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Duke Basketball Tries to Fortify Pipeline From Prep Powerhouse
A week into the open recruiting period, which runs through mid-October, it's clear that second-year Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and his crew have been busy. One of the coaches' stops was Paul VI Catholic (Va.), which has produced Jeremy Roach, now a senior in Durham, and 2021-22 Blue Devil Trevor Keels.
According to Rivals' Houston Wilson, Scheyer and two of his assistants were there on Wednesday.
The number of Paul VI Catholic talents to play for Duke is set to grow by at least one next season, as four-star 2024 small forward and renowned sharpshooter Darren Harris has been committed to the Blue Devils for almost a year.
So, one reason for Scheyer's visit was to check in on him. The other reason for the stop is Duke basketball's ongoing pursuit of Paul VI Catholic center Patrick Ngongba II, the only undecided 2024 big man holding an offer from the Blue Devils.
Ngongba, a 6-foot-11, 235-pound newly minted five-star who rose a few spots this week to No. 25 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite, revealed a final eight in his recruitment in mid-July, a month after his official visit to Duke. The other seven are Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Providence, and UConn.
He's slated to return to Durham for another official visit on Oct. 20-22, the same weekend as Countdown to Craziness, alongside at least two fellow 2024 Duke basketball targets in five-star small forwards Cooper Flagg and VJ Edgecombe.
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But the Blue Devils aren't the only recruiting juggernaut set to host Patrick Ngongba II this fall. No, the broad-shouldered, relatively nimble giant, fresh off last weekend's official visit to Michigan, is gearing up for a trip to Kentucky at the end of this month. And he'll check out Kansas State the weekend after his Duke basketball visit.
There's no telling if Duke is the outright frontrunner. After all, zero insider predictions exist in the race. Nevertheless, Scheyer's check-in this week and Ngongba's planned return visit to Durham indicate the Blue Devils remain firmly in the mix as he enters what may be the homestretch of his recruitment.
In addition to Darren Harris, Duke has reeled in a commitment from five-star 2024 small forward Isaiah Evans out of North Meck (N.C.). The class currently ranks No. 9 in the country, per 247Sports.
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Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more Duke basketball recruiting news.