Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball: Five Talented Preps Watch Blue Devils Lose to UNC

The Tar Heels crashed another Duke basketball party, and it'll be up to the future Blue Devils on hand to get revenge next season.

Matt Giles

Photo credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
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Before the No. 7 Tar Heels (25-6, 17-3 ACC) and No. 9 Blue Devils (24-7, 15-5 ACC) tipped off Saturday night's rivalry clash in Cameron Indoor Stadium, the stage was set for a celebration of Duke basketball past, present, and future. It didn't go as planned, as UNC prevailed, 84-79, winning the conference's regular-season crown outright.

Including Jon Scheyer and two of his assistants in Chris Carrawell and Will Avery, 25 former Duke basketball players were in attendance, not to mention retired Hall of Fame Blue Devil head coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Meanwhile, it was Senior Night for Jeremy Roach, Ryan Young, and Spencer Hubbard.

As for the future, four of Scheyer's six heralded 2024 signees traveled to Durham for the primetime showdown and were behind Duke's bench. Those visitors included the nation's top-ranked prep in Montverde Academy (Fla.) five-star forward Cooper Flagg, plus his twin brother and potential Blue Devil target in unrated 2025 wing Ace Flagg.

They sat beside the Blue Devils' other three 2024 prizes who made the trip: North Meck (N.C.) five-star forward Isaiah Evans (No. 14 composite ranking) and Paul VI Catholic (Va.) teammates in five-star center Patrick Ngongba II (No. 24) and four-star sharpshooter Darren Harris (No. 53).

If the Blue Devils and Tar Heels don't meet again in the postseason, Cooper Flagg & Co. will be the next Duke basketball talents to get a shot at slowing down UNC's momentum in the series: wins in four of the past six meetings and six of the past nine, including the 2022 victories that spoiled Coach K's swan song.

The other two members of Duke's celebrated 2024 recruiting haul, now seemingly a lock to finish atop the class rankings, are NBA Academy Africa five-star big man Khaman Maluach (No. 6) and Wisconsin Lutheran five-star forward Kon Knueppel (No. 17).

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Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more Duke basketball news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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