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PREP BOYS BASKETBALL: Dukes plays key role in helping Crusaders win state
Senior leads team in scoring, rebounding in tournament
Ronald Dukes, a senior at North County Christian School in Florissant, did not start playing organized basketball until last season.
But the Northwest Journal Athlete of the Week quickly made up for lost time on the hardwood. So much so that he recently led the school's boys hoop team to a Missouri Christian State Athletic Association Class 1A title.
"I'm pretty surprised," said Dukes, who led the team in scoring (14.3) and rebounding (9.3) in the tournament in Joplin. "My coach - coach Kyle (Walton) - helped me a lot. I don't know where I'd be without coach Kyle and coach (Dave) Kuntz. They taught me all the basics."
Dukes, a 6-foot-4 forward, showed he was a good student in the semifinal game of the state tournament. With his team down 49-48 with just three seconds left in the game, Dukes scored to give his team a 50-49 win.
"He caught the ball at the top of the key, took one or two dribbles and he jumped over everybody and laid it in," said Walton.
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"That was pretty exciting," said Dukes.
Dukes, coincidentally enough, had scored a game-winning bucket against the Crossing Knights in the exact same situation and with the score exactly the same earlier in the season.
"We ran the same play with eight seconds left and us down by one and he scored that game, too," said Walton.
Dukes, who was named first team all state for his efforts, was second on the team in scoring (10.9 points) this year and was first in rebounding (8.0).
"He's an amazing athlete and a winner," said Walton of Dukes. "We put the ball in his hands a lot because he creates shots better than anybody on the team. He can pretty much jump over anybody and see the rim."
Walton finds it hard to believe Dukes is the same player who walked into his gym as a junior.
"If he keeps improving, he'll be a great player," said Walton. "From last year to this year, he's improved dramatically. I'd have to say that will continue to happen, especially because he's a kid with so much raw talent."
Dukes, who transferred to NCC from Hazelwood Central as a junior, worked hard to improve so quickly. He went to three camps last summer including the Five Star Camp in Philadelphia and the Blue Chip Camp in Louisville, Kentucky. At those two camps, he got to rub elbows with players like Memphis star freshman Tyreke Evans.
"It really helped me playing at a higher competition level and then coming back to playing at a normal competition level," said Dukes.
Dukes said he is currently considering trying to walk on the Western Illinois University or Southern Illinois University Carbondale squads next season.
"It'll probably be Western Illinois but I'm not sure yet," he said.
Dukes still has some more prep basketball to play, though. He and his teammates were heading to the National Association of Christians Tournament in Dayton, Tenn., this week.
"I'm pretty excited," said Dukes. "We're not 100-percent strong. We're going to have to play without one of the better players (Tyler Bolton) who hurt his shoulder in Joplin. He's probably the best defender on the team."
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2 comment(s)
kennyangie wrote on Mar 7, 2009 7:53 PM:
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kennyangie wrote on Mar 7, 2009 7:55 PM: