Duke Basketball: Biggest keys for Blue Devils in final month of 2019-20
Jack White and Javin DeLaurier
With the prevalence of Duke on television and the high degree of roster turnover that the Blue Devils have experienced in recent years, it makes it seem as if these two have been there forever. They have both seen a lot of basketball, on the court and from the bench, and have been ranked number one at some point during all four of their years in Durham.
At this point in their careers, they are what they are and what they are glue guys, leaders and key rotational pieces off the bench. Their roles and how they play couldn’t be more different, but they are both seeking to provide effort and contribute when called upon.
Delaurier has been a frustrating player to a degree during his Duke career. With the solid contributions of four-year players like Amile Jefferson and Lance Thomas, Delaurier was brought in and envisioned to fulfill this niche that has been a staple for Duke’s best teams.
He has never really panned out that way despite his athletic gifts and lofty ranking as a top fifty player coming in. Still, he provides putbacks, rim runs and dives, rebounding, defense and a veteran presence in his back up role.
One thing he can improve on is his decision-making regarding fouls in the half-court. DeLaurier would foul out of every game if he played over 33 minutes. For a senior, that is not exactly ideal, especially since he is the only real interior presence besides Vernon Carey.
He only plays 13.5 minutes a contest, so he doesn’t really have to worry about getting disqualified, but his fouls do give Duke’s opponents easy chances for points and lessens the amount of time it takes the other team to reach the bonus.
As far as Jack White goes, he is the epitome of the selfless glue guy that all teams need to function at their best. He will go through his ups and downs in minutes and shooting the three, but you always know that you will get toughness, effort and smarts when he steps on the floor.
His contributions go well beyond what he produces in the box scores in his 18 minutes a game and he will do whatever is asked of him to win. He has seen his time diminish recently with the return of Moore and the better play of Alex O’Connell who is coming up.
Still, when the game is on the line and a defensive stop or rebound or some small thing is needed that will make all the difference in the final outcome, Jack White has the experience, the history and the trust of the coaches to get the job done.