Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Target Patrick Ngongba II Announces Official Visits

Once again, Countdown to Craziness looks to be a critical Duke basketball recruiting tool.
Matt Giles|
Duke Basketball Target Patrick Ngongba II Announces Official Visits
Duke Basketball Target Patrick Ngongba II Announces Official Visits

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Paul VI Catholic (Va.) four-star big man Patrick Ngongba II, teammate to 2024 Duke basketball commit Darren Harris, will be in Durham for an official visit beginning on Oct. 20, the same day as the Blue Devils' Countdown to Craziness festivities, On3's Joe Tipton reported on Thursday afternoon.

Tipton noted that the 6-foot-11, 235-pound agile bruiser, who ranks No. 28 overall and No. 4 among centers on the 247Sports 2024 Composite, has also scheduled three more official visits: to Michigan on Sept. 8, Kentucky on Sept. 29, and Kansas State on Oct. 27.

He's already checked out the Blue Devils once. That trip, also an official visit, came in in early June, less than two weeks after he received an offer from second-year Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer.

A month later, Patrick Ngongba II revealed eight finalists: Duke, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Providence, and UConn.

The Blue Devils seem dead set on adding at least one talented post prospect to their two-deep 2024 class: Harris, a four-star small forward, and North Meck (N.C.) five-star small forward Isaiah Evans. They lost the battle for Kokomo (Ind.) five-star Flory Bidunga, No. 5 overall, to Kansas earlier this month.

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But while some recently speculated that Ngongba might be on the verge of coming off the board to Duke, it now looks like a decision date is at least two months away, assuming he sticks with all his visit plans.

Ngongba is now one of two 2024 Duke basketball visitors on tap for Countdown to Craziness, joining Long Island Lutheran (N.Y.) five-star small forward VJ Edgecombe. Meanwhile, there's reason to believe the No. 1 player in the class, longtime Blue Devil fan and Montverde (Fla.) five-star small forward Cooper Flagg, might also be there.

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

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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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