Duke dominated the entire first half against Winston-Salem State, feeding off the energy of the Cameron Crazies en route to a 63-13 lead. The Blue Devils showed off a little bit of everything, from freshman Paolo Banchero scoring the first bucket to sophomore Mark Williams owning the paint on both sides of the floor. Here are our five observations.
Griffin a go
When freshman forward AJ Griffin—who suffered a sprained knee in practice Oct. 8—was a full participant in warmups, he looked surprisingly game-ready, putting home a few athletic slams and cutting with apparent ease. It was still a surprise, though, when Griffin took the court early in the first half for the Blue Devils, sporting a right knee brace but looking plenty comfortable in his debut. Griffin only saw the floor for a few minutes in the first half, but his return to action is an undeniably promising sign for Duke.
Faster is better
The Blue Devils came out of the gates scorching hot Saturday afternoon, jumping out to an early 8-0 lead and forcing a Rams timeout after consecutive threes by Trevor Keels and Wendell Moore Jr. Duke did not let up, either, running their way to 37 points in the first 10 minutes and 63 in the first half behind an energized press scheme and a mercilessly fast transition offense. At the first half buzzer, the Blue Devils had sunk seven threes and dished 17 assists to Winston-Salem State’s zero.
Three’s company
With Marquette transfer Theo John coming off the bench to bolster the starting frontcourt of Mark Williams and Paolo Banchero, the Blue Devils have plenty of firepower down low. While it remains unclear how much of a role John will play in that equation, the graduate student received some early minutes Saturday, subbing in for Williams and looking strong alongside Banchero, throwing down an early two-handed jam and anchoring the defense in the paint.
Petty theft
Much of the Blue Devils’ big offensive half started on the defensive end, where the Blue Devils brought pressure early and often, turning Winston-Salem State over 12 times for 16 fast-break points. The talented Blue Devils have offensive potential, yes, but a rapidly forming defensive identity looks like it could be what makes this team special.
Player of the half: Mark Williams
For as good as Williams was on the offensive end through twenty minutes—he shot 5-for-5 from the field with 10 points—the sophomore center paved the way for his team’s impressive defensive half. Williams swatted his first of four blocks in the game’s first minute, looking every bit the rim protector he is expected to be for this year’s Duke squad. The seven-footer’s presence on both ends of the floor made an impact in Duke’s blistering start, running the floor and bringing an unmatched energy to the exhibition matchup. To top it all off, Wiliams added the play of the half in its closing moments, remarkably blocking a dunk attempt at the summit.
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Jonathan Levitan is a Trinity senior and was previously sports editor of The Chronicle's 118th volume.