AWAY FROM A SHOT AT A TITLE. EVERY DECISION WE MADE AND EVERYTHING WE DID WAS TO GET BACK HERE. TONIGHT WE LOOK AT THE SEASON SO FAR, THE PLAYERS THAT MADE IT HAPPEN AND THE FANS CHEERING THEM ON. I JUST LOVE TO WATCH THEM PLAY. DUKE’S ROAD TO GLORY BEGINS NOW. WELCOME TO SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS OUTSIDE THE ALAMODOME. JOHN JOHNSON ALONGSIDE CHANEL PORTER WITH THE JOURNEY FOR DUKE IS FINALLY HERE. THEY’RE BACK IN THE FINAL FOUR. CHANEL WITH A CHANCE TO BRING HOME THAT SIXTH NATIONAL TITLE. JOHN, IT’S BEEN A MAGICAL QUEST SO FAR FOR THIS BLUE DEVIL TEAM, BUT WE ARE FAR FROM OVER AS THIS BLUE DEVILS TEAM HOPES TO WIN THEIR SIXTH NATIONAL TITLE HERE IN TEXAS. NOW, JUST A FEW HOURS AGO, WE GOT OUR FIRST REAL LOOK AT DUKE SINCE ARRIVING IN THE LONE STAR STATE. THE BLUE DEVILS TOOK PART IN AN OPEN PRACTICE. THEY HIT THE FLOOR LAST OF THE REMAINING TEAMS IN THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENT. A COUPLE OF THINGS WE NOTICED SO FAR. AP PLAYER OF THE YEAR COOPER FLAGG. HE LOOKS LOCKED IN AHEAD OF THIS ONE. ONE OF THE BIGGEST GAMES OF HIS CAREER COMING UP. ALSO A THING TO NOTE MALIK BROWN OUT THERE. HE’S APPEARING TO BE 100% OR PRETTY CLOSE TO IT LEADING INTO THIS FINAL FOUR MATCHUP. AND WE TAKE A LOOK AT THESE BLUE DEVILS BACK ON THE COURT. A LITTLE MORE THAN 25 HOURS. NOT THAT WE’RE ANXIOUSLY AWAITING FOR TIPOFF HERE FOR THE FINAL FOUR OR ANYTHING, BUT WE’RE GETTING CLOSER. NOW, DUKE IS SET TO PLAY THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON INSIDE THE ALAMODOME SATURDAY NIGHT AT AROUND 8:49 P.M. EASTERN TIME. NOW, THIS WILL BE THE SECOND GAME OF THE NIGHT, MEANING TIP TIME IS PROBABLY GOING TO SLIDE. SO WE’RE THINKING ABOUT 9:00 WILL PROBABLY BE THE CASE FOR THIS DUKE BASKETBALL TEAM. NOW, CHANEL, OBVIOUSLY THERE’S STILL MORE TO TALK ABOUT THIS BASKETBALL TEAM, MORE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT’S COMING IN STORE FOR THIS DUKE TEAM. YEAH, FOUR TEAMS THAT ARE NUMBER ONE SEEDS MAKING IT TO THE FINAL FOUR. THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN. SO SEEING DUKE, HOUSTON, AUBURN AND FLORIDA ALL MAKE IT HERE TO SAN ANTONIO IS JUST A SPECIAL MOMENT IN ITSELF. YEAH, IT IS. AND IT’S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THIS DUKE BASKETBALL TEAM. IT TOOK THEM A WHILE TO GET TO THIS POINT. THEY WEREN’T A NUMBER ONE SEED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON. THERE WERE A COUPLE TOUGH LOSSES. KENTUCKY, KANSAS BEING ONE. BUT WE’RE GOING TO BRING YOU INSIDE. HOW THAT JOURNEY HAPPENED FOR DUKE AND HOW THEY GOT TO THIS POINT. AND WHAT A RUN IT’S BEEN FOR DUKE THIS BASKETBALL SEASON. THEY’RE JUST THE SIXTH TEAM IN PROGRAM HISTORY TO REACH THE 35 WIN TOTAL. BY THIS TIME NEXT WEEK. THEY’RE HOPING THAT NUMBER REACHES 37 WITH THE PROGRAM’S SIXTH NATIONAL TITLE. BUT THE RUN TO SAN ANTONIO DIDN’T ALWAYS SEEM AS STRAIGHTFORWARD AS IT DOES NOW. NOW, LOSSES IN NOVEMBER TO KENTUCKY AND KANSAS AND THE BLUE DEVILS SEARCHING FOR A RESPONSE AND A RESPONSE THEY WOULD HAVE. DUKE WOULD RUN OFF A WIN STREAK OF 16 IN A ROW, INCLUDING A VICTORY OVER FELLOW FINAL FOUR COMPETITOR IN AUBURN. NOW, DURING THE BLUE DEVILS WIN STREAK, THEY AVERAGED A MARGIN OF VICTORY OF OVER 20 POINTS PER GAME, 12 OF THOSE WINS COMING IN ACC PLAY. IT WAS A RUN THAT WOULD LEAD THE BLUE DEVILS TO THEIR 21ST REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP, AND THEIR FIRST SINCE 2022, WHICH ALSO HAPPENS TO BE THE LAST TIME DUKE MADE IT TO THE FINAL FOUR. NOW LOOKING FOR A CLEAN SWEEP OF THE ACC, DUKE WIN A PERFECT THREE FOR THREE IN CHARLOTTE, SECURING THE PROGRAM’S 23RD ACC TOURNAMENT TITLE. WE JUST LEARN MORE ABOUT WHO WE ARE AS A GROUP. WE KNOW WE KNOW A LOT ABOUT OURSELVES. WE KNOW WE’RE A VERY GOOD TEAM. WE’RE CONNECTING TOGETHER, WE’RE CONNECTED. BUT IT FEELS REALLY, REALLY GOOD WHEN WE SEE THAT AT A DEEPER LEVEL. I THINK JUST HOW RESILIENT WE ARE, LIKE I’VE SAID ALL YEAR, AND I MEAN, IT JUST SHOWS HOW TOGETHER WE ARE, WE ALWAYS HANG OUT OFF THE COURT AND AND DO STUFF TOGETHER. SO I’M JUST PROUD OF EVERYONE. WHEN YOU’RE A KID, YOU DREAM ABOUT HIM. YOU DON’T KIND OF REALIZE EVERYTHING THAT GOES INTO BEING IN THESE MOMENTS AND BEING IN THESE SITUATIONS. SO IT’S DEFINITELY A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU IMAGINED. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT’S, YOU KNOW, PLAYING BASKETBALL AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST STAGES PLAYING WITH MY BROTHERS THAT I’VE, YOU KNOW, HAD GREAT CONNECTIONS WITH ALL YEAR LONG. IT’S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE YEAR. I MEAN, AS SOON AS WE ALL GOT HERE, I FEEL LIKE IT’S JUST INCREDIBLE. I MEAN, WE ALL THOUGHT ABOUT THIS SINCE DAY ONE AND JUST OBVIOUSLY FOR IT TO BE HAPPENING, IT’S JUST UNBELIEVABLE. BUT I FEEL LIKE WE GOT WAY MORE WORK TO DO. WE’RE NOT DONE YET, SO WE’RE JUST GOING TO KEEP GOING FROM THERE. AND OBVIOUSLY WE’VE HEARD ABOUT THIS RUN FOR DUKE. AND NOW THEY GOT A CHANCE TO REALLY BUILD UPON IT MOVING FORWARD. YOU KNOW IT’S SUCH A BIG SEASON FOR THEM. LIKE WE MENTIONED BEFORE THEY DIDN’T COME INTO THIS WITH HIGH EXPECTATIONS. WITH A LOT OF YOUNG TALENT. YOU TRULY NEVER KNOW. BUT LET’S LOOK A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO WHAT THIS SEASON LOOKED LIKE. I WAS WITH DUKE WHEN THEY OPENED UP THE ROUND OF 64 AGAINST MOUNT SAINT MARY’S. THE BLUE DEVILS HAD HOME COURT ADVANTAGE OF SORTS, PLAYING THEIR FIRST TWO GAMES INSIDE RALEIGH IN THE LENOVO CENTER. THIS ONE WASN’T VERY CLOSE, WITH DUKE TAKING DOWN THE 16 SEED 93 TO 49. JUST TWO DAYS LATER, THE TEAM WAS BACK ON THE COURT TO PLAY NINE SEED BAYLOR IN THE SECOND ROUND. AGAIN, THIS ONE NOT VERY CLOSE. DUKE ULTIMATELY BEATING THE BEARS BY 23 POINTS. THIS WAS A GREAT SHOWING FOR THE BLUE DEVILS, WHO SHOT NEARLY 65% FROM THE FIELD, MADE 54% OF THREES AND HIT CLOSE TO 83% FROM THE FREE THROW LINE IN THE SECOND WEEKEND OF THE TOURNAMENT, DUKE FACED BIGGER CHALLENGES IN THE SWEET 16. THE BLUE DEVILS TOOK ON FOUR SEED ARIZONA, ONLY WINNING THIS GAME BY SEVEN POINTS, THOUGH THE TEAM HIT TRIPLE DIGITS BEFORE THE BUZZER SOUNDED. COOPER FLAGG HAD A HUGE NIGHT PLAYING 36 MINUTES WHILE CONTRIBUTING 30 POINTS AND THREE OF SEVEN OF BLOCKS. NOW THAT BRINGS US TO LAST SATURDAY, WHEN DUKE TOOK DOWN TWO SEED ALABAMA IN THE ELITE EIGHT. THE BLUE DEVILS CAME INTO PLAY, BEATING THE CRIMSON TIDE BY 20. HEAD COACH JON SCHEYER GOT TO CUT DOWN THE NETS THANKS TO THE BIG TIME PERFORMANCES FROM NEPAL AND TYRESE PROCTOR. SO YOU RUN THE GAMUT AND YOU SEE WHY THIS BLUE DEVIL TEAM IS WHERE THEY ARE AT THIS POINT. AND YOU SEE WHY THIS DUKE TEAM HAS NOW GOT A CHANCE TO BRING DOWN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND CUT DOWN SOME MORE NETS. YEAH, THEY’RE THE TEAM TO BEAT. YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE WE SAY THAT EVERY YEAR, BUT ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE FINAL FOUR, EVERYONE’S GUNNING FOR THEM KNOWING WHAT THEY HAVE ON THE COURT. YEAH. AND THEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS DUKE TEAM AND ALL THE MOVES THAT THIS TEAM HAS HAD TO MAKE. THEY’VE ALSO WON SOME CHAMPIONSHIPS IN THEIR HISTORY BEFORE. IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, DUKE HAS WON FIVE TITLES ALREADY. THOSE CAME IN 1991 WITH A WIN OVER KANSAS AND THEN IN 1982, THE BLUE DEVILS TOOK DOWN MICHIGAN. THE TEAM HAD TO WAIT UNTIL 2001 FOR ITS NEXT TITLE, AND THEY BEAT ARIZONA. AND THEN IN 2010, DUKE DEFEATED BUTLER IN A NAIL BITER. NOW EVERYBODY REMEMBERS THAT GAME. AND THE LAST TIME THE BLUE DEVILS CLAIMED A TITLE WAS 2015 WXII 12 SPORTS WAS ACTUALLY THERE, AS DUKE TOOK DOWN WISCONSIN 68 TO 63. THE BLUE DEVILS GOT A BIG TIME BOOST, DOUBLE DIGITS ALL AROUND THERE FROM A LOT OF GREAT NAMES GRAYSON, ALLEN, ALL THE GUYS THAT WE KNOW ALL TOO WELL. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE GUYS THAT KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS IS THE CURRENT HEAD COACH IN JON SCHEYER, AND HE’S BEEN A BIG REASON WHY THIS DUKE BASKETBALL TEAM FINDS THEMSELVES IN THIS POSITION. HE HAD THE UNENVIABLE TASK OF TAKING OVER FOR COACH K, AND HE’S MAKING HIS OWN LEGACY. AND HE WAS GOING UP FOR HEAD COACHING JOBS. YOU KNOW, BEFORE COACH K LEFT. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE PASSED HIM UP. AND I THINK NOW SEEING WHAT HE’S BROUGHT TO DUKE, THOSE TEAMS ARE PROBABLY SHAKING THEIR HEADS A LITTLE BIT AT WHAT THEY PASSED UP. JON SCHEYER IS DUKE BLUE THROUGH AND THROUGH FROM PLAYING UNDER MIKE KRZYZEWSKI FOR FOUR YEARS AND HOISTING UP A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2010 TO QUICKLY RETURNING TO THE BLUE DEVILS BENCH JUST THREE YEARS LATER TO ASSIST UNDER COACH K HEADING INTO THE 2021 SEASON, COACH K ANNOUNCED IT WOULD BE HIS LAST AND THAT ENTIRE SEASON WAS NOT ONLY ABOUT CHASING HIS SIXTH NATIONAL TITLE, BUT MAKING SURE THE PROGRAM WAS IN GOOD HANDS MOVING FORWARD. I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY COACHES GENUINELY WANT TO SEE THE PROGRAM SUCCEED WHEN THEY LEAVE, AND FOR ME, I’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO MAKE HIM PROUD. PART OF HIS LEGACY ISN’T JUST THE WINS. I WANT HIS LEGACY TO BE. HOW OUR PROGRAM CONTINUES TO, YOU KNOW, BE RIGHT THERE AS A TOP, TOP PROGRAM. BEING THE GUY WHO FOLLOWS THE GUY IS NEVER EASY. WE WATCHED TEAMS AROUND THE COUNTRY STRUGGLE TO REPLACE LEGENDARY COACHES, BUT THAT HASN’T BEEN THE CASE AT DUKE, AS SCHEYER PICKED UP WHERE KRZYZEWSKI LEFT OFF, TAKING DUKE TO THE ELITE EIGHT IN HIS SECOND SEASON AND NOW TO THE FINAL FOUR IN YEAR THREE. THIS HASN’T BEEN ABOUT OUTSIDE NOISE FOR ME BECAUSE IT’S JUST I DON’T KNOW IF YOU CAN EVER WIN, BUT SO MY ENERGY HAS GONE INTO EVERYBODY THAT’S IN OUR BUILDING. OUR TEAM, WHAT WE CAN CONTROL. AND I JUST COULDN’T BE MORE PROUD AND THANKFUL FOR HAVING A GROUP THAT’S BELIEVED IN ME, US. SCHEYER HAS 89 WINS SO FAR AT DUKE, TYING BRAD STEVENS AND BRAD UNDERWOOD FOR THE MOST WINS IN A HEAD COACH’S FIRST THREE SEASONS, WITH POTENTIALLY TWO MORE ON THE HORIZON IN THOSE THREE SEASONS, HIS RECRUITING CLASSES HAVE RANKED IN THE TOP TWO EACH YEAR, WITH THE 2024 CLASS LEADING THE CHARGE, HEADLINED BY COOPER FLAG. COME ON, MALUACH AND CON KANNAPOLIS VERY SIMILAR PERSONALITIES TO BEING SO COMPETITIVE. YOU KNOW, GIVE ANYTHING TO WIN. I THINK THAT’S PARTLY THE REASON THAT I WAS, YOU KNOW, GRAVITATED TOWARDS DUKE AND THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS, THE GENUINE CONNECTIONS YOU MAKE. YOU DON’T SEE THAT EVERYWHERE. LIKE, OH, HE KIND OF LIKE WANTS TO LIKE HAVE YOU GUYS OVER AT HIS HOUSE AND LIKE, WANTS TO HANG OUT WITH YOU GUYS. AND FOR JON SCHEYER TO GET HIS FIRST NATIONAL TITLE. DUKE TO GET THEIR SIXTH. THE FIRST STEP IS TOMORROW. AND TAKING ON HOUSTON. AND THE GOOD NEWS FOR DUKE IS THEY’VE ALREADY BEATEN HOUSTON. THEY’RE ONE ZERO AGAINST THEM ALL TIME. OBVIOUSLY THEY TOOK THEM DOWN IN THE SWEET 16 NOT TOO LONG AGO. NOW FOR THIS BASKETBALL TEAM. THEY ALSO KNOW THAT THIS HOUSTON TEAM IS QUITE GOOD. THEY HAD THE PRACTICE COURT AS WELL. NOW WHEN YOU COMPARE THE STATS OF KELVIN SAMPSON’S TEAM, IT’S LOOKING LIKE IT MIGHT BE A GOOD ONE FOR DUKE. HOWEVER, THEY LEAD THE HOUSTON IN FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE. THE RATE OF THREES MADE AS WELL. ALL THAT SUCCESS. ALSO LEADING AT THE FREE THROW LINE ARE THE BLUE DEVILS AND THE COUGARS DO TOP DUKE IN SOME CATEGORIES, ESPECIALLY ON THE DEFENSIVE END BUT MAINLY OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS, STEALS PER GAME AND BLOCKS. SO BUT ALL SPORTS FANS KNOW THIS. YOU KNOW IT’S NOT ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE. YOU KNOW ONE SEEDS CAN GET BUMPED IN THIS TOURNAMENT AS WELL. AND WE’VE SEEN IT HAPPEN IN YEARS PAST. BUT NOT THIS YEAR RIGHT. NO. IT’S BEEN ALL YEAR. AND THIS IS JUST THE SECOND TIME EVER THE ONLY OTHER TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. 2008 AND GUESS WHERE THAT WAS HELD? RIGHT HERE. HOW ABOUT THAT? NOW WE ALSO HAD TO GET SOME HELP FROM THIS BECAUSE THERE’S TEAMS THAT YOU COULD FACE. SO WE ENLISTED SOME HELP FROM SOME SPORTS DIRECTORS THAT ARE FRIENDS OF OURS TO GIVE US A BREAKDOWN OF SOME OF THE TEAMS THAT COULD PLAY THE BLUE DEVILS. HELLO. FROM HOUSTON, WHERE THE COUGARS ARE. THE STORY HERE AS THEY MAKE THE SHORT THREE HOUR TRIP TO SAN ANTONIO FOR THE FINAL FOUR. HEAD COACH KELVIN SAMPSON HAS BUILT THIS COUGARS PROGRAM INTO A NATIONAL POWERHOUSE. THIS YEAR’S SQUAD MAY BE SAMPSON’S DEEPEST NOW TO BEAT DUKE. HERE ARE THE COUGARS KEYS U OF HS NUMBER ONE. NATIONALLY RANKED DEFENSE IS GOING TO HAVE TO SHOW UP. OF COURSE THEY’VE GOT TO CONTAIN FLAG COUGS NEED TO DICTATE THE PACE ON SATURDAY. YOU’VE GOT TO SLOW DOWN THE BLUE DEVILS. U OF H ALSO NEEDS TO HIT THEIR THREE POINTERS. THEY’VE DONE IT ALL YEAR. YOU CHECK THOSE BOXES AND THE COUGARS CAN WIN THIS GAME ON SATURDAY FROM HOUSTON. I’M RANDY MCILVOY. IF DUKE WERE TO PLAY THE AUBURN TIGERS, IT WOULDN’T BE UNTIL THAT NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SET FOR MONDAY NIGHT FOR AUBURN. ALL EYES ARE ON JANAI BROOM. HE GOT INJURED IN THE PAST GAME BUT CAME BACK AND RETURNED. HOW WILL HE LOOK IN THE FINAL FOUR? AND ALSO YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE SIX MAN COMING OFF THE BENCH IN TODD PETTIFORD, JUST A FRESHMAN, BUT THROUGH THE NCAA TOURNAMENT, HE’S MADE 220 POINT IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCES FOR AUBURN AS THEY ADVANCE TO THE FINAL FOUR. IT’S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THIS TEAM CAN PUT TOGETHER TWO POTENTIAL WINS IN THE FINAL FOUR AND POTENTIALLY THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN BIRMINGHAM, RYAN HENNESSY WHAT’S SO IMPRESSIVE FOR THIS FLORIDA GATORS BASKETBALL TEAM IS MOMENTS LIKE THIS A STAGE OF THIS SCALE? IT DOES NOTHING TO FAZE THESE GUYS. WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A CONFIDENCE BREAKER, THE WAY THEY EARNED THEIR WAY HERE IN SAN FRANCISCO. THAT WAS A CONFIDENCE BUILDER FOR THESE GUYS. THIS GROUP HAS VERY IMPRESSIVE DEPTH. THEIR LENGTH IS SO CHALLENGING FOR OTHER TEAMS, BUT THEIR ACE IN THE HOLE IS WALTER CLAYTON JUNIOR. AND THE WAY THEY CLOSED OUT TEXAS TECH DOES NOTHING BUT EMPHASIZE HOW READY TO GO THIS TEAM IS IN THE FINAL FOUR IN SAN ANTONIO. I’M DARREN STOLTZFUS. WE GOT SOME PRETTY GOOD FRIENDS TO BREAK THAT DOWN FOR CHANEL, BUT NOW IT WON’T BE EASY FOR THIS DUKE BASKETBALL TEAM. BUT IF THEY’RE ABLE TO WIN THEIR SIXTH TITLE, THEY’LL MOVE INTO A TIE FOR THIRD MOST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AMONG ALL COLLEGE BASKETBALL PROGRAMS. TWO OTHER TEAMS HAVE SIX UCONN AND THAT OTHER TEAM ACROSS TOWN. OUT IN THE TRIANGLE, THE UNC TAR HEELS. KENTUCKY HAS EIGHT. AND THEN EVERYONE STILL TRYING TO CHASE UP WITH UCLA. THEY HAVE 11. A LONG WAY TO GO TO GET THERE, BUT JUST AHEAD. YOU’RE STILL STICKING WITH US BECAUSE IT’S A STANDOUT SEASON AND HE’S ONE OF THEM OF THE TOP PLAYERS IN ALL OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL. OF COURSE, WE’RE TALKING COOPER FLAGG. MORE OF THAT STRAIGHT AHEAD. WELCOME BACK TO DUKE’S ROAD TO GLORY. JOHN JOHNSON ALONGSIDE CHANEL PORTER CHANEL. IN RECENT YEARS, COLLEGE BASKETBALL AND DUKE IN PARTICULAR HAVE SEEN THEIR FAIR SHARE OF ONE AND DONE PLAYERS. NO STRANGER TO THAT. AND THIS SEASON WILL BE NO DIFFERENT, RIGHT. WE’RE LOOKING AT THREE GUYS RIGHT NOW THAT COULD EASILY GO IN THE TOP TEN. MOST NOTABLE, OF COURSE, AP PLAYER OF THE YEAR COOPER FLAGG. NO FLAGS PROJECTED TO GO NUMBER ONE IN THIS YEAR’S UPCOMING NBA DRAFT. AND LOOKING AT HIS STATS, IT’S REALLY NO SURPRISE HE’S AVERAGED OVER 30 MINUTES PER GAME, PUTTING UP ALMOST 19 POINTS A GAME WITH FOUR ASSISTS, BLOCKING A SHOT PER CONTEST, AND HITTING CLOSE TO 83% OF HIS FREE THROWS. NOW, IT’S NO WONDER HE’S UP FOR ALL OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL’S BIGGEST AWARDS THIS SEASON AND WAS NAMED THE AP PLAYER OF THE YEAR JUST THIS AFTERNOON. YEAH, OBVIOUSLY CHANEL, THIS WAS A HUGE MOMENT FOR HIM, RIGHT? BUT HE WAS THE REGIONAL MVP. HE’S GOT ANOTHER AWARD COMING IN, BUT HE SAID IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT COOPER. HE’S ONE TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE ELSE GETS THE RECOGNITION. IT’S A BIG HONOR. IT’S A BLESSING. I WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT THE GUY SITTING NEXT TO ME HERE, AND THE REST OF THE GUYS IN THE LOCKER ROOM, SO I GOT TO GIVE ALL THE CREDIT TO THEM, THE COACHES FOR, YOU KNOW, JUST PUTTING ME IN A LOT OF REALLY GOOD SITUATIONS, SPOTS ON THE COURT, GIVING ME THE BALL IN THE RIGHT SPOTS AND THEN JUST ALLOWING ME TO PLAY FREE OFF THE BALL, ON THE BALL, WHATEVER IT WAS JUST JUST LETTING ME BE ME. AND I JUST GOT TO GIVE ALL THE CREDIT TO MY TEAMMATES AND COACHES. AND JOHN, IT’S EASY TO FORGET THAT COOPER FLAGS JUST 18 YEARS OLD, RIGHT? HE CAME TO DUKE, RECLASSIFIED AND CAME IN 2024. AND HE’S REALLY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. YEAH. AND YOU KNOW WHAT HE COMES FROM A VERY SMALL TOWN. YOU KNOW THEY’RE THE LAST GREAT MAINER. WAS PROBABLY NIK CANER-MEDLEY. OUR FRIEND TRAVIS LEE FROM OUR SISTER STATION IN PORTLAND, GIVES A DEEP DIVE INTO COOPER FLAGG AND HIS JOURNEY TO DUKE. IN THE WINTER OF 2021. WORD WAS SPREADING IN BASKETBALL CIRCLES AROUND THE STATE OF A HARD COURT PRODIGY, SOMETHING ALMOST MYTHICAL THAT THESE PARTS HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE. AN EIGHTH GRADER FROM NEWPORT BY THE NAME OF COOPER FLAGG, HIS REAL SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE SEASONS, I THINK, WERE THE FIRST TIME THAT OTHER PEOPLE IN THE STATE OF MAINE REALLY STARTED TO SORT OF KNOW WHO HE WAS, AND CERTAINLY WHEN WE TRAVELED IN THOSE GYMS, THERE WERE SOME, YOU KNOW, LITTLE TINY KIDS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT WERE LIKE, OH MY GOD, WHAT ARE WE GETTING INTO HERE TODAY? I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IT’S PRETTY UNBELIEVABLE TO SEE A KID AT THAT LEVEL IN MIDDLE SCHOOL BE ABLE TO DO THE THINGS THAT HE COULD DO. IT WAS IT WAS I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY VERY, VERY SPECIAL. DAWSON TOWNSEND, A SENIOR AT NOKOMIS HIGH, WAS FRONT AND CENTER FOR IT ALL. A LIFELONG FRIEND OF THE FLAGG BROTHERS. HE IS OFTEN ASKED ABOUT THOSE DAYS, BUT HIS RELATIONSHIP RUNS DEEPER. A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW HIM AS A BASKETBALL PLAYER, BUT MOST PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY KNOW HIM FROM NOKOMIS, THEY JUST KNOW THAT HE’S A GREAT KID. HE HAD A HE HAS A CONTAGIOUS PERSONALITY AND A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, LIKE HIM. HE’S HE WAS A GREAT IN SCHOOL, GOT GOOD GRADES, A GOOD ROLE MODEL FOR ALL THE KIDS. NOW FLAGG IS A ROLE MODEL WORLDWIDE. THE PROJECTED NUMBER ONE PICK IN THE DRAFT, STARRING AT DUKE WHEN HE SHOULD BE A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL. BUT JUST AROUND THE SAME TIME, WORD WAS GETTING OUT ABOUT HIS FRIEND’S ABILITY, TOWNSEND STARTED TO REALIZE IT, TOO. COOPER WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. I MEAN, I ALWAYS KNEW THAT HE WAS BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE, BUT EIGHTH GRADE YEAR, HE WAS AVERAGING LIKE 15 POINTS A GAME IN DUNKS ALONE. BY THAT POINT, HE WAS WELL TRAVELED IN THE AAU CIRCUIT, AND THEN IT WASN’T JUST TOWN TEAMMATES, BUT HIS CLUB TEAMMATES. REALIZING SOMETHING WAS GOING ON, GABE LASH RECALLS A BIG TOURNAMENT IN VIRGINIA. THEY GOT US UP AGAINST LIKE TWO YEARS OLDER THAN US. LIKE WHERE? SEVENTH GRADE, PROBABLY LIKE A MAYBE LIKE A 17 NEW TEAM BOO WILLIAMS TEAM. AND ALL THESE GUYS ARE BIGGER THAN US. LIKE THEY BRING LIKE A COUPLE GUYS DOWN TOO. THEY WANT TO BEAT US BECAUSE WE HAD A GREAT RUN. AND SO COOPER COOPER WENT OFF THAT GAME LIKE THEY’RE TRIPLE TEAMING HIM. BUT COOPER STILL DID HIS THING. THE CLUB TEAM, MAINE UNITED, REACHED A NEW LANDMARK WHEN IT WENT TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE PRESTIGIOUS PEACH JAM TOURNAMENT, A MAINE TEAM VERSUS A NATIONAL ALL STAR TEAM. COOPER WAS KIND OF THE LEADER OF THAT. IF YOU GUYS WERE WATCHING US, THAT’S WHAT KIND OF CRAZY. SO JUST HIM, HIM ALWAYS BELIEVING IN ALL OF US SAYING THIS, THIS IS OUR GAME. THIS IS OUR GAME. BELIEVE. SO JUST GOING THROUGH THAT WHOLE PEACH JAM TOURNAMENT, KNOWING THAT GOING INTO THE GAME THAT WE’RE GOING TO WIN, EXPERIENCES LIKE THAT WERE BENEFICIAL FOR HIS AAU TEAMMATES WHO STEPPED UP THEIR GAME AND NOW ARE READY TO EMBARK ON COLLEGE CAREERS OF THEIR OWN. HE WAS MOST OF THE REASON THAT WE GOT TO PLAY IN THOSE HIGH LEVEL TOURNAMENTS AND JUST PRACTICING AND PLAYING AGAINST ALL THESE GREAT PLAYERS, JUST YOU HAD TO BE AT THE TOP OF YOUR GAME EVERY TIME. EVERY TIME YOU STEPPED ON THE COURT. AND IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE PLAYER. ALONGSIDE COOPER IS HIS FAMILY. YEAH, RALPH AND KELLY. THEY DEFINITELY KNOW A THING OR TWO ABOUT WHAT IT’S LIKE PLAYING COLLEGE BASKETBALL. THEY’VE BEEN CONSTANT FIGURES ON THE SIDELINES THERE TO SEE THEIR SON PLAY THOSE EARLY GAMES, ALL THE WAY TO CUTTING DOWN THE NET. AFTER AN ELITE EIGHT WIN OVER ALABAMA, JUST A SURREAL LIKE RIDE. LIKE, YOU KNOW, EVERY EVERY TIME WE THINK LIKE WE’VE MADE IT TO THE TOP, IT’S LIKE ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER STEP HIGHER. AND HE JUST KEEPS RAISING THE BAR. THEY SAY HIS ROOTS ARE IN HIS HOME STATE OF MAINE. HE’S ALWAYS GOTTEN DOWN AND DONE THE DIRTY WORK AND DONE WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO, YOU KNOW, TO WIN. AND THAT’S WHAT MAINE IS ABOUT AS HE WINS OVER A LEGION OF NEW FANS. AT THE END OF THE DAY, HE’S JUST MAKING HIS MOM PROUD. EVERYBODY ASKS ME HOW I DESCRIBE HIM, AND I ALWAYS SAY HE’S KIND. HE’S A VERY KIND INDIVIDUAL AND HE JUST HAPPENS TO BE A REALLY GOOD BASKETBALL PLAYER, REALLY GOOD BASKETBALL PLAYER. HE’S OKAY. I THINK THEY’RE RIGHT. HE IS A REALLY GOOD BASKETBALL PLAYER. NOW THERE’S AN ARGUMENT THAT YOU CAN MAKE THAT DUKE HAS THREE REALLY GOOD BASKETBALL PLAYERS. IF ANY OF THESE THREE WERE ON ANY OTHER TEAM, THEY WOULD BE THE SHINING STAR, RIGHT? WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT AND COME ON MALUACH AND COOPER FLAG, THEY COULD EASILY BE THE STAR ON ANY TEAM IN THE COUNTRY. STARTING WITH --, A67 GUARD. HE’S ALSO THE SON OF TWO FORMER COLLEGE BASKETBALL PLAYERS. THE WISCONSIN NATIVE WAS NAMED THE ACC TOURNAMENT MVP AFTER PUTTING UP AN AVERAGE OF 21 POINTS PER GAME, ALMOST SIX REBOUNDS AND NEARLY FIVE ASSISTS. WE’VE SEEN A -- ON THE FLOOR JUST AS MUCH AS FLAG, WHILE SCORING FOUR POINTS LESS ON AVERAGE. CON HAS COOPER BEAT WHEN IT COMES TO THREE POINT PERCENTAGE AND FREE THROW PERCENTAGE. NOW, OBVIOUSLY WE CAN’T FORGET ABOUT COME ON. MALUACH, WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HIM ALL WEEK. THE SEVEN FOOT TWO CENTER FROM SOUTH SUDAN ONLY STARTED PLAYING BASKETBALL JUST A FEW SEASONS AGO, JOINING THE NBA ACADEMY IN AFRICA IN 2021. THAT WAS ACTUALLY SET UP BY LUOL DENG, A FORMER BLUE DEVIL HIMSELF. HE’S HAD A STELLAR TOURNAMENT SHOWING, GOING FIVE FOR FIVE IN THE OPENING MATCHUP AGAINST MOUNT SAINT MARY’S, THEN HITTING DOUBLE FIGURES IN THE SWEET 16 AND THE ELITE EIGHT, ADDING A SOLID EIGHT POINT PERFORMANCE ON AVERAGE. HE’S ALSO MATCHING FLAGG WHEN IT COMES TO BLOCKS PER GAME, AS WELL. AND JOHN, WE KNOW WHEN LOOKING AT ALL OF THIS YOUNG TALENT, IT ONLY EVER WORKS IF YOU HAVE THE VETERANS TO LEAD THE WAY. YOU NEED THE STRAW TO STIR THE DRINK, RIGHT? THIS IS TYRESE PROCTOR THAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT. HE COULD HAVE LEFT TWO YEARS AGO, BUT HE SAID HE WANTED TO COME BACK FOR ANOTHER BASKETBALL SEASON. HE’S FROM AUSTRALIA AND HE’S BEEN EVERYTHING THAT JON SCHEYER COULD HAVE HOPED FOR. WHEN HE’S RETURNING AS ONE OF THE LEAD PLAYERS FOR THIS TEAM, AND HE’S TOLD US IT’S REALLY BEEN HIM AND JON SCHEYER FOR THREE YEARS STRAIGHT IN THIS JOURNEY TO NOW FINALLY REACH THE FINAL FOUR. A LOT HAS CHANGED IN A YEAR AND. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE IN THE THE BATHROOM LAST YEAR, AFTER WE LOST AND I TOLD COACH I WAS COMING BACK, WE BOTH HAD A VISION AND I THINK JUST THE WAY WE EXECUTED AND DOUBLED DOWN, THE WAY I DOUBLED DOWN IN THE OFF SEASON, THE WAY THESE GUYS HAD MY BACK, I HAD THEIRS. I THINK IT’S JUST IT SHOWS A LOT OF RESILIENCY. OKAY. AND OBVIOUSLY SHANELL TYRESE PROCTOR IS PLAYING SOME OF HIS BEST BASKETBALL AT THE RIGHT TIME FOR THIS BASKETBALL TEAM. HOPEFULLY HE CAN KEEP IT UP BUT WE ARE NOT DONE YET HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. BLEEDING BLUE A GRAND SENDOFF TO TEXAS SHOWS DUKE FANS UNWAVERING SUPPORT. WHY THIS MOMENT WAS DESTINY FOR ONE OF THEM. WELCOME BACK TO THE ROAD TO GLORY. NOW, OBVIOUSLY, SAN ANTONIO IS KNOWN FOR THE RIVERWALK, BUT A SEA OF BLUE IS COMING INTO TOWN THIS WEEK. YEAH, WE GOT A CHANCE TO SEE A BUNCH OF FANS WALKING FROM NORTH CAROLINA. IN FACT, WE SAW SOME FROM WINSTON-SALEM EARLIER AS WELL TODAY. BUT DUKE IS SO WELL KNOWN EVERYWHERE. AND IN FACT, THESE BLUE DEVIL FANS ARE EVERYWHERE. NOW, THE ALAMODOME LIKELY CAN’T HOLD ALL THE PEOPLE CHEERING ON THE BLUE DEVILS, AND SOME JUST COULDN’T MAKE THE TRIP TO TEXAS. BUT THEY STILL HAVE TO SUPPORT THEIR TEAM. WE CAUGHT UP WITH A FEW FANS EARLIER THIS WEEK WHEN DUKE PLAYERS, COACHES AND STAFF LEFT DURHAM. ONE OF THEM MADE THE TRIP FROM THE PIEDMONT TRIAD, BRINGING HIS SON ALONG. SINCE IT WAS SPRING BREAK. A SON THAT MAY HAVE BEEN DESTINED TO BE A DUKE FAN FROM BIRTH. WE NAMED HIM CAMERON, SPECIFICALLY AFTER CAMERON INDOOR STADIUM, AND SO WE’VE BEEN FANS FOR A REALLY LONG TIME AND SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THEM GOING TO THE FINAL FOUR. THE DAY WAS A FAMILY AFFAIR FOR A FORMER DUKE STUDENT AS WELL, WHO BROUGHT THEIR PARENTS AND GRANDMOTHER TO SEE ALL THE FUN. THERE. THEY’RE UNBELIEVABLE. REALLY GREAT, GREAT TEAM, GREAT COACH. AND THIS CAMERON CRAZY IS A GOOD FEELING ABOUT THIS TEAM. THEY WERE THE HOTTEST TEAM IN THE TOURNAMENT RIGHT NOW. THERE’S NO REASON WHY WE CAN’T WIN THIS THING. THERE’S ABSOLUTELY A THRILL AND A BUZZ WITH THIS DUKE BLUE DEVIL BASKETBALL TEAM. AS THEY GET READY TO TAKE ON HOUSTON NEAR 9:00 TOMORROW. NOW, OBVIOUSLY, WE’RE WINDING DOWN HERE. PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE THINK. OBVIOUSLY, FANS WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE THINK THIS GAME NEEDS TO GO OR HOW IT NEEDS TO GO FOR THIS BLUE DEVIL BASKETBALL TEAM. WHAT’S YOUR FINAL THOUGHTS ON THIS? WELL, THE KEY THAT I THINK IS HOUSTON IS ONE OF THE BEST DEFENSIVE, IF NOT THE BEST DEFENSE THAT THEY’VE GONE UP AGAINST ALL SEASON. SO FOR DUKE, I THINK THEY JUST NEED TO STAY TRUE TO WHO THEY ARE OFFENSIVELY. THEY CAN’T PLAY INTO HOUSTON’S GOOD DEFENSE. THEY TRIED TO DO THAT A LITTLE BIT AGAINST CLEMSON AND THE GAME GOT AWAY FROM THEM. SO IF THEY STAY TRUE TO WHO THEY ARE OFFENSIVELY I THINK THEY’LL BE JUST FINE. AND I THINK I’M GOING TO TAKE AND PIGGYBACK A LITTLE BIT OFF OF WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT. IT’S HOW THEY’RE GOING TO EXPLOIT HOUSTON WITH THEIR OFFENSE AS WELL. BUT CAN DUKE CONTINUE TO SHOOT? WELL IS THE BIG TIME QUESTION RIGHT NOW DUKE IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT IS SHOOTING NEARLY 55% FROM THE FIELD. THAT’S TOPS OF ALL TEAMS IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW. NOW DURING THE REGULAR SEASON, THEY SHOT 45%. THE QUESTION IS GOING TO BE THIS DO THEY REGRESS TO THE MEDIAN AND GET CLOSER TO THE 45%, OR CAN THEY CONTINUE TO STAY HOT LIKE THEY’VE DONE ALL BASKETBALL SEASON HERE IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT? WE’LL FIND THAT OUT IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS, WHERE THE BLUE DEVILS WILL BE ABLE TO DO THIS. WE’LL SEE IF DUKE AND JON SCHEYER CAN PICK UP THEIR SIXTH NATIONAL TITLE. WE’LL SEE IF THEY CAN JUST GET THERE TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. FIRST. IF THEY WIN ON SATURDAY. RIGHT NOW IS ALL BEAUTIFUL HERE. IT WILL BE ALL BUZZING IN A FEW WHILE FOR CHANEL PORTER I’M JOHN JOHNSON, THANKS FOR JOINING US. ENJOY ALL THE ACTION TOMORROW.