The 2026-27 faculty basketball season begins in simply over three weeks, that means the highest applications across the nation will likely be taking part in in numerous open (and closed-door) scrimmages all through the following month in preparation for the season. A handful of groups performed their first scrimmage of the season on Thursday, together with Duke, Alabama and LSU.
Duke confronted Belmont on Thursday night time at Cameron Indoor Stadium, which gave faculty basketball followers a glimpse of a roster anticipated to open the season ranked No. 2 within the preseason AP Prime 25 ballot. Moreover, it was the primary have a look at a number of newcomers on the roster, together with Wisconsin switch John Blackwell and incoming five-star freshman massive man Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje.
Boumtje Boumtje stole the present and confirmed why he needs to be the favourite to be the No. 1 general choose within the 2028 NBA Draft. He completed with a team-high 19 factors in 22 minutes and shot 7 of 11 from the sector through the Blue Devils’ 102-62 win over Belmont. Duke was with out veteran guard Caleb Foster — the projected starter at level guard — for its first exhibition recreation attributable to an ankle harm.
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LSU’s roster development below Will Wade, who’s returning for his second stint because the Tigers’ coach, has been below a microscope this offseason. For the previous a number of weeks, LSU has listed simply 4 gamers on the group’s web site attributable to nearly half of the roster being in eligibility limbo due to holding out for a fifth 12 months, or worldwide gamers who hadn’t been cleared to play.
The Tigers performed simply seven gamers within the 63-60 win over McNeese, which included former UCLA star Donovan Dent making his debut together with his new group.
With the primary wave of scrimmages within the books, listed below are the largest takeaways from Thursday.
Will JBB be Duke’s finest participant in 2027?
After watching Boumtje Boumtje make his debut in a university uniform, it’s totally apparent why he needs to be the consensus favourite to go No. 1 in 2028. Boumtje Boumtje, who does not flip 18 till Might 30 and can play your complete 2026-27 season at 17 years outdated, is just not eligible for subsequent summer season’s draft as a result of NBA‘s age requirement, which requires gamers to be at the least 19 years outdated through the calendar 12 months of the draft. Boumtje Boumtje is not the one newcomer in faculty basketball who falls below that umbrella, as Texas‘ Marcus Spears Jr. and UCLA’s Nikola Kusturica will every need to play at the least two seasons of school basketball earlier than declaring for the draft.
One of many prime place battles coming into the season was who Duke would begin at energy ahead subsequent to veteran massive man Patrick Ngongba II, with Boumtje Boumtje and fellow five-star Cameron Williams serving as the highest contenders to occupy that spot. Duke coach Jon Scheyer began Boumtje Boumtje in its first scrimmage, which is a powerful indication that he has the within observe to carry onto that beginning spot.
Boumtje Boumtje had an entire recreation towards Belmont that showcased somewhat little bit of all the things in his recreation. Above all else, what stood out about his efficiency is how clear his shot mechanics search for a 7-foot-2 massive man who’s simply 17 years outdated. He tried 5 3-pointers towards Belmont and knocked down two of them. He additionally completed with two blocks, two steals and 7 rebounds in simply 22 minutes of motion.
Duke has arguably the deepest roster in faculty basketball. Nonetheless, it would not be shocking to see Boumtje Boumtje, who was named preseason ACC Freshman of the 12 months by CBS Sports activities, emerge as Duke’s finest participant in some unspecified time in the future this season. He’s far too gifted to not play him at the least 25-Half-hour per recreation, and perhaps much more.
Brandon Garrison appears to be like like an excellent match at Alabama
Alabama opened the scrimmage cycle with a 111-93 win over Furman behind a team-high 19 factors from Amari Allen. Regardless of being with out Aden Holloway — who’s serving a suspension following an incident earlier this spring — the Crimson Tide posted 111 factors and showcased why this system will likely be one of many highest-scoring offenses within the nation below Nate Oats.
One participant who stood out specifically was Brandon Garrison, who got here off the bench and completed with 15 factors, 4 rebounds and a block. Garrison, who performed at Kentucky the final two seasons, did not miss a shot (7-for-7) and regarded like an ideal slot in Alabama’s system.
After the sport, Oats gave Garrison excessive reward and stated that Garrison could be the “finest passing massive man” he is coached.
“He can actually deal with the ball,” Oats stated. “He could also be the perfect passing massive I’ve ever coached. He can actually cross. We are going to try to use that somewhat bit extra.”
LSU nonetheless has hurdles to clear earlier than its season-opener
LSU went with a seven-man rotation throughout its first scrimmage of the 12 months towards McNeese. The Tigers acquired excellent news earlier than the sport when Michael Ružić, one among 5 worldwide gamers Wade recruited this offseason, was dominated eligible for the 2026-27 season. He completed with 11 factors and 16 rebounds in 34 minutes.
Ružić began subsequent to Divine Ugochukwu, Donovan Dent, Abdi Bashir Jr. and Mouhamed Dioubate. Notable gamers who did not play who Wade recruited this offseason: Skyy Clark, RJ Luis Jr., Saliou Niang, Brice Dessert and Gilad Levy.
LSU nonetheless has hurdles to clear earlier than the season opens up subsequent month. Clark, Dent, and Luis are a part of five-for-five lawsuits, whereas Niang, Dessert, and Levy are worldwide gamers who hope to get cleared in time earlier than the beginning of the season. Wade has stated himself that his roster constructing has been “unconventional.” If all these gamers are dominated eligible, LSU will likely be able to compete within the prime half of the SEC. Nevertheless, time is working out for that to occur.
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Is Dame Sarr prepared for a 12 months 2 breakout?
Whereas Boumtje Boumtje was the participant from Duke’s roster who stood out essentially the most, Sarr additionally had a really sturdy exhibiting. The previous five-star ahead began 30 of 38 video games for Duke final season and regarded primed for a bigger function this 12 months.
Sarr regarded noticeably stronger and extra aggressive in looking his shot. Sarr was used largely as a catch-and-shoot 3-point specialist throughout his freshman season at Duke, with 133 of his 208 complete subject objective makes an attempt final season coming from past the arc.
Though it is a very small pattern measurement — and a scrimmage at that — what actually stood out is how a lot contact Sarr drew. He acquired to the free-throw line a team-high 10 instances and completed with 19 factors, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Sarr tried 62 free throws complete and solely related on 53.2% of these makes an attempt. Improved free-throw quantity and knocking them down at the next clip will do wonders for his recreation. Sarr appears to be like like a possible riser as a 3-and-D 6-foot-8 wing that would put himself within the dialog to be a first-round choose in 2027.
In my way-too-early 2027 mock draft, I had Sarr going No. 26 general. He might discover himself getting picked someplace within the teenagers if this rise and enchancment proceed, particularly as a result of the 2027 class as an entire lacks true consensus. Sarr is not going to publish eye-popping stats this season due to how deep Duke’s roster is, however his archetype is coveted on the NBA stage.