The Missing Pieces...

Last year the men's basketball team had no starter taller than 6-foot-8 and relied heavily on its perimeter game. Its dependence on the jump shot paved the path to its doom. When Duke's shots didn't fall, it struggled to grab rebounds and gave up crucial late-season and postseason victories. But this year things have changed.

Freshmen Elton Brand and Chris Burgess bring a new dimension to the Blue Devils, filling in the gaping hole in the paint that plagued Duke last year.

"They can make us a complete team," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "We were a team that had to play a certain way.... But now we have talent inside with Elton and Chris. They need experience, but they have the talent."

Brand earned numerous accolades before he had ever stepped onto the floor of Cameron Indoor Stadium. Leading his high school team to two state championships, the Peekskill, N.Y. native was tabbed Gatorade State Player of the Year, state MVP and first-team Parade All-America his senior year. This summer he recorded 22 points, 11 rebounds and two assists at the Capital Classic to receive MVP honors, joining teammates Trajan Langdon and Nate James as Duke's third Capital Classic MVP in the last four years.

Although the regular season is only one game under way, Brand has already made an impact. In Sunday's win over Army, he netted 12 points, three rebounds and three blocked shots. He also scored in double digits in both of Duke's exhibition games, notching 14 points against the Upstate All-Stars and tallying his first collegiate double-double against Australia, with 16 points and 11 boards.

Standing tall at 6-8, 245 lbs., Brand provides inside muscle that has proven crucial in game situations. A late-game offensive rebound against Australia ran the clock down and virtually locked up the game for the Blue Devils.

"To get a double-double in his second game was great," senior guard Steve Wojciechowski said of Brand after the game. "His biggest part of the game was his rebound and kick-out that took about a minute off the clock at the end of the game. For a young guy to be able to have the poise to do that, I'm really proud of him."

Although Brand is fast becoming an outstanding rebounder, perhaps his greatest attributes are his unselfishness and his work ethic. While he started in both of Duke's exhibition games and the Army game, his top priority is not to gain a starting slot or to log significant minutes, but simply to contribute however he can.

So far, Burgess seems to be handling the transition with ease. He made a splash in the preseason, netting eight points and three rebounds against Upstate. To kick off the regular season, Burgess notched six points and five boards at Army.

Where Burgess is just one-quarter of the country's best freshman class, the spotlight belonged to him alone in high school. The Irvine, Calif., native earned Parade and USA Today All-America honors as a senior. He was also selected as the 1997 Sporting News National Player of the Year and the Gatorade State Player of the Year. At Woodbridge High School, Burgess set numerous school records for points and blocked shots.

With all of those accolades comes plenty of hype, and both Burgess and Brand have high expectations riding on their broad shoulders. Only time will tell whether they and classmates Shane Battier and William Avery will live up to the standards that have been set for them.

"We're not the saviors," Burgess said, referring to one of Battier's favorite lines. Wojciechowski, Trajan Langdon and Roshown McLeod, all upperclassmen, "do a lot of good things that no one really notices as much. Our expectations are there, but the team's a team, not just us four."