‘We handled our job’: Duke men’s basketball leans on bench to beat Florida State

Coming off a flat performance in an ACC road opener against Wake Forest, No. 17 Duke needed a big response in the final game of the calendar. He did just that in an 86-67 win against Florida State.

The Blue Devils used their signature style of strong defense and offensive rebounding, two things they did last time out in Winston-Salem, NC. A recipe for success in conference play.

This season, Duke has consistently relied on the same players in big moments, often junior guard Jeremy Roach and 7-foot freshman Kyle Filipowski. Unfortunately for the Blue Devils, neither player brought their A-game on Saturday, with Roach still battling a nagging toe injury and Filipowski still struggling to find his footing in ACC play.

However, head coach John Scheer is not afraid to use his depth out wide, and that move paid off for the Cubs on Saturday. Duke had 46 bench points to Florida State’s eight, a stat that illustrates the potential Scheer can unleash in a variety of lineups. Two players who were not expected before the start of the season, sophomore guard Jaylen Blakes and graduate center Ryan Young, were instrumental in the victory.

“No matter if you start, if you come off the bench, it’s something we talked about deeply and it’s still our strength,” Scheier said after the game. “You can play nine guys and you know, they’ve played a lot of extended minutes.”

After a career-high 17 points at Wake Forest, Blakes stepped into the starting lineup for the first time in his Duke career on Saturday and ensured he was in the starting five. Blakes took control of the game and scored Duke’s first five points, matching his career-high 17 total.

In addition to his trademark strength on defense, the Blakes seem to be unlocking some untapped potential on offense. In particular, the sophomore guard has been performing at a high clip from beyond the arc, while the rest of the team has struggled from downtown in a 4-for-6 game. It’s clear that Blakes worked on his game during the playoffs and throughout the rest of December, and Scheer recognized it and rewarded it. While it remains to be seen whether Blakes will continue to start, his role on this year’s team is clearly growing.

“I’m really proud of what he’s done,” Scheier said of Blakes. “You know, he’s coming off a year where he hasn’t played. It has been in different areas. And he just grew up. He is as hardworking as we are. He studies game plans like you wouldn’t believe and I’m proud and happy for him.

Another cog in the Duke machine who has yet to put up stellar numbers is Darrick Whitehead. The freshman suffered a preseason injury, but is starting to hit the road. He’s scored a career-high in back-to-back games, scoring 16 on Saturday in an offensive display of high driving ability and shooting ability that has had coaches across the country chasing him since high school.

Unfortunately, Whitehead was unable to fully develop his December season after missing several practices and the Wake Forest game due to illness. However, these offensive outbursts were only a matter of time for the uber-talented keeper.

Whitehead’s confidence is clearly building, and Duke could greatly use his improved game. “I felt it coming,” Whitehead said.

Duke’s depth was on display in its final game of 2022, painting a more promising picture for the rest of the season. Blakes, Young and Whitehead will continue to see their minutes increase if they continue their current level of play, making an already strong team even more dangerous.

The Blue Devils will be looking to carry on from Saturday’s win heading into the new year. When asked about his freshman year goal, Blakes said, “Win the national championship.”