Duke’s first preseason look told the same story in a hurry: there is plenty of talent here, and there is more than one way for the Blue Devils to hurt you.
By the time the final horn sounded on Thursday at Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke had rolled past Belmont 102-62 in a scrimmage that turned lopsided late in the first half and never came back. The Blue Devils were up 14 with 1:15 left before halftime, then blew it open over the final 75 seconds to reach the break ahead 49-25. Cameron was buzzing after that burst.
John Blackwell sparked the surge with a 3-point play after a power move, Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje followed with back-to-back inside finishes, and Blackwell closed the half by stealing the ball and burying a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. His teammates came flying after him, chest-bumping and shoving playfully all the way to the locker room.
The game wasn’t clean for Duke. The Blue Devils turned it over nine times in the first half, forced some passes and shots that weren’t there, and had a few defensive possessions where Belmont caught them flat. The Bruins also knocked down some tough shots.
Still, the bigger takeaway was impossible to miss: this team can attack in waves.
Dame Sarr looked like a player ready to take a bigger jump. After considering the NBA following his freshman year, he returned to Duke wanting to become a more complete player, and he looked the part with 19 points while bringing pressure on defense.
Boumtje Boumtje, the 7-2 freshman, also scored 19. Blackwell, the Wisconsin transfer who has already proven he can score in the Big Ten, added 17.
Duke’s opening lineup offered a first clue about how Jon Scheyer may mix and match this group. The Blue Devils started Pat Ngongba, Sarr, Cayden Boozer, Blackwell and Boumtje Boumtje.
Sebastian Wilkins was first off the bench and immediately made an impact with a quick swipe that forced a turnover. Deron Rippey Jr., Max Meyer, Cameron Williams and Bryson Howard followed soon after.
Scheyer had already said Wednesday that Caleb Foster had tweaked an ankle and likely would not play until the season opener against Army.
Sarr’s day was especially encouraging because it showed more than just scoring. He missed a corner 3 early, then knocked down one from the left wing.
He drove the ball, got to the rim, finished a putback and converted a 3-point play in the first half. He also delivered a sharp pass in traffic to Boumtje Boumtje for a layup, then found Wilkins for a dunk in the second half.
And as always, the defense was there. Sarr’s energy on that end never really lets up.
The hustle plays drew the biggest reactions, too. One sequence had Boozer diving on the floor for a loose ball on the defensive end and getting it to Blackwell, who pushed ahead to set up a fast-break dunk for Williams.
Later, Blackwell chased a loose ball through traffic and ended up sliding across a few bodies in the lane. Wilkins did the same not long after.
Boumtje Boumtje also showed why he’s going to be fun to watch, and maybe a little frustrating at times. He clearly has no fear from deep, and he made that obvious right away with a three to the right of the circle before letting out a howl.
He added another from the left corner to make it 22-12, and he had 10 points in the first 10 minutes. He also showed some recovery speed, racing back after losing the ball in transition to get a rejection.
Belmont was a worthwhile early test, even if the score turned ugly.
At first glance, Duke’s preseason schedule - Belmont, Tennessee, and at Kansas - might make people focus on the Bruins and their first-year coach Evans Bradds, who was on Scheyer’s staff last season before returning to his alma mater. But Belmont brought back six players from a team that won the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title and finished 26-6.
The Bruins moved the ball well at times and ran their offense with purpose. They were undersized almost everywhere, but they competed defensively. It just wasn’t enough against a Duke team that kept bringing fresh bodies and fresh problems.
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