Tre Jones: I Just Take What Defense Gives Me

Point guard was open against Wake and scored 23 on 10-of-14 shooting.

Duke point guard Tre Jones said that the Blue Devils wanted to pressure Wake Forest to keep the Demon Deacons from running their offense. The strategy worked in Duke’s 90-59 win on Saturday.

“It worked out early, and we were able to keep wearing them out throughout the first half and then the second half,” Jones said.

The Blue Devils are rolling, with eight straight wins and a 5-0 mark in the ACC.

“We’ve showed really good stretches at times, but also there’s times where we’re struggling out there,” Jones said. “Personally, I know everyone in here [the locker room] would agree with me that we’re not playing how we wish we would. But, at times, we definitely are. The way we’re able to keep communicating with each other and talk out there and bring the energy every single day has been huge.”

Jones had a big game against the Demon Deacons, hitting 10 of 15 shots and three of four from three to score 23 points. He added five assists and four steals with no turnovers. With Wake’s defense sagging in to double and triple team center Vernon Carey Jr., Jones was open from outside and took advantage of it. “Really, I just try to take what the defense gives me every night,” he said, “just reading the defense, reading how they’re playing, what type of defense they’re in, who they’re shading toward and trying not to let score and things like that. I’m just trying to take what the defense gives me.”