Duke’s men’s basketball team got its 2026-27 season rolling Saturday night inside Cameron Indoor Stadium, and the annual Countdown to Craziness ended the way these nights often do: with a scrimmage, a late push, and a crowd getting its first look at the new group.
Team White walked away with the Blue-White scrimmage win, 29-24, after Deron Rippey Jr. buried the game-ending three-pointer to hit the Elam ending target score. White did its damage efficiently, shooting better than 60 percent overall at 11-of-18 and knocking down 4 of 8 from deep. Blue had the edge on the glass, 9-7, and scored more points in the paint, 16-14, but White controlled the open floor, piling up 13 fast-break points while keeping Blue off the break entirely.
The start came fast. The teams combined to make their first five shots, with John Blackwell and Sebastian Wilkins each connecting from long range. White then put together a short 4-0 burst to move ahead 9-5, only for Blue to answer with six straight and reclaim the lead at 11-9.
Blue stayed in front after a three-point play from Blackwell made it 18-14 with 4:36 left. White flipped things quickly from there, getting back-to-back threes from Patrick Ngongba II and Bryson Howard to move ahead 20-18 and establish the Elam ending target score at 28.
Once the score reached 24-24, Caleb Foster gave White the lead with a jumper, and Rippey Jr. finished it off from the wing to close the door at 29.
Rippey Jr. and Wilkins paced Team White with seven points each. Blackwell led Team Blue with 10. Rippey Jr. also finished with a game-high three assists, while Boumtje Boumtje and Maxime Meyer shared the rebounding lead with two apiece.
Duke’s next home scrimmage is set for Thursday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m. against Belmont at Cameron Indoor Stadium, with the game airing on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX).
In Other News...
Duke's Newcomers Already Created The Roster Battle Fans Wanted
Dukes annual Countdown to Craziness scrimmage did exactly what fans hoped it would do: create a little early-season noise around a roster that suddenly looks a lot more interesting. The white team edged the blue team 29-24, and the event offered a first real glimpse at a mix of newcomers who already seem ready to push for minutes. Freshman Deron Rippey Jr., Patrick Ngongba and transfer John Blackwell all flashed in ways that should only sharpen the competition heading into the season.
There will be some growing pains along the way, especially for freshmen like Joaqim Boumtje Boumtje and Cameron Williams, who are still adjusting to the speed and physicality of college basketball. But that is part of the appeal of this group, too. Duke wanted roster tension, internal pressure and a reason for fans to lean in early, and the scrimmage suggested the Blue Devils may have all three before October is even over. [Read more 🡒]
Dukes Season Kickoff Hinted At Two Dangerous ACC Contenders
Dukes annual Countdown to Craziness did what it is supposed to do: turn an offseason showcase into an early look at a program that expects to matter. The men and women both got their moment in front of the Cameron crowd, with Jon Scheyer and Kara Lawson front and center as the school leaned into the kind of optimism that comes after recent NCAA tournament runs and enough returning buzz to make the ACC race feel very real.
The intrigue, though, is different on each side. Scheyers group looks built to be in the national conversation again, even if it does not have an obvious singular face yet, while Lawsons team arrives with a sharper edge after her latest international success with Team USA. Between the scrimmage flashes and the coach-driven confidence, Duke left the building looking less like a school opening a season and more like one with two teams already measuring themselves against the leagues best. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Women Just Gave Fans Their First Real Roster Debate
Duke womens basketball got its first real taste of competition Friday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium, using the Blue vs. White scrimmage during Countdown to Craziness to open the 2026-27 season in front of a crowd that was eager for clues. The intrasquad setup always invites a little overreading, but it also gives fans their earliest chance to start sorting out who looks ready for bigger minutes and who might push into the rotation once the games begin.
The White group came away with the win, and sophomore Aaliyah Crump was among the most noticeable players on the floor as the Blue Devils work through those early roster impressions. Delaney Thomas also played a key role in the finish, and the result only adds a little more intrigue before Duke opens the official season Nov. 3 against Green Bay, when the exhibition questions start turning into real ones. [Read more 🡒]