When Duke takes the floor against Army at 6:30 p.m. ET Monday on ESPNU, Cameron Indoor Stadium will be hearing from the Crazies again for the first time in a regular-season home setting since the Blue Devils beat UNC 76-61 240 days ago. That kind of backdrop is exactly what freshman point guard Deron Rippey Jr. signed up for.
Rippey made that clear on the latest episode of Duke Blue Planet, where he talked about choosing Jon Scheyer’s program because of the energy around the fan base. “Playing in front of students who actually care about the basketball team was really big for me,” Rippey, a five-star prospect from Blair Academy in New Jersey, said. “I wouldn't want to go to a school that is quiet or where the fans aren't cheering because that's not how I want to play.”
The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Brooklyn native has already looked comfortable feeding off that noise in Duke’s preseason home games. In exhibition wins over Belmont and Tennessee, Rippey came off the bench and averaged 16.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.0 steals. He gave the Blue Devils a steady spark in both blowout wins and quickly made himself a favorite with the crowd.
“Honestly, the first few [home exhibition] games have been extremely electric,” Rippey, who had three points, one rebound, one assist, and one block in 13 minutes during last Sunday’s 90-84 road exhibition win over Kansas, said during the episode. “Every time something happens, no matter what it is, the fans are always energetic.
“They're always in tune with the game, no matter the score or no matter if we're beating a team by a lot or a little. I feel like they're always in tune, and that's what makes this place so great.”
For now, Rippey does not appear headed for a starting role alongside the lone freshman in Duke’s exhibition starting lineup, forward/center Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje. Even so, his early performances and Scheyer’s comments suggest he’ll keep playing a major bench role.
“So far, 'Rip' has made strides in two main areas,” Scheyer, entering his fifth season and carrying a 70-7 record over the past two years, said. “One is defense, just the ability to pressure the ball and his off-ball defense with just being more alert and aware than you have to be in high school.
“And the second thing is just his decision-making, just because he's always been a guy that can create any time he wants. So, for him, I love the fact he's been ready to shoot, the way he's showed that he's able to make others better with quick passing and quick decisions or getting into the paint and driving and drawing two [defenders]...”
After Army, Duke stays in Durham and gets another home date with Coastal Carolina at 8 p.m. ET Thursday on ACC Network.
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