Jahlil Okafor
Statline: Monday, Dec. 15 vs. Elon: 25 points, 10-of-14 shooting, 20 rebounds, one assist, three blocks, two steals; Thursday, Dec. 18 vs. Connecticut: 12 points, 3-of-5 shooting, eight rebounds, two assists
The good: Jahlil Okafor helped the Blue Devils overcome their rust from not playing in twelve days. Okafor set a freshman-record with 20 rebounds to go along with his 25 points against Elon. Okafor’s dominant performance made up for Duke’s lack of rhythm on the offensive end.
In Duke’s next game against Connecticut, Okafor showcased his ability to facilitate and pass out of double-teams. The Huskies often paid a price when they double or triple-teamed Okafor who then kicked the ball out open shooters on the wing. Okafor also took one of Connecticut’s main scoring options—Amida Brimah—out of the game. Brimah was in foul trouble for the entire contest as he struggled to defend Okafor.
The bad: Jahlil Okafor’s troubles at the free throw line continued against the Phoenix and Huskies. Despite his smooth stroke, Okafor went 5-of-11 and 6-of-11, respectively, in the Elon and Connecticut matchups. Okafor also committed several turnovers when he dribbled the ball down the court on fast breaks or leak-outs or did not see guards sinking into the paint to double-team him.
The 6-foot-11 freshman will have to become a more consistent free throw shooter in order to capitalize on more scoring opportunities. In addition, Okafor needs to take better care of the ball when he dribbles down the court or should allow one of Duke’s better ball-handlers to take the ball up the court.
The bottom line: Okafor will continue to see double-teams. Duke has several options to to take advantage of double-teams against its big man. Okafor can pass the ball on dive-downs to Amile Jefferson or find open Duke guards behind the three-point line. As the season progresses, Jefferson should continue to flourish from playing off Okafor.
Honorable mention: After a game in which he committed four turnovers and only took one shot, Tyus Jones’ bounced back with a big performance against Connecticut. Duke’s starting point guard recorded 21 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Just as he as done all year, Jones took what the defense gave him. He recognized opportunities to score against the Huskies and as a result took 11 shots. Many of his field goals came after the Huskies chipped into Duke’s lead.
Jones’ ability to score makes Duke’s offense more lethal. Teams cannot expect for Jones to only be a facilitator and primary ball-handler while on the court. He can beat defenders off the dribble or punish opponents that double team Okafor with three-pointers.
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