Off -Season College Basketball News For Teams Around The Triangle
It’s only June and if you’re a die hard basketball fan like me you’re probably going through withdrawal, am I right? A lot has happened this off –season in our league, Grayson Allen who was Duke’s leading scorer last season at over twenty points per game decided to return for his junior year and not go to the NBA. Duke also has some outstanding freshman coming in to join him along with Luke Kennard and Chase Jeter who played sparingly last year. Those freshmen are Frank Jackson, Jayson Tatum, Harry Giles and Jack White.
Last season, Duke had a very thin bench and not many players due to a key injury to our best rebounder in Amile Jefferson, but some how Coach Mike Krzyzwski made it all work! Amile is back after being approved for a medical red shirt. With all this talent coming back and the talent coming in for Duke cutting down the nets in 2017 in the Grand Canon State at the University of Phoenix Stadium, Home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals should be the goal.
How about the other two teams in the triangle? What’s going on in Chapel Hill eight miles down the road at our archrival North Carolina? Marcus Paige and Brice Johnson have graduated but “according to go heels.com” Kennedy Meeks who averaged 9.4 points per game and 6.5 rebounds last season, decided to forgo the NBA draft and return for his senior season.
What’s going on in Raleigh with NC State? “According to sfgate.com” the Martin twins Cody and Caleb transferred to Nevada. The Wolfpack’s best player Anthony Cat Barber declared for the NBA Draft. Also NC State’s player development coordinator has taken on a different position within the athletics department. Beejay Anya will be returning for the 2016 -2017 season. What will the Wolfpack look like come November?
In other off –season news “According to the News and Observer” On May 7th 2016 Kevin White who is Duke’s vice president and director of athletics Joanne P Mcallie will continue to be the head coach of the women's basketball program.