Conference tournaments continued throughout the nation on Thursday, March 12, as groups make their closing efforts to succeed in the NCAA Tournament.
A couple of squads have already punched their tickets, whereas others are nonetheless compete for convention titles. In the ACC, a number of NBA Draft prospects performed on Thursday as the league match attracts nearer to its finish.
North Carolina fell at the fingers of Clemson, whereas Miami topped Louisville and Virginia took down NC State.
Duke took the closing spot in the convention match’s semifinal spherical with an 80-79 win towards Florida State. The Blue Devils, who’ve been one in every of school basketball’s finest groups all through the marketing campaign, are with out a number of key items attributable to harm.
Starting guard Caleb Foster and beginning large man Patrick Ngongba II are each sidelined for the total ACC Tournament. Against the Seminoles, although, Isaiah Evans stepped up for Duke.
In the Blue Devils’ victory, the sophomore tallied 32 factors, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and a block whereas taking pictures 11-of-20 from the subject and 7-of-16 from 3-point vary. Evans was the sport’s main scorer and one in every of solely two Duke gamers to attain in double figures.
Cameron Boozer, one in every of the nation’s finest gamers, completed with 23 factors.
Evans’ efficiency towards Florida State is a powerful glimpse at what the gifted wing participant can provide a staff at the subsequent degree.
The former five-star recruit is a stable perimeter shooter whose main position is to knock down photographs from the outdoors and area the ground. Additionally, Evans size permits him to be disruptive on protection and seize rebounds.
In the NBA, Evans would probably have so as to add power to his body to be a extra impactful defender and rebounder, however the second-year wing clearly has potential in each of these areas to accompany his taking pictures prowess.
On the season, Evans is averaging 15 factors, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists per sport whereas taking pictures 43.3% from the subject and 37.1% from past the arc.
Coming out of highschool, Evans was rated the No. 13 general prospect and No. 4 small ahead in the 2024 recruiting class by 247Sports.
After filling a smaller position for the Blue Devils final yr, Evans has turn into a greater a part of Duke’s rotation alongside probably top-3 choose Cameron Boozer. With his elevated position, Evans has probably secured a spot in the first spherical of the 2026 NBA Draft, and will climb even greater with a few extra large performances.
Evans and firm will meet Clemson in the ACC Tournament semifinals as each groups put together for the NCAA Tournament, which begins subsequent week.
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