Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Prize Helps Lift Blue Devil-Friendly School to Title

Future Duke basketball sharpshooter Darren Harris is a proven winner, time and again.

Matt Giles

Photo credit: Jonah Hinebaugh-USA TODAY Sports
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Darren Harris, the first of now-five 2024 recruits to commit to Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer, was the Peach Jam MVP in July. He's won multiple 3-point contests, even successfully defending his crown at one event this season. And on Monday night, he added a WCAC championship to his prep accolades.

The Paul VI Catholic (Va.) four-star wing, arguably still underrated at No. 52 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite in light of his routinely visible clutch gene, finished with 21 points in the 63-61 victory over Gonzaga (D.C.) at American University to help cap off his team's perfect record in conference play.

Harris shot 6-for-13 from the field, 2-for-7 from deep, and 7-for-8 at the line, adding six rebounds, one steal, and one block across his 30 minutes on the floor. The 6-foot-6 sniper's threes set the tone in the first two minutes, and one of his buckets inside the arc, a smooth jumper, extended his squad's lead with under two minutes to play.

Paul VI, a perennial prep powerhouse that has produced two Duke basketball guards this decade in former one-and-done Trevor Keels and current Blue Devil senior Jeremy Roach, not to mention another 2024 signee in five-star center Patrick Ngongba II (out with a foot injury), takes a 29-2 overall record into playoff action.

Ngongba (No. 23 composite ranking) and Harris are set to arrive in Durham this summer alongside Wisconsin Lutheran five-star wing Kon Knueppel (No. 16) and Duke basketball's pair of McDonald's All-Americans in Montverde (Fla.) five-star forward Cooper Flagg (No. 1) and North Meck (N.C.) five-star forward Isaiah Evans (No. 13).

Meanwhile, Scheyer and his staff, already boasting the nation's top-ranked haul with those five early Blue Devil signees in tow, are still in the running for NBA Academy Africa five-star big man Khaman Maluach.

Two Duke Signees Among Projected One-And-Done Lottery Picks

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