Flagg thrives with all-around game for No. 7 Duke in college debut against his home-state program

DURHAM, N.C. -- Cooper Flagg felt nerves and excitement up of his highly anticipated regular-season debut for No. 7 Duke successful its famed Cameron Indoor Stadium. Coming retired of nan passageway to spot nan force wearing nan jersey of his home-state programme — 1 pinch agelong ties to his family — added a small other feeling.

The nation's No. 1-ranked enlistee and preseason Associated Press All-American had 18 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 flashy dunk to thief nan Blue Devils beat Maine 96-62 connected Monday night.

It came against a programme wherever his mother played basketball, wherever nan Newport, Maine, autochthonal went to games while he was increasing up astir 30 minutes distant from nan campus. And wherever his relative Ace — who was sitting down nan Black Bears chair while their parents sat down nan Duke sideline — will play adjacent year.

“I deliberation moreover for me, it was a small much affectional stepping retired seeing nan Maine crossed their chest,” Cooper Flagg said. “Obviously, that’s a squad that I grew up watching erstwhile I was young. Seeing them gave maine a batch much emotions and knowing it was nan first existent game. It was decidedly a high-emotion crippled for me, but I was capable to conscionable return it successful stride and grip business.”

The 6-foot-9 guardant didn’t person a hot-shooting commencement to a profession that is each but definite to beryllium a single-year stopover connected nan measurement to nan NBA arsenic a imaginable No. 1 wide pick. But he turned successful an all-around level crippled that had him making plays connected nan glass, arsenic a provider and bringing nan shot up successful modulation each nan same.

He made 6 of 15 shots successful his astir 30 minutes of work, making each six of his free throws but missing each 4 of his 3-point shots — including a mates successful nan first half that either rolled aliases rattled out. But he besides glided crossed nan tribunal to make his beingness felt wrong nan travel of nan game, including a brace of waved-off finishes aft nan whistle that would person counted arsenic and-1s pinch continuation rules astatine nan adjacent level.

“I thought he was adjacent to having 25 coming honestly, pinch immoderate of those finishes, a mates of unfastened shots," said Duke coach Jon Scheyer, who outdueled two-time reigning nationalist champion UConn to onshore Flagg. "That’s going to fall. I deliberation nan point that’s exiting for maine watching him is conscionable really he makes everybody amended and really he plays each possession.”

Indeed, beyond nan assists that came either pinch high-low entries to 7-foot-2 freshman Khaman Maluach aliases by skipping nan shot crossed nan defense, Flagg besides drew 8 of Maine's 19 squad fouls connected nan nighttime arsenic a matchup problem for nan America East program. He besides showed plentifulness of zip, astatine 1 constituent diving connected nan level for a bargain aft knocking nan shot loose adjacent halfcourt — pinch Duke up 29 points pinch astir 4 minutes left.

“He conscionable goes retired and has nosy and plays basketball,” inferior constituent defender Tyrese Proctor said. “He doesn't overcomplicate his game. He conscionable makes nan correct play and it's really nosy to play with.”

Flagg's first assemblage points came connected free throws, his first section extremity connected a stickback pinch 6:25 earlier halftime. And yes, location was an awesome move that nan “Cameron Crazies” — and anyone other fresh to dissect Flagg's each move — were fresh to spot erstwhile Flagg dribbled astir defender Quion Burns, coiled into nan overgarment and took disconnected from conscionable extracurricular nan complaint circle to throw down a full-extension dunk pinch his correct hand.

Flagg's nighttime ended abruptly erstwhile he landed awkwardly successful postulation connected nan baseline and stayed down pinch 3:28 near owed to cramps, pinch trainer Jose Fonseca coming complete to concisely activity connected his near leg. But Flagg soon hobbled backmost to nan chair to watch nan last minutes while chugging from a Gatorade h2o battle.

Afterward, Scheyer said he was gladsome to perceive that Flagg could “admit and opportunity he was emotional” astir playing against Maine pinch each nan ties to nan program. And to perceive to Black Bears coach Chris Markwood, nan emotion was communal successful being connected manus for nan adjacent measurement of Flagg's “storybook” travel from small-town Maine to 1 of assemblage basketball's famed arenas.

“I deliberation we're a small spot successful awe because you conscionable don't spot it hap a batch successful nan authorities of Maine," Markwood said. "He's sewage a full authorities down him. Everybody is conscionable cheering him on and can't hold to watch everything he does.”

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