Duke fans finally got a first real look at the 2026-27 Blue Devils on Saturday night at Countdown to Craziness, and the short scrimmage offered a few clear early reads.
Jon Scheyer’s group split into a blue team and a white team, with the white squad winning 29-24. It was only a brief tune-up, so nobody should get too carried away. Still, a handful of performances stood out enough to sketch the outlines of what Duke may be working with this season.
The biggest spark came from Deron Rippey Jr., who already looks like the kind of freshman guard Scheyer won’t be able to leave on the bench for long. The 5-star newcomer flashed all over the floor, finishing with seven points and three assists while also throwing down a highlight-reel dunk and finishing well around the basket.
The play that really stuck was the one that ended it: Rippey buried the game-winning three to push the white team to the Elam Ending target of 28. More than the shot itself, it was the way he stepped into it with total confidence.
He looked like a player who expected the moment to belong to him.
Patrick Ngongba gave Duke another encouraging sign, and maybe an even more important one. He looked healthy, which was the first box to check, and then he showed a new wrinkle by confidently knocking down a three-pointer.
That kind of floor spacing from the five spot changes things for Duke’s guards, giving Cayden Boozer, Caleb Foster, John Blackwell, and Rippey more room to attack the rim. Ngongba shot 25% from deep last season, but the expectation here is that number moves into the low to mid 30s this year.
He did get banged up late in the scrimmage, though Scheyer told the crowd he was going to be fine.
John Blackwell looked every bit the polished scorer Duke brought in from Wisconsin. He led the way in the 12-minute scrimmage with 10 points on 3-of-6 shooting and showed the full package: a three-pointer, strong drives, and clean finishes at the rim.
He’s the kind of smooth bucket-getter who can score in different ways, and Duke’s spacing should make life easier for him than it was in Madison. He won’t need to carry the same kind of load, but he’s certainly capable of it.
The signs point to a big season, and he looks like Duke’s best bet to lead the team in scoring.
There was also a useful showing from Maxime Meyer, who got a chance to play more because Belmont transfer Drew Scharnowski was sidelined with a knee injury. Minutes may be hard to find for the former 4-star recruit, but Meyer made a case that he can help if called upon.
In 10 minutes, he scored six points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting, grabbed two offensive rebounds, and blocked a shot at the rim. He’s still a developmental prospect, and his best basketball is ahead of him, but he looked ready enough to contribute right away if needed.
The freshmen forwards, Joaqim Boumtje Boumtje and Cameron Williams, were less polished in their first run at Cameron Indoor. The two are battling for the starting four-spot next to Ngongba, with Boumtje Boumtje probably sitting in front for now.
Neither player had a big night, and they combined for five points on 2-of-6 shooting. That doesn’t change the long-term outlook, but it does suggest Duke may have to live with some early-season growing pains there.
In Other News...
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 Fans Got Their First Real Clue About This Roster
Dukes annual Countdown to Craziness offered the first real look at this years group inside Cameron Indoor Stadium, with the Blue-White scrimmage giving fans a chance to size up the rotation and get a feel for how the pieces fit. It was the kind of early October snapshot that does not answer every question, but it does at least start to show which players are ready to make an impression before the games count.
The scrimmage had the usual mix of energy and experimentation, and the evening ended with Team White coming out on top in the Elam ending format, thanks to a three-pointer from Deron Rippey Jr. Duke will not have long to sit on the exhibition notes, either, with a scrimmage against Belmont coming up as the next opportunity to see whether the early flashes translate into something more reliable. [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 🡒]