TUCSON, Ariz. — Duke freshman phenom Cooper Flagg received his first style of a real faculty highway ambiance on Friday night time, taking part in in entrance of a raucous introduced crowd of 14,634 at Arizona’s McKale Middle.
For just a few early moments, he regarded just a little nervous. It was fleeting.
Flagg scored 16 factors within the second half, ending with a game-high 24 as No. 12 Duke pulled away for a 69-55 win over No. 17 Arizona. The pre-season All-American shot 10 of twenty-two from the sector, grabbed six rebounds and had three assists, two blocks and a steal.
“Within the first half, I used to be just a little comfortable on my finishes,” Flagg mentioned. “It was a high-level faculty basketball sport, actually bodily. They are a bodily group. However I discovered my footing and began taking part in off two toes just a little higher.”
Flagg — the nation’s No. 1 total recruit who wowed NBA stars in a exercise towards the U.S. Olympic Group this summer time — isn’t any stranger to excessive expectations. The six-foot-nine ahead has been excellent in his first 5 profession video games, averaging 17.8 factors.
However a hostile crowd of this magnitude was one thing totally different. It’s going to be the primary of many.
“The atmosphere tonight — to get examined this early within the season on the highway — I discover unimaginable worth in it and I believe our guys would say the identical factor after tonight,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer mentioned.
Flagg received higher as the sport progressed and quieted the McKale Middle with a one-handed jam in site visitors to present the Blue Devils a 46-33 lead with 12:31 left. It was the start of an offensive onslaught that included 10 factors over about six minutes.
Fellow freshman Kon Knueppel additionally had good moments late within the sport, hitting two essential three-pointers. Knueppel completed with 13.
However it’s Flagg that draws a lot of the eyeballs — from followers and opposing gamers. Thus far, he is confirmed worthy.
“He is tall and athletic and may end over a number of our bodies,” Arizona’s KJ Lewis mentioned. “I do not know. He is simply tremendous athletic. We did job containing him within the first half, however then we went away from the sport plan, did not talk and he discovered openings.”
