Duke and UNC recruits handicap the big game
Words. Jason Jordan
Reggie Bullock
Everyone has an opinion on what’s going to happen tonight when Duke makes the eight-mile trek down Tobacco Road to face arch-nemesis North Carolina.
But while all the predictions roll in today, how do the Tar Heels and Blue Devils’ stars of tomorrow think it will shake out? We caught up with a few UNC/Duke signed recruits and targets to get their take on who will reign supreme in the most storied rivalry in college hoops:
HARRISON BARNES, Ames (Iowa) 2010, SG/SF, signed with North Carolina: “It will be a great game and both teams will play extremely hard. It should be fun to watch and I’m happy to be going back to North Carolina.”
REGGIE BULLOCK, Kinston (N.C.) 2010, SG, signed with North Carolina: “I think that if we keep the turnovers under 10 for the game and keep the defensive pressure up and push the ball in transition and be smart and score we will win. I’ll say 81-70 Carolina.”
KENDALL MARSHALL, Bishop O’Connell (Va.) 2010, PG, signed with North Carolina: “I’m gonna say Carolina 63, Duke 58. I think we’ll win because it’s Rivalry Week and anything is possible! We aren’t having the best year, but when you get two teams together like Duke and Carolina, everybody raises their level of play.”
KYRIE IRVING, St. Patrick (N.J.) 2010, PG, signed with Duke: “It’s Duke of course! They’re gonna win because they’re more experienced in games like this and they bring it! I can’t give you a score, but it’s Duke.”
AUSTIN RIVERS, Winter Park (Fla.) 2011, PG/SG, being recruited by Duke: “Duke! Just because they’re my team and they play harder! They just want it every game and they have better guards. I say it will be 76-65, Duke.”
JOSHUA HAIRSTON, Montrose Christian (Md.) 2010, PF, signed with Duke: “I say Duke by 15 or more. I think it will be a good, hard and clean game, but Duke’s experience is just gonna be too much for them. Not sure about the score.”
Got a burning question for Jason? Email him: JasonJ@DimeMag.com
So even the HS kids know the importance of experienced Guard play.
Jason, fun piece, nice idea to get the recruits take on the big game tonight.
But you left Tyler Thornton off your list of recruits. Ty Thornton is the point guard, quarterback, and catalyst on a powerful Gonzaga H.S. basketball team that is nationally ranked. He is flying under the radar, but I would have thought that you would have included him in your survey of tonight’s game. Tyler Thornton plays in the same H.S. conference as Kendall Marshall (the powerful WCAC in Washington DC area) and outperforms Marshall each and every time their schools meet. Tyler Thornton is a very, very smart player who has great, almost spooky, anticipation. His assessment of how tonight’s game would evolve would have been an insightful and interesting addition to you article. You should contact him (Gonzaga H.S., home; Reston, VA during current snow storms) and update your article with his prediction as well.
Regards,
Kevin
Kevin, I’m pretty sure Tyler Thornton assessment would have been nice, but don’t we already know what he would have said? As a Duke recruit, it’s not like he’s predicting UNC to win.
Lburna, I see what you’re saying, but with that mentality, why do this piece at all? The Duke kids will pick Duke and UNC will pick UNC. Regardless, it’s fun to see.
All I CAN SAY IS NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS TONIGHT…..WHAT A GREAT YEAR TO SEE WHAT MANY ALREADY KNEW….ROY WILLIAMS IS A LOUSY COACH…IN FACT, ONE OF THE WORST COACHES MANY HAVE SEEN IN YEARS. IT IS TRUE HE CAN RECRUIT, BUT WHAT AN AWFUL JOB HE IS DOING WITH ALL THE MCDONALD’S ALL AMERICAN, AND THE EXCUSES….MY GOSH. JUST GOES TO SHOW HOW PRECARIOUS THE GAME IS AND HOW SO MANY CAN BE FOOLED BY GUYS STICKING AROUND LONGER THAN NORMAL IN 2 SEPERATE YEARS AND MAKING A BAD COACH LOOK GOOD. DUKE ALWAYS HAS A VETERAN, PROVEN LEADER ON THEIR SIDELINES, AND THINK ABOUT ALL THE YEARS WHERE COACH K WON WITH AND W/OUT FULL AND MAJOR TALENT. THESE ARE THE FACTS. I AM SO PROUD TO SAY EVERY YEAR THAT MY TEAMS ARE MY ALMA MATER NCSU AND OF COURSE THE TEAM THAT GETS THE MOST OUT OF WHAT THEY’VE GOT……DUKE!
L-Burna, then why ask any of them?
Seems they all fell along their respective side of the rivalry. (Which is the point.)
This rivalry extends in all directions.
Kevin:
Tyler was actually the first guy I reached out to on this story, but I never heard back from him. Which certainly isn’t like Tyler, but with books and basketball these kids get busy too.
I’ve watched him a ton and talked to him a ton and I agree he’ll surprise a lot of people.
Thanks.
Jason, since “everyone has an opinion on what’s going to happen tonight,” what is your fearless prediction? I say Good Guys 68, Bad Guys 79! Yes I am a Tar Heel fan, predicting Duke! They are clearly the better team this year.