Just What the Doctor Ordered

(Blacksportsonline.com)

Meet the new diaper dandy of Duke.  Ron Schlitz tells us about the freshman who's making a major impact at a big-time program.




By Ron Schiltz

The No. 1 recruit a year ago was expected to make an impact on Mike Krzyzewski’s 2011-2012 Blue Devil team. He was expected to be a major offensive contributor, a necessary component to a team losing Kyrie Irving, Nolan Smith, and Kyle Singler last season.

Austin Rivers is the son of Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers, and basketball runs pulsing through his veins. Rivers guaranteed that he would be a factor in Duke’s biggest game of the season, a match up with the then No. 5 North Carolina Tar Heels in Chapel Hill.

With a sold out crowd and his father on hand, Rivers delivered. He scored 29 points and grabbed five rebounds against UNC. But the most important points came on a buzzer beating three to win the game for Duke at the end of regulation. The Blue Devils won 85-84 over their in-state rivals and Austin Rivers had fulfilled his promise to be a big part of the win.

The 19-year-old freshman averages 15 points per game and has played at least 39 minutes of the last three games for the Dukies. In Duke’s next game vs. Maryland, Rivers played every minute of the game, not taking a single rest during the Blue Devils 73-55 romping of the Terps. The Blue Devils lost a lot of talent to graduation last year, but they found a savior in Rivers.

Will Rivers be the one to carry the team late into March or will the pressure of the NCAA tournament be too much to handle for the freshy? If the last two games against UNC and Maryland are any indication, I think he’ll be just fine.