Sunday, January 29, 2017

Duke's Dilemma Grayson Allen

He was used as a spot player for Duke as a freshman.  He could shoot when the Blue Devils needed points but his defense was suspect.  He was never needed to be the go to player in any game his freshman year until the last one.  Without his points down the stretch Duke will not beat Wisconsin in the championship  game.

Now a sophomore Allen was expected to be the leader after all he was the go to guy in the big game the year before.  Was it the pressure of being the so called leader of Duke but by late 2016 basketball season Allen trips a player?  Is it the pressure of leadership overwhelming a player not prepared to be the leader?

We have reached the midpoint in the 2017 season suspended for  one game for conduct on the court much like last season. Much of Allen's distress is avoidable.  Monday night during a time out Allen walked through a  forming Wolfpack huddle which caused pushing when Allen could have walked around.

Can Duke's basketball program endure another year an a half of every Allen foul causing chest to chest shoving. I just don't see Allen turning pro because I don't see him as a first rounder getting a guaranteed contract.

I find it hard to believe that if Grayson Allen was a perfect angel for the rest of his career that every foul he commits will not have some sort of over tones of stare downs, pushing and shoving.  That would not be good for Duke, The ACC or for basketball.

The Battling Bishops men's basketball team went from Lookout Mountain Georgia Friday night to Maryville Tennessee yesterday.  After Friday night's victory over Covenant the Bishops moved  into 7th place which would put them in the season ending conference tournament.

Maryville is near the top and Saturday the Bishops fall 82-71 and are now tied for eighth. A very uncomfortable position to be in.

Saturday the Lady Bishops won on the home floor to move into fifth place in the eastern division of conference USA South.  Only four teams make the tournament from the east.Today the Lady Bishops play Averitt at home at 2pm.  Averitt is one of the four teams  ahead of the Bishops.  Talk about a big game!