Duke commits Tyus Jones and Jahlil Okafor will square off Thursday night on ESPN2, giving the nation a chance to see the two future teammates share the court before they head to play for the Blue Devils next season.
“It will be fun to see Tyus and Jahlil on the court together. The Duke fans will get a glimpse of the pieces they are adding to their team next season,” Apple Valley (MN) coach Zach Goring, whose team hosts Chicago Whitney Young, told SNY.tv.
The 6-foot-2 Jones is coming off a triple-double of 34 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in Apple Valley’s 96-90 win over Hopkins on Tuesday. It was his second triple-double of the season.
“My next game is Thursday against “Jahlil will be a big time challenge for our kids,” Goring said. “Not only is he big, but also extremely athletic. Our goal will be to contest all his shots and keep him off the glass.”
Jones and Okafor had long said they would attend the same college, and ended up pledging to Duke at the same time last month.
“The key to any team is the middle of your team, your post man and your lead guard,” longtime New York recruiting analyst Tom Konchalski told SNY.tv. “And that’s what you get. You get the best distributor in the country and the best post player.”
The Blue Devils then added Houston wing Justise Winslow to a four-man class that had included shooter Grayson Allen.
Duke remains in pursuit of 6-11 Texas big man Myles Turner, pitching the angle that Turner and Okafor can form a devastating 1-2 punch in the paint.
Duke assistant Nate James recently watched Turner go for 29 points, 15 rebounds and 9 blocks in an ESPN game.
Turner is also considering Ohio State, Kansas, Kentucky, Arizona, Texas and Oklahoma State, and plans to sign late.
Meantime, Okafor is among those who hopes that fellow Chicagoan Jabari Parker will stick around for his sophomore season despite the fact that he’s projected to be a top-3 pick.
