Blue Devil Country

WATCH: Duke Basketball Sophomore Shows Off Burst in Return From Injury

Duke basketball's Tyrese Proctor is close enough to 100 percent and sounds thrilled to be back in action.

Matt Giles

Photo credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
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Tyrese Proctor, who logged 18 minutes off the bench, wasn't perfect in Saturday's 106-69 home win over unranked Queens. But nobody expected him to be. After all, the Duke basketball guard was returning from his four-week absence due to a sprained left ankle.

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Encouragingly, though, Proctor exhibited his athleticism and looked comfortable doing so, as one can see below in the highlight of his first score in the game. It came midway through the first half, less than three minutes into his first stint on the floor.

Appearing determined to get a bucket, the 6-foot-5 Australian exploded to the basket, finished in traffic, and landed hard without wincing:

Proctor, likely to reappear in the starting lineup soon, totaled nine points, one rebound, four assists, and one block while shooting 3-for-4 from the field, 1-for-1 from downtown, and 2-for-5 at the charity stripe.

There was rust. However, the 19-year-old had reason to smile in the locker room afterward, as he expressed his high spirits from being back on the floor to help the 16th-ranked Blue Devils (9-3, 0-1 ACC) notch their fourth straight victory in what was the last non-conference outing on the Duke basketball schedule:

"I felt good. It was really good to get back out there and just get comfortable again. Obviously, I missed a bit of time. But it was good, not rushed, and I felt good out there. It’s all been looked at, and it’s going to be painful for a little bit, but I’m just going to have to push through that."

NEXT GAME: at home versus unranked Syracuse (10-3, 1-1 ACC), 9 p.m. ET Tuesday (ESPN)

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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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