- Sep 22, 2013
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Duke Blue Devils played the Wake Forest Demon Decons on February 2, 2005 in an ESPN broadcast considered to be a watershed moment in the new era of college basketball. Why? Read on...
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The 2004-2005 previews offered by various sports critics pitted Duke as the top notch team in the nation. That's because it boasted the young shooting stars and steady players, a good combo, of JJ Redick, Shavlik Randolph, Daniel Ewing, and Shelden Williams. This was a team that boasted a very well-rounded and balanced and potentially explosive team with excellent zone-play and shooting skills. Redick would go on to become Duke's all-time leading 3-point shooter (what a stat!).
However, in that same year, Wake Forest Demon Deacons' offered a significant callenge to Duke. That's because Wake boasted a trio-combination of Justin Gray, Eric Williams (Center), and of course sensational Chris Paul. This would be the second time that Wake Forest would challenge Duke. The last was in the 1990s Bobby Hurley era when Wake Forest's 1-2 punch of Tim Duncans (San Antonio Spurs) and Randolph Childress lit up the scoreboard against the shocked top-notch Blue Devils. Wake's 2005 team was about to offer yet another season-game firecracker on ESPN.
In the early goings of the game, it was mostly neck-and-neck before Wake Forest really took charge and command, boasting its Gray-Williams-Paul trio to keep a handsome and strong lead, even when Duke pulled off miraculous comeback rallies. The Demon Deacons were basically keeping a loud lead in various moments leading to the final portion of this surprisingly entertaining ESPN broadcast.
When people think of Duke, they think of North Carolina or maybe Kentucky as their only rival. Duke's considered to be the only real contender for the 'mantle' of new-gen rendition of the John Wooden UCLA Bruins golden team. However, Wake Forest shocked Duke in the immaculate Bobby Hurley era with its Duncan-Childress challenge to the Blue Devils. Now, they were challenging the Redick-Randolph-Williams trio of Duke with the likes of Justin Gray and the future NBA superstar Chris Paul.
The Demon Deacons very brutish center but balanced player Eric Williams had a terrific game, exploiting Duke's weaknesses in rebounding if not in blocked shots. Only Shavlik Randolph of the Blue Devils was able to hold ground enough to help the Blue Devils keep pace and help Redick make his signature firebrand 3-pointers.
In fact, in the last portion of this eventually incredibly close game broadcast on ESPN and commentated by everyone's favorite loony good-guy Dick Vitale (a certain Blue Devils writer!), JJ Redick took command and used his miraculous shooting skills to basically keep the Blue Devils in national contention and in the national spotlight, preventing future superstar Chris Paul from commandeering what would've been surely a shocking blowout. Redick's late 3-pointers made the Demon Deacon fans wonder in their home stadium if the Blue Devils were somehow karate kids.
So, why was this game a watershed moment? Firstly, it was the the new era of Duke basketball, and Hurley and Laettner fans were now cheering for Redick and Williams. Secondly, Wake Forest had become really a new-gen team and wanted the right laurels for its new-gen superstar Chris Paul. Before the new decade (2010s) began, this new-era Duke-Wake game reminded people (who had the luxury of ESPN) that college basketball was slowly and quietly becoming more design-fit. What a broadcast (if you're a NCAAB nut of course).
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"Money is everything" (Ecclesiastes)
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The 2004-2005 previews offered by various sports critics pitted Duke as the top notch team in the nation. That's because it boasted the young shooting stars and steady players, a good combo, of JJ Redick, Shavlik Randolph, Daniel Ewing, and Shelden Williams. This was a team that boasted a very well-rounded and balanced and potentially explosive team with excellent zone-play and shooting skills. Redick would go on to become Duke's all-time leading 3-point shooter (what a stat!).
However, in that same year, Wake Forest Demon Deacons' offered a significant callenge to Duke. That's because Wake boasted a trio-combination of Justin Gray, Eric Williams (Center), and of course sensational Chris Paul. This would be the second time that Wake Forest would challenge Duke. The last was in the 1990s Bobby Hurley era when Wake Forest's 1-2 punch of Tim Duncans (San Antonio Spurs) and Randolph Childress lit up the scoreboard against the shocked top-notch Blue Devils. Wake's 2005 team was about to offer yet another season-game firecracker on ESPN.
In the early goings of the game, it was mostly neck-and-neck before Wake Forest really took charge and command, boasting its Gray-Williams-Paul trio to keep a handsome and strong lead, even when Duke pulled off miraculous comeback rallies. The Demon Deacons were basically keeping a loud lead in various moments leading to the final portion of this surprisingly entertaining ESPN broadcast.
When people think of Duke, they think of North Carolina or maybe Kentucky as their only rival. Duke's considered to be the only real contender for the 'mantle' of new-gen rendition of the John Wooden UCLA Bruins golden team. However, Wake Forest shocked Duke in the immaculate Bobby Hurley era with its Duncan-Childress challenge to the Blue Devils. Now, they were challenging the Redick-Randolph-Williams trio of Duke with the likes of Justin Gray and the future NBA superstar Chris Paul.
The Demon Deacons very brutish center but balanced player Eric Williams had a terrific game, exploiting Duke's weaknesses in rebounding if not in blocked shots. Only Shavlik Randolph of the Blue Devils was able to hold ground enough to help the Blue Devils keep pace and help Redick make his signature firebrand 3-pointers.
In fact, in the last portion of this eventually incredibly close game broadcast on ESPN and commentated by everyone's favorite loony good-guy Dick Vitale (a certain Blue Devils writer!), JJ Redick took command and used his miraculous shooting skills to basically keep the Blue Devils in national contention and in the national spotlight, preventing future superstar Chris Paul from commandeering what would've been surely a shocking blowout. Redick's late 3-pointers made the Demon Deacon fans wonder in their home stadium if the Blue Devils were somehow karate kids.
So, why was this game a watershed moment? Firstly, it was the the new era of Duke basketball, and Hurley and Laettner fans were now cheering for Redick and Williams. Secondly, Wake Forest had become really a new-gen team and wanted the right laurels for its new-gen superstar Chris Paul. Before the new decade (2010s) began, this new-era Duke-Wake game reminded people (who had the luxury of ESPN) that college basketball was slowly and quietly becoming more design-fit. What a broadcast (if you're a NCAAB nut of course).
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"Money is everything" (Ecclesiastes)
