It’s not a secret that Cooper Flagg often gets most of the attention whenever the Duke Blue Devils play. Rightfully so, as he’s projected to be the first-overall pick in the NBA Draft and the next big thing in the league.
However, as great a player as he is, it takes a team effort to get the job done in college basketball. Fortunately for the Blue Devils, Duke had a key contributor in the perimeter to take down No. 2 Auburn.
Duke beat Auburn 84-78, and freshman guard Isaiah Evans had plenty to do with that, as he knocked down six of eight three-pointers, single-handedly doubling his teammates’ production from beyond the arc. When asked about that performance, he raved about his confidence.
Isaiah Evans talked about his hot three-point shooting
“It was amazing,” Evans said. “Just being able to make the most out of my opportunity tonight shows the world what I can do, shows my coaches what I can do, gains confidence in my teammates.”
“You just do it. At the end of the day, I came here for a difficult time,” he said. “I came here to put myself in an uncomfortable position, to get better and to learn, but most of all, I’mma always stay ready because I’m a basketball player. That’s my job, I feel like when I’m ever not ready that’s a problem and you know tonight, it just paid off.”
November 29, 2024: Seattle Redhawks guard Brayden Maldonado (0) looks to break pressure from Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) during the NCAA, College League, USA Basketball game between the Seattle Redhawks and the Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. CSM Durham
Evans knows he’s different from Flagg
Evans, like the rest of the team, knows how much defensive and media attention their star teammate draws. That’s why he doesn’t mind getting chirpy and loud to make sure he’s also noticed:
“It’s a lot on his shoulders at the end of the day,” he said. “He has to stay laser-focused. That’s his game. I’m a guy, I’m gonna get rowdy, I’m gonna get the crowd into it, I hype myself up.”
“He’s like straight line, get a stop, get a bucket and do it over again. I love playing with him, I love seeing him do his thing, attacking them paint hard, it’s just great seeing it,“ he added.
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The Blue Devils are more than just one player. Now, with them sitting on a 6-2 record, they will look to keep the ball rolling when they square off against Louisville on Sunday.
