Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball: Insiders See Two-Horse Race for Five-Star Center

Duke basketball's pursuit of Patrick Ngongba II is coming down to the wire.

Matt Giles

In this story:

Duke basketball's capture of Monday morning's announced Cooper Flagg commitment dominates the headlines and likely guarantees Jon Scheyer and his recruiting powerhouse another top-ranked class.

RELATED: Duke Flexes as Cooper Flagg Pledges Allegiance to Blue Devils

But the No. 1 prospect's pledge (Duke's fourth prize among current seniors) doesn't mark the end of the Blue Devils' pursuits on the 2024 trail.

Paul VI Catholic (Va.) senior Patrick Ngongba II, teammate to 2024 Duke basketball commit Darren Harris, will announce a winner between recently named finalists Duke, Kansas State, and Kentucky on Saturday. That's four days before the start of the early signing period.

The 6-foot-11, 250-pound five-star, No. 25 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite, has wrapped up his official visits.

They included a trip to Kansas State this past weekend. The previous weekend, Ngongba had a three-day stay in Durham, where he attended Countdown to Craziness alongside Flagg, another 2024 target in five-star VJ Edgecombe, and Duke's first three commits: Harris, five-star Isaiah Evans, and five-star Kon Knueppel.

Now, many insiders believe that the Patrick Ngongba II sweepstakes has come down to two schools: Duke and longtime suitor Kansas State.

"Trilly Donovan" referred to it as "a two-horse race between Duke and K-State" in a post last week, noting that someone told him an "interesting detail that could sway things in the Cats' favor..."

Meanwhile, Rivals' Rob Cassidy suggested Kansas State may enjoy a slight edge over Duke heading down the home stretch:

"Duke and Kentucky offer championship pedigrees, sure, but K-State has the final visit and the fact that Ngongba has been Jerome Tang and staff's top target since they offered him last year...the ball sure feels like it's in the Wildcats' court as we head toward a Nov. 4 decision date. This feels like a Duke-Kansas State battle with little to separate the top two."

Ngongba is the only 2024 big man holding a Blue Devil offer. All four Duke basketball commits are forwards.

Currently, the 247Sports Crystal Ball for Ngongba's recruitment sits empty. However, the Rivals FutureCast contains three expert predictions, all recent and including one from Cassidy last week, painting Kansas State as the outright frontrunner.

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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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