How Every Spot Still 'Up for Grabs' for Duke Basketball

The Duke basketball program looked like one of the best teams in the country in its first scrimmage of the 2026-27 season.

Duke took down Belmont 102-62 at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Thursday night, and the Blue Devils had plenty to like on both ends of the floor.

Everyone knew this Duke team was extremely deep coming into the season, and it showed against the Bruins. The Blue Devils have a slew of capable scorers and defensive switchability across the board. It was the first action against another team in what will be a long season, but Duke was impressive.

Oct 3, 2026; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Sebastian Wilkins (5) gestures during the Countdown to Craziness at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Duke Depth Apparent in Scrimmage Victory Over Belmont

Against Belmont, head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff started John Blackwell, Cayden Boozer, Dame Sarr, Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, and Patrick Ngongba. Caleb Foster (ankle) and Drew Scharnowski (knee) were both out with injuries.

Now, this lineup got the Blue Devils off to a hot start. Boumtje Boumtje went for five points and three boards before the under-16 media timeout, and the first unit found an early rhythm. However, what was interesting was that when Scheyer and Co. made their substitutions, it never really felt like a "second unit" was coming in.

Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje has 5 points and 3 rebounds at the under 16.

Looks comfortable already.
— Hugh Straine (@HughStraine) October 8, 2026

The Blue Devils are interchangeable at so many different positions, especially on the defensive end of the floor. Duke will be one of the biggest teams in the sport this season, and with switchable and versatile defenders at every position, Duke never took a step back defensively, regardless of who was on the floor.

Additionally, Duke showed it has different guys who can step up offensively. I still think Blackwell will be this team's go-to scorer, but Boumtje Boumtje and Sarr led the way with 19 points each against Belmont. Additionally, 10 different guys scored, and seven knocked down a three-pointer. That comes with Foster and Scharnowski, two key pieces of the rotation, sitting on the bench.

Oct 7, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils Patrick Ngongba II (21) answers questions from the media during the ACC Tip-Off in Charlotte, NC. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

How Rotation Spots for Blue Devils Still 'Up for Grabs'

Duke doesn't just purely have depth in the sense that it has a lot of talent. Scheyer and Co. built a rotation of guys who can switch in and out and impact winning in different spots on the floor. It will be so interesting to follow how the coaching staff navigates this rotation with options everywhere.

Following the win, Scheyer was asked whether the starting five was cemented and how guys could potentially earn a starting role.

"This thing is far from over I'll tell you that," Scheyer said. "You know, we may start different lineups in different games. I thought that group that we had out there tonight did a nice job and got us off to a start, but you know, we're still searching for combinations, what works together."

"We're still looking for growth and what can happen. So, you know, in terms of when guys go in tonight, in terms of starting, minutes, it's all up for grabs still. Like, this thing's a long way from being over."

Oct 3, 2026; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard John Blackwell (13) drives the ball during the Countdown to Craziness at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This is the deepest club in the Scheyer era, and it already looks like one of the best defensive teams in college basketball. With two exhibition games to go until Duke opens up the regular season, it already looks like a high-level contender in several ways.

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