I totally agree. Now that Pitt is in the ACC, Penn State in Big 10 and WVU in Big 12 and these teams don’t play each other, you have to lock up two of these three teams and a network should be interested in televising these games. If one of these teams is not interested, I’m sure you could get a Big East Team or an SEC team. You need two of these other local teams to assure good crowds at all the games. I assure you it will be hard to get tickets to this event if planned properly and done on a yearly basis.

If you feel I attacked you i apologize. I really don’t think posting Bronny’s stats  is putting him down. I have never put down perspective recruits or players or disrespect them like others do on this board. I did attack the coaching on many occasions, but ultimately he proved me wrong. I just would not like to lose perspective recruits if it’s all based on one player. I feel we have needs to be met and if there are capable replacements, I hope it’s not based on wether Bronny does or does not come to DU. I really don’t care if we sign high ranked recruits or players that fit our need from lower level teams that may be successful. As long we continue the climb upwards that is the ultimate goal. I have to say after I have gotten bitten I have a tendency to bite back.

The top recruiting classes for the past three years are as follows:
2021 Memphis, Kentucky and Michigan
2022 Duke, Arkansas and Kentucky
2023 Kentucky, Duke and USC

This is their results this year.
USC 15-18 no NCAA
Arkansas 16-17 no NCAA
Michigan 8-24 no NCAA
Memphis 22-10 no NCAA
Kentucky 23-10 first round exit to Oakland
Duke 27-9 elite 8.
Duke is the only team to be quite successful during this recruiting classes.

Let’s look at this years final four teams and where their starters came from.

Alabama four of their five starters came from Ohio U, St Peters, North Dakota, and Cal State Fullerton.

NC State all five starters came from the following schools, Butler, Illinois State, Winthrop, Virginia and Missouri.

Purdue had one starter come from Southern Illinois

UCONN had two starters come from East Carolina and Loyola Md.

That is 12 of the 20 starters came via the portal. 9 of these starters came from lower level schools. The other three came from power five schools. All twelve of these players were not highly rated recruits.

This day and age, it’s not about getting the top recruits to be successful. It’s about putting a team together that plays like a team.

Duquesne got its exposure for getting to the tournament for the first time in 47 years and then winning a first round game. Clark and Grant were our catalyst and look where they came from. As far as those teams with the best recruits over the past three years, Kentucky and Arkansas at the moment, have 0 players. Kentucky, Arkansas, USC, and Michigan have new coaches. Hardaway at Memphis is on the hot seat. So don’t let this top recruit nonsense fool you. The proof is there, that you find the missing pieces of your returning core of players and play like a team.

To further reinforce this notion, go to ESPN top 100 basketball recruits and look at each year and see how many of these guys became successful.

CalDuke wrote:

We don't want no scrubs anyway....Wildwood

He had a lot better numbers than Bronny and is projected as a better NBA player. So quit talking like you know what’s going on because you are clueless. All this tough talk by you but yet you can’t accept someone’s apology lets me know everything I need to know.

Instead of going back and forth, let’s see how this plays out. I hope the best for the Dukes, but at the present time we haven’t signed anyone!!!!

Say he doesn’t come and we lose a bunch of recruits that could have helped us because they were afraid Bronny was coming here.  I guess you guys are willing to take that gamble. I personally am not ready to take that gamble. On a guy that had his stats this year go or a bottom team in the PAC 10. I know he had heart problems but once you get cleared you move on. I had a heart attack in 2005, five months later I was on the court. Open heart surgery in 2019 and back on the court in 2020 although limited because of Covid. Once your cleared you are ready to go unless complications.

phil95 wrote:

Does anyone know what position Jake played most of the time in high school & prep school?

This year he was almost exclusively a 2 guard/wing. Can he be an effective starting PG at the A-10 level or is that putting him at a disadvantage because he will be playing out of position?

He played a combination of 2 and 3. They had a very athletic and talented point guard.

I have been KD’s biggest critic the last several years. He finally did not have an end of the year swoon, he finally beat a top twenty five team, his team finally played team basketball and he finally did great in the A 10 tournament. Congratulations to the Coach, the administrators and of course the team. It has been a long wait but it sure does feel great. On the down side of this, is that his father could not witness his son’s great achievement and he had to endure this during his wife’s recovery. Personally I am happy for the coach for what he has gone through the last few years. I hope this eases some of the pain he has gone through. Hats off to everyone involved in getting us to the dance!
  As for the  people calling me out, one moment you want to give coach a lifetime contract the next you want him to be burned at a stake then after a few wins he is better than John Wooden then a couple losses you throw him to the dogs. Just look at some of your post. That’s why I haven’t posted, because you fish out of water have no clue what you’re talking about. You flip flop like a fish out of water.
  I have come to the realization that coaching in today’s world is so much more difficult than it used to be with the NLI and transfer portal as well as Covid years.
  The last 17 games the Dukes have played like I thought they could and that goes to the coaches, the players and administrators for sticking by them. Congratulations and let’s try and get 1 or 2 wins in the tournament!!!

levon1975 wrote:

I’m not thrilled with Mack.  He struggled at Louisville in the wake of Pitino, and had everything at his fingertips. 
Why would Henderson leave Princeton for Duquesne?  He has a ranked program in a league he can compete to win every year.  He can recruit the kind of players who fit that system.  Good athletes, who are fundamentally sound, and smart. 
With that said, I think Duquesne should look for a Coach who can coach a system that recruits the type of player who fits that system.  Face facts that we aren’t getting 5,4, or even 3-star players, so recruiting to a system allows you to find those guys who might not jump out as the most talented D-1 players, but can thrive in your system. 
Will Wade is a pipe dream.  He re-entered coaching at a low level but like other lawless coaches like Pearl, Sean Miller and Kelvin Sampson he’ll soon be back at a P-5 program!

You poked holes in my suggestions, which is fine, but who are your perspective list of possible candidates ? By the way as far as Will Wade being a pipe dream, how about, Martin for UMass came from South Carolina and Kansas State. Ford from Oklahoma State to St Louis, Grant from Alabama to Dayton and Miller from Indiana to Rhode Island. All power 5 conference schools to the A10. Not too much of a pipe dream in my book, Going from McNeese St to Duquesne. It’s called climbing back up the ladder.

Dambrots time at Duquesne should come to an end after this year by retirement or dismissal. Why ?
Facts:
1. Only one non conference road win in 7 years
2. His .444 winning percentage in A10 52-65.
3. Record of 1-5 in A10 tournament play.
4. The highest ranked opponent he has beaten was a 63rd ranked team in 7 years.
5. During his tenure at Duquesne, he has had more players transfer out than any other A10 team by a wide margin.
6. He has been given more resources than any Duquesne coach in the history of the school.
7. His record in A10 play has occurred at the weakest time of the conference.
8. His non conference schedule has been the easiest in Duquesne history, with terrible opponents and most of the games at home.
Opinion:
1. Recruiting has been average
2. Player retention, below average
3. Game preparation average at best
4. In game coaching below average
5. I feel like he never really accepted Pittsburgh and Duquesne as his new home. Always the references to Akron and even playing a game there, which I don’t understand to this day.
6. I personally don’t like how he handles his players. I always felt it started with Mike Lewis, who I felt was an ambassador for Duquesne and has continued yearly with various players.
7. The staffs lack of attracting local talent or high schoolers that have a DU connection, example Suder , Alston and Therio’s sons.

My three top coaches I think we have a shot at are
Will Wade. Presently the first year head coach at McNeese State with a 23-3 record and road wins this year at Michigan, UAB and VCU.  His three losses are by 2, 3, and 9 all on the road. Has proven he can win in the A10. May have to watch him closely as he got in trouble either NCAA. But so did Kelvin Sampson and Bruce Pearl.
My second choice would be Chris Mack the former Louisville and Xavier coach. His record speaks for itself.
My third choice would be Mitch Henderson, I suggested him prior to Dambrots hiring. He would make a lot more money at DU but Prince

CityDuke wrote:

Wildwood13 wrote:

You do realize that the Dukes have been in the bonus since the 13:00 mark and the Dukes only have three fouls. Quit looking for stuff and enjoy the game!!!!

I complimented the refs…

How did you compliment the refs when you are complaining about Williams bumping a shooter and he gets hit in the face with an elbow, really?

Styles1229 wrote:

Wildwood13 wrote:

City Duke, your constant complaining of the referees is just ridiculous and unwarranted!!

This is unwarranted. Trey got elbowed in the face and somehow picked up his 2nd foul in the process. Nothing wrong with pointing that out.

It is a crazy game to officiate. So much contact.

It’s called incidental contact if you know anything about the sport and Williams bumped him as he was in the act of shooting.