Duke’s recruiting class will attract attention throughout the preseason. The more revealing part of the Blue Devils’ championship pursuit could be the group already familiar with Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Cayden Boozer, Caleb Foster, Patrick Ngongba II and Dame Sarr return after finishing among Duke’s top six scorers last season. Their presence gives Jon Scheyer an established foundation as he begins his fifth season leading the program. The Blue Devils get their next opportunity to evaluate that group alongside their newcomers Thursday, Oct. 8, when Belmont visits Cameron for a preseason scrimmage at 7 p.m. The game will air on ACC Network Extra.
Duke is coming off a 35-3 season. With that record comes a demanding standard, but returning production offers a tangible reason to watch how quickly this roster comes together.
Four familiar faces can shape the new rotation
Boozer, Foster, Ngongba and Sarr combined for 1,131 points, 533 rebounds and 311 assists last season, according to Duke.
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Those totals give Scheyer more than a collection of recognizable names. They represent players who have already contributed within his program and can help establish the structure around incoming teammates. Duke also welcomes three transfers and the nation’s second-ranked recruiting class. The task is determining how those additions fit with the returning group.
The Oct. 3 Countdown to Craziness scrimmage offered a brief introduction. John Blackwell scored 10 points for Team Blue, while Team White won 29-24. Thursday provides a different evaluation. Outside competition can expose gaps that teammates, familiar with each other’s habits, might not.
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Tennessee and Kansas will raise the difficulty
Belmont is the first stop in a preseason schedule that includes Tennessee at Cameron on Oct. 20 and Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse on Oct. 25.
That progression should give Duke several opportunities to examine its rotation before opening the regular season against Army on Nov. 2. The useful questions go beyond who leads the scoring. Which combinations defend effectively? Who initiates the offense when the first option is covered? Can the newcomers contribute without disrupting the returning players’ strengths?
Those answers will take more than one scrimmage. Still, Duke enters October with a valuable starting point. Four established scorers can help make the adjustment manageable, provided the new pieces complement them. Their development deserves as much attention as the arrival of the next recruiting class.
