Duke basketball star Cooper Flagg is opening up about how his crew performed towards Wake Forest. Flagg says that he was a bit stunned that his coach Jon Scheyer shifted defenses within the sport. Duke shifted to a zone protection at occasions throughout the sport, to assist raise the crew.
Following the sport, Flagg was requested if he had ever performed zone.
“Nope,” Flagg stated to reporters jokingly, per ACC Community.
Scheyer defended the usage of a zone protection to assist cease Wake Forest’s technique of decide and roll on offense. He even used a baseball time period to clarify his resolution.
“It is good to have a curveball, it simply is,” Scheyer stated.
The technique labored as Duke was in a position to outlast the Demon Deacons, 63-56. Duke basketball stays undefeated within the ACC this season.
Duke making a cost for a no. 1 seed within the NCAA event
The Blue Devils are utilizing a nucleus of gifted freshmen this season, to cost by way of the ACC. Up to now, issues appear to be working. Duke is 17-2 general and 9-0 within the ACC.
The crew’s most prolific freshman is undoubtedly Flagg, who was the no. 1 general basketball recruit within the nation heading into the season. Just about each crew in America wished Flagg, who is taken into account a one-and-done participant. This season, the freshman is averaging 19.5 factors and eight rebounds a sport.
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Flagg is 6-foot-9, so his size within the zone protection appeared to hassle Wake Forest. Duke was in a position to get sufficient stops to complete the sport. The freshman phenom completed the competition with 24 factors, seven rebounds and 6 assists.
Flagg’s efficiency gained the reward and respect of Wake Forest head coach Steve Forbes, who thinks of Flagg as a particular expertise.
“Generational,” Forbes stated, per ESPN. “He is at that degree. He’ll play within the NBA for a very long time.”
Duke basketball struggled on offense for a very good quantity of the competition. The squad’s 63 factors is a season-low for Duke.
“We have not been in a ton of these positions,” Flagg added. “It was a giant alternative for us to indicate we are able to keep composed even when a crew makes a run, and keep level-headed.”
Scheyer believes his crew will have the ability to study from this sport. The zone can also be one thing he might should carry out once more, as Duke marches on by way of the ACC and NCAA tournaments.
“It’s a must to win one in all these video games within the event, in ACC play — it is a part of it,” Scheyer stated. “We have earned it with how we have clicked on offense, however it’s solely a matter of time [before there’s a close game.] It is big we might get a win and discover a means with out having our greatest stuff.”
Duke subsequent performs North Carolina State Monday evening.