After an impressive run through the ACC Tournament that finished with Duke men’s basketball cutting down the nets, the Blue Zone takes a look at one key player, word and stat from the games: 

One player: Kon Knueppel

With just 2:46 remaining in the first half of Duke’s opening matchup in the ACC Tournament against Georgia Tech, disaster struck: standout freshman and consensus first-overall NBA draft pick Cooper Flagg rolled his ankle, leaving the Blue Devils without their leading scorer and rebounder. As a surprise to very few Duke fans, head coach Jon Scheyer turned to one of his other freshmen, Kon Knueppel, to step up and lead the ACC regular season champions to three straight victories. That, Knueppel did. 

In the three games, Knueppel was Duke’s go-to guy, playing all but five minutes and averaging 21 points per contest alongside 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. Frankly, Knueppel continued playing as he did all season long as a confident 3-point shooter and an assertive driver to the rim. In the 73-62 championship game against No. 13 Louisville, Knueppel struggled from beyond the arc, yet he punished 6-foot-6 primary defender Terrence Edwards Jr. from two-point range en route to 18 points to clinch the ACC Tournament MVP. 

Throughout the tournament, Knueppel was also elite on the defensive end, impressively staying out of foul trouble in all three matchups while playing a high volume of minutes. 

One word: Resilience 

After losing Flagg and key defensive specialist Maliq Brown in the first half of the opening matchup against Georgia Tech, Duke showcased the resilience to adapt and overcome, relying on its depth on the way to three victories in three days.

Patrick Ngongba II ended the tournament an impressive 10-13 from the field, dominating in the post in all three matchups. Additionally, sophomore Caleb Foster logged 30 minutes across the week. His most impressive performance came against rival North Carolina, when he added six points and a few crucial defensive plays, including two steals. Although Mason Gillis struggled in shooting, the graduate also stepped up on the defensive end, switching on to elite Louisville guards Edwards and Chucky Hepburn in the championship game.

The Blue Devils’ display of depth was impressive, yet time will tell how important of a role the bench will play as Flagg returns to play in the NCAA Tournament. Perhaps more critical was Duke’s ability to quickly adjust to difficult circumstances and continue playing its elite brand of basketball under pressure. 

One stat: 15 blocks

Over the three tournament games, the Blue Devils logged 15 blocks, including 13 from Duke’s two active centers, Ngongba and Khaman Maluach. Maluach’s jaw-dropping defensive potential was shown in one particular sequence against Louisville when he switched on and stayed in front of the shifty Edwards, blocking his driving layup attempt. All year, Duke’s centers have forced difficult finishes at the rim, and with athletic 6-foot-6 guards forcing tough driving lanes, Duke has the ability to stall opposing offenses of all levels. Going forward, Scheyer will continue to preach a similar effort on defense in the “win-or-go-home” NCAA Tournament. 

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