Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball: Prime UNC Target Attracts Blue Devil Eyes

An elite 2025 bucket-getter drew some Duke basketball interest on Saturday.

Matt Giles

Duke Basketball: Prime UNC Target Attracts Blue Devil Eyes
Duke Basketball: Prime UNC Target Attracts Blue Devil Eyes /
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Duke basketball must be determined to land at least one top-10 prep in the 2025 class.

After all, Jon Scheyer and his crew already have offers out to three of the top six on the 247Sports 2025 Composite: Christopher Columbus (Fla.) power forward Cameron Boozer at No. 1, Montverde Academy (Fla.) power forward Cooper Flagg at No. 2, and as of Sunday, Lincoln Park (Pa.) point guard Meleek Thomas at No. 6.

RELATED: Masked Five-Star Puts on a Show for Jon Scheyer

And according to On3's Joe Tipton, Duke was one of several high-profile programs watching Cuyahoga Valley (Ohio) shooting guard Darryn Peterson score 46 points for Phenom United in a game at the Adidas 3SSB Chapter 2 showcase in Texas on Saturday morning.

Peterson sits at No. 4 among high school sophomores. Judging by his recent scoring outbursts, though, he's not satisfied with that ranking.

Other notable schools in attendance for Peterson on Saturday morning were Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, UCLA, and Duke's archrival, UNC.

The 6-foot-5, 195-pound silky five-star boasts more than 20 offers. That list includes UNC, Kansas, and Kentucky, three bluebloods he might visit soon, per MADE Hoops' Travis Graf. His offer from the Tar Heels arrived last weekend.

As for Duke, this wasn't the first time the staff exhibited interest in Peterson. Last June, Jon Scheyer and one of his assistants, Amile Jefferson, showed up to check him out when he played for NJ Scholars Elite on the Nike EYBL circuit, at one point "shaking their heads" over the advanced three-level scorer's talent:

There's no guarantee the Blue Devils will enter the loaded field for Darryn Peterson's services. But one would think they like what they've seen thus far.

In January, he told Pro Insight that he hopes to see Duke become more involved in his recruitment.

Outside the top 10, Duke basketball's only 2025 offer is to Cameron Boozer's twin brother and teammate, four-star combo guard Cayden Boozer. He ranks No. 31 overall.

RELATED: List of Every Recruit Holding a Duke Offer

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for more Duke basketball recruiting updates.

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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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