Tag: TJ Power

Four former Duke basketball players stay in the ACC after transfer portal moves

Jaylen Blakes, Christian Reeves, Jaden Schutt, and TJ Power will all still play ACC basketball next season despite leaving Duke.

All seven Duke basketball transfers have chosen their next destinations, and four of them didn’t feel like leaving the ACC just yet.

Jaylen Blakes, a guard who spent three years with Duke, announced on Friday that he’d play for the Stanford Cardinal. Stanford, a longtime Pac-12 staple, will transition to the ACC for the 2023-24 academic calendar after its old conference fell apart.

Blakes will stay on the conference calendar alongside three of his old teammates. 7-foot center Christian Reeves announced he’d play for the Clemson Tigers, TJ Power left for Virginia after just one season, and sharpshooter Jaden Schutt jumped to Virginia Tech.

The Blue Devils don’t have the exact dates on their calendar yet, but they will host the Cardinal and the Hokies at Cameron Indoor Stadium in 2024-25. They will also travel to Clemson and Virginia, rounding out all four revenge games.

Former Duke forward TJ Power commits to Virginia

Former Blue Devil TJ Power, a top-20 recruit who averaged 2.1 points as a freshman last season, will stay in the ACC after he announced his commitment to Virginia.

TJ Power is staying in the ACC.

The former Blue Devil committed to Virginia on Monday evening, according to a report from On3’s Joe Tipton.

Power, 247Sports’ No. 17 player in the Class of 2023 and a five-star prospect out of high school, spent one season with the Blue Devils. He averaged 2.1 points in 6.7 minutes per game, but his real promise comes from his rare combination of height and skill set. The 6-foot-9 Massachusetts native took 82% of his attempts from beyond the arc last season, shooting 35.7% from 3-point range.

His best game with the Blue Devils came against La Salle in November when he scored nine points after making three of his four 3-point attempts. Power also made multiple triples against Arkansas, Queens, and his new team, the Cavaliers.

He scored three points in nine total minutes during the NCAA Tournament, a 3-pointer against James Madison in the second round.

Power becomes the fourth former Duke player to commit to a new school after Mark Mitchell (Missouri), Jeremy Roach (Baylor), and Sean Stewart (Ohio State).

What teams have reached out to TJ Power in the transfer portal?

According to a Monday report from League Ready’s Sam Kayser, at least 10 schools have reached out to former Blue Devil TJ Power. Here are the most notable teams.

Former Duke forward TJ Power is on the market after he announced his intention to enter the transfer portal, and he has plenty of possible paths.

According to a Monday afternoon report from League Ready’s Sam Kayser, more than 10 teams have reached out to Power since he entered the portal. The most notable names include the USC Trojans, the Michigan Wolverines, and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The Arkansas Razorbacks and Kentucky Wildcats, both fresh from the John Calipari coaching change, have also both reached out to the former Blue Devil. Kayser also named ACC foes Miami, Wake Forest, and Boston College, along with BYU, West Virginia, and Iowa.

Power, a 6-foot-9 forward and a former four-star recruit, shot 35.7% from 3-point range as a freshman. He only spent one season with Duke, and 42 of his 51 attempts came from beyond the arc.

Kayser specified that other teams have talked to Power since he reached the market, so these 11 schools may not be the only ones in the mix.

Duke forward TJ Power enters transfer portal

Duke forward TJ Power is the latest Blue Devil to enter the transfer portal after he announced his decision on Thursday afternoon.

Duke forward TJ Power is the latest Blue Devil to enter the transfer portal after he announced his decision through social media on Thursday afternoon.

Power played 26 games in his freshman season for Duke. He averaged 2.1 points and 0.7 rebounds per game in a limited bench role for the Blue Devils.

He shot 33.3% overall and 35.7% from beyond the arc. Power scored a season-high nine points against La Salle early in the season on Nov. 21.

“Duke will always have a place in my heart, but it’s time to do what is best for me, and with that being said, I will be entering my name into the transfer portal,” Power wrote in a statement he posted on Twitter.

Power is a former five-star recruit and was a top-25 player in his recruiting class. He is the third member of Duke’s frontcourt to enter the portal, joining Mark Mitchell and Christian Reeves.

The Athletic weighs the odds of Jeremy Roach, TJ Power, and Sean Stewart entering the transfer portal

The Athletic’s Brendan Marks released a 2024-25 Duke roster breakdown on Tuesday, and he predicted at least two more Blue Devils will leave for a new school.

The Athletic’s Brendan Marks released a lengthy breakdown of Duke’s 2024-25 season on Tuesday morning, and he shared some predictions for whether some familiar faces would return to Durham next season.

Marks believes four-year starter Jeremy Roach will finish his collegiate career somewhere else. The Athletic writer also expects either TJ Power or Sean Stewart, two freshmen with consistent bench minutes this season to leave the program for a new home.

Roach, the last player who started for legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski still with the program, has an additional year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 extension. He started in the Final Four two years ago and in the Elite Eight this season, but with Caleb Foster and Tyrese Proctor already confirmed to return, Marks thinks the veteran tests the market.

“(He) would be a hot commodity in the transfer portal,” Marks wrote. “His earning potential, depending on his next school, should be greater in college next season than somewhere overseas or in the G League.”

Marks emphasized that the Blue Devils have room for both Power and Stewart on a scholarship basis, especially if Roach doesn’t return, but said he expects at least one to depart.

“(Stewart) brings great athleticism and rebounding, and would be a valuable piece on most teams, but his fit next to Flagg and Maluach isn’t ideal,” Marks wrote. “Power would be the player I would prioritize between those two.”

None of the three have officially voiced their decision for next season, though with the end-of-season banquet in the rearview mirror, confirmations should be expected soon if they come.

Three keys to a Duke victory against UNC

Taking a look at three keys to a Duke win vs UNC on Saturday as the Blue Devils close out the regular season.

It is time for the round two.

Tobacco Road’s biggest titans are set to square off one final time for the regular season on Saturday evening. The stakes will be a bit higher than they were when the two hit the hardwood the first time in February. An outright ACC title is on the line for UNC while a share of the ACC title is still up for grabs for Duke.

That doesn’t even include the possible implications for NCAA Tournament seeding either. Both schools are still firmly in the mix for a No. 2 seed at this juncture, and a massive Quad 1 win like this would only boost that case.

All those storylines aside, it’s Duke and North Carolina. The bragging rights matter and Duke, specifically, has revenge on their mind.

The loss in Chapel Hill in February felt like a lifetime ago. Duke played passively, didn’t play a crisp game (nine of their eleven turnovers were live ball), and defensively, they had some major hiccups.

Credit is due to the Tar Heels. They played great. But Duke didn’t put forth their best effort.

Saturday gives the Blue Devils one final chance to show how much of a force they’ve become. There is no mistaking them now. They’ve got a bench unit that’s starting to flourish despite being without Caleb Foster at least through the ACC Tournament, per head coach Jon Scheyer. And Tyrese Proctor has found his swagger again.

These all bring us to our three keys for the game on Saturday.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie

Duke’s chances to truly be Final Four contenders rest on the shoulders of their sophomore Australian point guard, Tyrese Proctor. Proctor can control and dictate a game on both ends. In the first UNC matchup, he played 26 minutes and scored two points on 1/6 shooting. It felt as if he wasn’t even out there at points. He wasn’t aggressive, and he seemed reluctant to get downhill.

In the last three games, he’s found himself. He kept Duke afloat early in Raleigh despite NC State connecting on the first punch. His 11 first-half points, spearheaded by three massive three-pointers, kept Duke from spiraling. He can shoot, he can pass and he can defend. All three of those things Duke will need against UNC.

Look for Proctor to be a factor early.

The bench needs to show up

Ryan Young, Sean Stewart, and TJ Power look solidified as Duke’s bench right now. Caleb Foster joins that when, or if, he gets back, and Duke officially is nine deep.

For right now, they are eight deep, and that will have to be enough. Power and Stewart have started to become consistent players off the bench in the last three games. Stewart had his best game as a collegiate player against NC State. He played 26 minutes and had 12 points, five rebounds (four offensive), three blocks, two assists, and two steals. It was incredible. If Stewart provides that kind of impact, Ryan Young hits the glass, and TJ Power can hit one or two open threes, Duke will be in a much better position to win.

Defending Bacot

RJ Davis is likely going to win ACC Player of the Year. And rightfully so. He’s had a phenomenal season. Davis can get his season average in points. Stopping fellow senior Armando Bacot is the real challenge for Duke. They have bodies to throw at him, but in an attempt to limit foul trouble for Flip, they tried to double Bacot last game and it helped result in open threes or driving lanes for others.

How Jon Scheyer and this coaching staff choose to play Bacot matters. Do they double him? If they do, do they leave Elliot Cadeau, a 21% 3-point shooter, open and force him to shoot the ball? Or do they play Bacot straight up and leave Flip to defend him one-on-one? Either way, one wrong decision would be to leave Harrison Ingram open. He shot 5/9 from distance in game one. 

That’s the game within the game and one matchup that will likely decide the winner. 

Senior night for captain Jeremy Roach, Ryan Young, and Spencer Hubbard. A share of the ACC title is on the line for Duke. The number one seed in the ACC Tournament is still up for grabs. All the storylines are there. Duke just needs to play a bit cleaner than they did in Chapel Hill and they’ll have a chance to wrap up a very good regular season.

The man in the mirror is the final hurdle Duke must clear as they prepare for rematch with UNC

The Duke Blue Devils have to win against themselves in order to win against UNC.

Sir Edmund Hillary said it best: “It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.”

It feels like the perfect quote to summarise the Duke basketball experience this year and focus on what’s ahead of the team as they prepare to try and get revenge for an early February loss to their rivals, UNC. The Blue Devils have been fighting the team in the mirror all season. It’s time they conquer that.

If they can, the Blue Devils will head to Washington, D.C., for the ACC Tournament, with their share of the 2023-2024 ACC regular season title; if the Tar Heels win, they are the outright title winners. Losing that also likely eliminates Duke from having any shot at a 2-seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

For Duke, it’s simple: UNC is the best opponent (not named Arizona or Baylor) on their schedule. They beat Baylor in Madison Square Garden, which stands out as a great Quad 1 win, but the Blue Devils know they need more. Hubert Davis’ team is undoubtedly in the Final Four-capable tier of teams, so a win against North Carolina would be the perfect confirmation that this Duke team has grown and evolved and is playing its best basketball.

It’s easier said than done, as UNC will have everything to play for on top of the sheer fact that this is a rivalry, and it could be Armando Bacot and RJ Davis’ last game against Duke ever. They’ve ruined big nights in Cameron Indoor Stadium before.

Duke played a rough basketball game against UNC in the first round in Chapel Hill. They were not strong on the court, and their defensive plan wasn’t strong. Ultimately, the Heels just played better.

Duke shot 26.3% from three, compared to almost 38% from UNC. Harrison Ingram was the thorn in Duke’s side from the outside, going 5/9 from deep. Duke also had 11 turnovers, which led to 19 UNC points. Eight of those turnovers were live-ball, which makes it even harder to get back on defense against a transition offense-focused team like UNC.

Kyle Filipowski struggled with foul trouble, and when his team needed him to contain Armando Bacot without a double team, he couldn’t. Tyrese Proctor had one of his worst games, registering just two points and one assist on 1/6 shooting in 26 minutes.

So, what has to change this time around? Duke has to put together a complete performance as they have in games on the road at Miami, NC State, Virginia Tech, or as they did recently at home versus Virginia. This team has shown that it can play a full 40 minutes on both ends of the court, and when they can, they will blow teams away, as eight of their conference wins have been by 15 points or more.

Duke is a deeper team now. The bench has lengthened a much-needed development due to limitations with guys like Jaylen Blakes and Ryan Young. They are decent role players but certainly guys with deficiencies. The answers were the 6-foot-9 five-star freshman Sean Stewart and the 6-foot-8 four-star small forward TJ Power.

Power’s shooting ability is among the best on a team of great shooters this season, but the lack of opportunities hasn’t allowed him to showcase that. Stewart is hyper-athletic and an incredible shot disruptor combined with pure energy and hustle, allowing him to provide the energy on 50/50 plays Duke needs.

Each player has played at least 10 minutes in the last three games. Stewart had a season-high 26 minutes of game action at NC State, where he had his proverbial breakout game, scoring 12 points, five rebounds, three blocks, two steals, and two assists. He was a menace on defense, and four rebounds came on the offensive glass, giving Duke extra possessions.

They must be factors in this rematch, and the rest of the team needs to be more assertive with the ball. If Duke hadn’t been forced into so many live-ball turnovers, they could’ve shaved off at least six points they allowed. Tyrese Proctor must play better, especially considering Caleb Foster will still be out. He’s had some encouraging performances since being inserted back into the starting lineup with Foster out, and Monday night in Raleigh showcased that.

Kyle Filipowski needs to be a factor for the entire 40 minutes. Jon Scheyer must find a better way to defend Bacot while not allowing RJ Davis to explode. Do not respect Elliot Cadeau’s shot. Make him shoot more jumpers than layups, and respect Ingram as a solid spot-up shooter.

It won’t be easy, but Duke can beat UNC. Aside from the implications mentioned above about the ACC title, this win is about Duke playing well enough to beat an elite opponent as it pursues a sixth NCAA title in two weeks.

They missed the mark early against Arizona and in Chapel Hill. In both games, Duke was the loser, but there was a clear sense that Duke didn’t play well enough to beat that caliber of team. Can they conquer themselves and raise their level of play to conquer their goals? We’ll find out on Saturday.

Five takeaways from Duke’s blowout 73-48 win over Virginia

Five takeaways from Duke’s dismantling of the Virginia Cavaliers.

Saturday was a fun time in Cameron. Everything went right for the Duke Blue Devils as they dismantled Tony Bennett’s UVA team 73-48 as the Blue Devils kicked off March.

From the opening tip, it was apparent that Duke was more focused, prepared, and simply the better team. Kyle Filipowski was dominant, Tyrese Proctor was as well, and the Blue Devils put together one of their most complete performances of the season.

It was a magnificent showing and shows that if Duke has officially turned the corner and is playing their best basketball like this as the next few weeks go on, they’ll give themselves the chance to extend their season into April.

It’s time to share our five takeaways from the easy win.

Which five Blue Devils need to step up the most in Caleb Foster’s absence?

All signs point to the Blue Devils being without freshman guard Caleb Foster, one of six players averaging more than 15 minutes per game, for the postseason. Who needs to fill the void in his absence?

There hasn’t been an official timeline from the team, but all signs seem to indicate freshman guard Caleb Foster will miss most of the postseason, if not the entire thing.

The 6-foot-5 North Carolina native was seen in a walking boot on the bench during Wednesday’s win over Louisville, and head coach Jon Scheyer said the team will be without him “for some time” after the game.

With less than six weeks between then and the national championship, the lack of timetable seems to give Foster low odds for another appearance in 2023-24.

Foster will be dearly missed. He is one of only six Duke players averaging more than 12 minutes per game this season, and he added 7.7 points and 40.6% 3-point shooting to the Blue Devils high-flying offense.

Here are five Duke players who need to step up and help fill the void during Foster’s absence, however long it may be.

Duke signs four commits from their top-ranked 2023 recruiting class

On the first day of the early signing period, Duke signed four of their five commits.

The NCAA’s early signing period began on Wednesday and the top recruiting program in the nation took an early lead.

Duke has the No. 1 ranked class in the 2023 recruiting cycle, currently holding a slim lead (less than one point) over Kentucky. While the Wildcats also got off to a strong start, the Blue Devils won Day 1 of the early signing period, getting four of their top commits to put pen to paper, including three five-star prospects. Here’s a review of who signed.

Montverde Academy (Fla.) 5-star PF Sean Stewart

A tenacious rebounder and defender, Stewart (6-foot-8, 230 pounds) is ranked No. 2 among power forwards in his class and No. 9 nationally, according to the composite score. Stewart also had offers from Georgetown, Stanford, Kansas and Harvard, among others. He told on3 that he chose Duke for its coaching staff.

Centennial (Calif.) 5-star CG Jared McCain

Already a superstar on TikTok, McCain (6-foot-2, 195 pounds) is the third-ranked combo guard in 2023 and comes in at No. 18 in the country. Last season, he averaged 23 points per game. McCain picked Duke over 16 other schools, including Gonzaga, Eastern Washington and Houston.

Notre Dame (Calif.) 5-star PG Caleb Foster

Foster (6-foot-5, 190 pounds) is the third-best point guard in his class and the top-ranked player in the state of California. Gifted with a smooth jumper and and a long frame, Foster averaged 11.9 points and 4.5 assists per game in his Junior year at Oak Hill. He chose Duke over 10 other offers.

Worcester Academy (Mass.) 4-star PF TJ Power

Power (6-foot-8, 210 pounds) is a two-sport star who also plays baseball. In hoops, he’s the No. 1 ranked player in Massachusetts and No. 6 at his position. He called picking Duke an “educated gut feeling,” per On3.

“In the end, I chose Duke because of my educated gut feeling. I understand the opportunity I’ll have there and my heart told me it was the one for me. Playing at a school like Duke has always been a dream of mine but I had to make sure I was choosing the school based on my relationship with the coaches and the feeling I had when I was on campus because that’s guided me the most throughout this whole process. I see the vision with Coach Scheyer and I’m all in.”

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