnowski sat out the scrimmage. Jon Scheyer alluded to both probably being able to gear up and play if this game mattered, but there was no point in risking anything for an exhibition.
Right now, the expectation is that both will be ready for the season opener vs. Army next month, but they will continue to be cautious with both. Foster and Scharnowski are expected to play significant roles for the Blue Devils this season.
Wtih Foster out, Boozer stepped into the starting five. With Schnarowski out, freshman Maxime Meyer saw extended run behind Patrick Ngonba and Boumtje Boumtje.
Jon Scheyer's potential hint on 5-star Colton Hiller's recruitment
Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but isn't that the fun of recruiting? During ACC Media Days this week, Scheyer dropped what I took as a substantial hint on the recruitment of 5-star Colton Hiller, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2028 class.
Hiller took an official visit to Duke on Monday, one month after taking an official visit to Florida. He appears to be moving like a prospect who plans to be in the 2027 class. If so, he'll be on a similar path as Boumtje Boumtje. Hiller won't be draft-eligible until 2029, which means he would spend two seasons in college.
Speaking on Boumtje Boumtje at ACC Media Days, Scheyer said the following about the two-year path and the future of guys doing that:
"You're gonna see this more. It's just the way college has changed," Scheyer said. "The fact that you get a guy like JoJo for two years to grow with him, to have the continuity, I promise you that's the first of many guys to do it in years to come. "Although I don't think it's for everybody. I think you have to be really specific, from our point of view, and if I was giving advice. I'd be very careful if I had a kid in that position of who could actually do that."
Add us as a preferred source on Google