Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball: Mega Showdown Between Prime Blue Devil Recruits

A trio of potential Duke basketball players will be on the same court.
Matt Giles|
Duke Basketball: Mega Showdown Between Prime Blue Devil Recruits
Duke Basketball: Mega Showdown Between Prime Blue Devil Recruits

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Duke Blue Devils

Cameron Boozer got the better of Cooper Flagg in their head-to-head box score at last year's Peach Jam, totaling 20 points and 12 rebounds to the fellow heralded 2025 Duke basketball target's 13 points and seven boards. And Boozer's Nightrydas Elite (Fla.) squad delivered a 79-36 beatdown to Flagg's Maine United bunch that day.

RELATED: List of Every Recruit Holding a Blue Devil Offer

But now, as the five-star forwards prepare to meet one year later in North Augusta, S.C., at 9 a.m. ET Wednesday, Flagg is seriously threatening Boozer for the top spot on the 247Sports 2025 Composite.

The Nike EYBL site provides a free live stream of the action here (the Maine United-Nightrydas Elite E16 matchup will be on Court 3 or 4).

Heading into the showdown, ESPN and 247Sports still rank Boozer at No. 1 and Flagg at No. 2. However, within the past month, both On3 and Rivals have flipped it the other way around.

And at last week's NBPA Top 100 Camp in Orlando, Fla., Flagg was on the winning team in another meeting with Boozer. That said, Boozer again put up loftier numbers.

So one would think Cooper Flagg, a remarkably advanced 16-year-old hybrid forward who attends Montverde Academy (Fla.) but is a Maine native and professed long-time Duke basketball enthusiast, will be determined to show the packed house at the famed Riverview Activities Center that he belongs above Boozer in the rankings.

At the same time, though, competitive fire is not in short supply with the 15-year-old Christopher Columbus High School (Fla.) sensation Cameron Boozer or teammate Cayden Boozer, a five-star combo guard who is the other twin son of 2001 Blue Devil national champ Carlos Boozer on Duke basketball's four-deep 2025 wishlist.

This Boozer-Flagg battle probably won't be the last unless Flagg reclassifies and graduates next year. Furthermore, it alone probably won't ultimately decide which of the two projected one-and-done lottery picks ends up at No. 1 in the 2025 class when all is said and done. 

RELATED: Rumblings of Priority Duke Target Potentially Reclassifying

On the other hand, until Cooper Flagg and Cameron Boozer meet again, it should determine bragging rights — and possibly which of the nation's clear-cut top two rising high school juniors enters the next prep season toting around the No. 1 composite ranking.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more Duke basketball recruiting updates.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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