Four Things We Learned About Duke in Maui

You might have heard once or four hundred times during the ESPN broadcast that Duke has never lost in Maui.  It is certainly an interesting (and impressive) fact, but here are four real things we learned about the Dukies over the past week.




1.  Ryan Kelly reads March Maniacs. 

Shortly after posting our first Bracketeering column of the year and citing Kelly as the main reason I elevated the Blue Devils to #3, Kelly goes out and wins the MVP of the Maui Classic.  So, thanks Ryan.  We appreciate the good lookin' out for the Maniac's analystic prowess.

2.  Duke Recruits Winners.  Lots of 'em

Austin Rivers sat the final two minutes, in a tight ballgame, and unlikely hero Tyler Thornton came up clutch.  

 This tells us, no, not that Duke is better with Rivers on the bench, but that this Duke team is a cohesive enough unit that they can get immense, headline-grabbing contributions from seven players on their roster.  This is a key ingredient of most championship teams.  Even the seeming "one-man shows" of Kemba Walker and Carmelo Anthony got huge contributions from Jeremy Lamb and Gerry McNamara.  You've gotta share the load over the course of a season.  Duke has passed that test far earlier and far easier than most talent-laden squads.


3.  Forget 1,000, Coach K is going to win 1,100 games; at least.

One more championship?  Okay ... I'm in

Did you see the youthful ebulience that bubbled over throughout K's post game interview?  It was simply joyous.  He looked almost teary eyed he was so overjoyed and excited.  The coolest thing about it?  He wasn't excited about the win; he was excited for Tyler Thorton getting a moment in the spotlight, one he said he deserved because he was just such an amazing kid.

Does this sound like a coach anywhere close to retiring?!?  In fact, I'll say confidently there is not a coach in the nation more comfortably and enjoyably pulling as much from his players and the joyful experience of college basketball as Mike Krzyzewski.

4.  Austin Rivers is going to be a great teammate and a big-time winner at Duke.

Peace and Love with the Dukies in Maui

The most impressive thing from this entire weekend was watching the way an engaged and excited Austin Rivers cheered on his Duke teammates and celebrated wildly when they won the championship, despite spending the last two minutes on the bench.  Suffice it to say this was the first time in young Austin Rivers' life when he was riding the pine in crunch time.  Most 18-year old phenoms would sulk.  Or at least look visibly uncomfortable.  Not Rivers.  He took it in stride, with class, and with complete team-first joy in the victory.

This is an enormous step in the evolution of a young superstar, and an enormous building block in the foundation of a potential Final Four squad.  Hi shot selection may at times still leave a little to be desired, but from here on in we will not be questioning his team focus.