Men's basketball lands second member of class of 2007
Dave McClure, a 6-foot-6 swingman from Trinity Catholic High School in Stamford, Ct., called head men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski at 9:30 Monday evening with some good news: he had decided to come to Duke.
"I knew in my heart it was the right choice for me," McClure told the Advocate of Stamford Monday.
McClure, ranked by recruiting experts anywhere from No. 32 to No. 48 in the rising senior class, averaged 17 points and 11 rebounds for Trinity last season. Notre Dame was McClure's other top choice, but last weekend's Tournament of Champions--held in the Triangle area, with Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium hosting several games--closed the deal.
Duke recruited McClure as a wing player, a position which suits his playing style well. His high school coach, Mike Walsh, lauds McClure's athleticism and defensive stalwartness as his most valuable assets, though he notes that his outside shooting still needs some work. But for now, the newest Blue Devil is just happy to have the recruiting process behind him.
"I feel relief and excitement," McClure told the Advocate of Stamford. "I'm going to be playing for one of the best coaches in the country. There's some relief that some of the pressure is off, but there's now going to be other pressure on me."
McClure's verbal commitment makes him the second member of Duke's class of 2007, joining California guard DeMarcus Nelson. Duke has two scholarships remaining, which will most likely go to a point guard and a center or power forward.
Notre Dame approached as ACC expansion process moves forward
A delegation from the ACC began its final campus tour Tuesday with a visit to Syracuse, taking the possible ACC expansion one step closer to completion. Boston College and Miami were visited last week.
The entire process could be wrapped up as soon as the end of June, according to ACC commissioner John Swofford. However, several formalities
"The trips are made to gather information for all parties," Duke athletic director Joe Alleva wrote in an e-mail. "Then reports are to be written for the CEO's, then a formal vote is taken to decide whether to officially invite institutions to join the ACC, then those institutions would have to decide if they want to accept."
If the Big East should lose Syracuse, Boston College and Miami, the conference would be in shambles and a restructuring would almost certainly be necessary. The possible scenarios for the Big East's survival are myriad and complex. As a result, fellow Big East member Notre Dame has shown interest in coming to the ACC as well.
"Notre Dame has been contacted [by the ACC] and to my knowledge doesn't want to be a full member," Alleva wrote. "They would be a tremendous addition if they would come."
Notre Dame's possible admission would not pose a problem in the conference because the Fighting Irish would almost certainly remain independent in football, a status it has upheld despite its membership in the Big East in most varsity sports.
The school is a "tremendous" opportunity for the ACC because of Notre Dame's academic and athletic excellence. In recent years, Notre Dame has placed nationally in basketball, baseball, football and cross country, among other sports.
Patrick drafted in 25th round by Toronto Blue Jays
Though no Duke-in-Canada program exists as of yet, Major League Baseball is doing its best to start one. A year after Larry Broadway was selected by the Montreal Expos in the third round of baseball's First Year Player Draft, outfielder Brian Patrick was taken yesterday in the 25th round by the Toronto Blue Jays.
A three-year starter and an anchor in rightfield, Patrick led Duke in nearly every offensive category this year. He paced the team with a .329 average, six home runs, three triples, 42 runs batted in and 42 runs scored. The Pompano Beach, Fla., native also earned 21 walks, demonstrating the patience and plate discipline that appeals to second-year Blue Jays General Manager J.P. Ricciardi. Patrick leaves Duke ranked among the school's all-time leaders in games played, runs batted in, and triples.
"I couldn't be any happier for Brian," Duke head coach Bill Hillier said. "He's a very hard worker. With the tools he has he could surprise some people and play a long time."
Though Patrick's dream of being drafted into professional baseball was fulfilled Wednesday, he will soon be confronted with the daunting path in front of him.
After playing for four years in the illustrious ACC, Patrick's quest to make it north of the border to Toronto will take him through such renowned baseball towns as Auburn, Al., New York and Charleston, W. Va., as he tries to work his way up Toronto's minor league ranks.
As the 740th pick in the draft, the odds are very much against Patrick playing even a single day in the big leagues. In the first thirty years of the draft, less than 10% of players selected after the first ten rounds made it to the majors.
Making matters even more difficult, the 5-foot-10 Patrick must make the transition to second base in the pros, as he lacks the size generally desired in outfielders. Though he didn't play any infield for Duke, Hillier is confident in his former player's versatility.
"They will probably use him as a utility guy," Hillier said. "He can play several different positions."
Patrick can also hope to emulate his recent teammate, Broadway, one of the top prospects in the Expos organization. Playing for the A-level Savannah Sand Gnats, Broadway leads his team with a .303 average, 10 home runs, and 37 RBIs.
Starting Thursday, Patrick will begin his new life as a professional ballplayer, hoping that he can overcome the long odds and achieve the ultimate dream: playing in the major leagues.
Troy Caradonna, a four-year starter at catcher, went undrafted after a strong career at Duke. His plans are unknown at this point.
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