After last night’s small moment of remembrance for former North Carolina helmsman and patriarch, Dean Smith, the ensuing game between long-time rivals quickly turned into one of the best of the college basketball season. Duke beat North Carolina, 92-90, after losing a double-digit lead in the closing minutes of regulation.
While it was Duke’s backcourt of Tyus Jones and Quinn Cook who led the Blue Devils with 22 points a-piece, Jahlil Okafor showed why he’s the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.
The 6-10 freshman squeezed past a double-team by UNC that forced him all the way to the arc, then swooped past a few more defenders to score with his off-hand.
The 19-year-old Okafor finished the contest with 12 points (6/11) 13 rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block in 41 minutes.
He better get some reps at the charity stripe before his NBA debut, though; he was 0-for-6 last night, and NBA coaches won’t hesitate to implement a Hack-a-Okafor strategy if he’s this dominant at the next level.
[Vine via Scott Rafferty; H/T Triangle Offense]