NCAA Basketball: 10 things to like and not like from week 1 of 2021-22 season

Paolo Banchero is as advertised

Banchero has been everything that Duke could have envisioned when the former top-5 recruit chose the Blue Devils. The 6-foot-10 highly skilled forward has been highly efficient on the offensive end, showing off his scoring prowess several ways — posting up, off of cuts, driving to the hoop, knocking down mid-range shots off the bounce, and from the free-throw line.

Banchero started his career with a 22-point and 7-rebound effort versus Kentucky as he made 7 of 11 shots from the field and  8 of 9 attempts from the free-throw line. The Seattle native posted his first double-double against Army and has scored at least 18 points in each of his first three games.  He is averaging 19.3 points, on 67.7% shooting, along with 8.7 rebounds on the season.

Wendell Moore’s development

Moore, the No. 25 RSCI recruit in 2019, finally appears to be figuring things out. The athletic 6-foot-5 forward has always had the ability, but he has struggled with shot selection and consistently playing hard.

Moore, expected to take a huge leap this year, has already shown tremendous improvement in his shooting and playmaking. The Charlotte native has scored in double-figures in each of No. 7 Duke’s first three games and recorded the fifth triple-double in the program’s history against Army with 19 points. 10 rebounds and 10 assists. He is producing 15.3 points along with 6.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists while shooting 52.3% from the field.

Colin Castleton’s rim-protecting/defense

Castleton has always been a skilled low-post scorer who hits the offensive glass hard though he just needed time on the court. The second-team All-SEC selection got just that in his first season with Florida last year. Now, the 6-11 forward appears that he is ready to be a dominant rim protector.

Castleton has swatted away six shots in each of the Gators’ first two games and leads the NCAA in blocks per game (6.0) and block percentage (24.8%) while also ranking ninth in the nation in Defensive plus/minus (13.3).  His defensive rating of 74.3 is the ninth-best in the SEC. Castleton recorded four games of at least five blocks in 2020-21.