Roles still changing for Dukes
Victor Dukes turned in one of the more impressive performances at the Real Deal in the Rock in 2013, scoring 39 points in the 16-and-under championship game.
This year, Dukes is hoping to impress in different ways.
“It wasn’t all me last year. We had a good team,” said Dukes, who played for the Arkansas Soldierz in the 2013 Real Deal. “I’m still getting to know my new team. It’s an adjustment. But I like them and I want to be a part of their family.”
Dukes is a member of the Arkansas Wings Elite, a team that includes All-Arkansas Preps players Malik Monk of Bentonville, Lawson Korita of Pulaski Academy and Marquise Pointer of Jonesboro.
Dukes played well enough his sophomore season at Nettleton to be selected to the All-Arkansas Preps team in 2013, but he left his high school team in December and enrolled at Jonesboro High School, leaving him ineligible to play the last half of the season.
Wes Swift, who coaches both Jonesboro High School and the Wings, said Dukes worked hard in Jonesboro’s practices even though he was not eligible to participate in games.
“When he came to us, he knew he couldn’t play,” Swift said. “I called him into my office and asked him if he wanted to practice with us every day to help make us better. I told him, ‘You’ll be the best player on the other team.’ It was that kind of role. He said, ‘Coach, I’m ready to go.’
“That sucker busted it and made us better. He was the best rebounder in the gym.
… When a kid can’t play, but he comes out every day and plays hard in practice at a high level, that what impressed me most about him.”
Dukes, who will be a senior next year at Jonesboro, scored seven points in the Wings’ 83-51 victory over Rashard Lewis Elite of Houston on Friday.
“I’ve started off slow,” Dukes said. “I haven’t played very well, but I can tell the chemistry is getting better.
Hopefully, it won’t take a whole lot of time for it to get there.” MORE WINGS
Parkview duo shines
Jaylen Franklin and Braelon Walker are teammates at Little Rock Parkview and it showed for the Arkansas Wings (Hall) in Friday’s 52-48 victory over the Georgia Stars.
Franklin scored a team high 21 points, while Walker had 6 rebounds, a team-high 4 steals and 4 assists.
“It carries over from one team to the next,” said Franklin, who was on the receiving end of three of Walker’s assists. “It’s a matter of leadership. Playing with Braelon is like playing with my brother. I know how he plays and he knows how I play.”
“First of all, they are such great kids,” Wings Coach Matt Hall said. “They are fantastic young men and great basketball players.
They are ultra-dynamic.
They are athletic. They can get to the rim. They can guard you. There’s not a lot either of them can’t do.”
Franklin was clutch down the stretch in the victory over the taller Georgia Stars. He hit a reverse layup to give the Wings a 50-43 lead with a 90 seconds to play.
After a three-pointer cut the Wings’ lead to four, Franklin hit two free throws to putthe game away.
“They were bigger, but we blocked out,” Franklin said. “We knew we had to be big on the boards if we wanted to win.”
“He’s just a good player,” Hall said of Franklin. “He a strong guard who can get to the rim.”
ARCHIE GOODWIN Phoenix rising
Archie Goodwin’s first season in the NBA with the Phoenix Suns ended Wednesday night in Sacramento, but the former Sylvan Hills star is already working on improvements for next season.
“I just came from the gym,” said Goodwin, who was attending the Real Deal to watch some friends play . “It doesn’t stop for me. I’m still working.”
Goodwin’s playing time was limited for most of the season.
He averaged 3.7 points in 52 games, but he finished his rookie season on a high note, scoring a career-high 29 points in Wednesday’s 104-99 victory.
Goodwin scored 12 of his points in the fourth quarter and was 11 of 13 from the field for the game.
“I want to play smarter and cut down on turnovers,” Goodwin said. “Those are the two things I’ve got to improve on. I feel like I can score on any level and defensively, I’m getting better. I think it’s just a matter of keeping my confidence at a high level and going from there.”
Goodwin led Sylvan Hills to the Class 5A state title in 2012 and was two-time Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Player of the Year.
ALL-STAR GAMES
Next: A two-day affair
Bill Ingram said he was generally pleased with Thursday night’s All-Star Games at Little Rock Hall High School, but the Real Deal founder insists next year’s games - and all that follow - will be more crowd-pleasing than the first.
“I’m a stickler for big crowds,” Ingram said. “I thought for the first year it was pretty good. I’ve seen enough of these kind of events to know what it takes to make it successful.
I thought we took a very good first step.”
Thursday’s crowd, which included Gov. Mike Beebe, seemed to enjoy the festivities. Beebe tossed the ball for the opening tip.
Coaches for the boys game were former University of Arkansas stars Ron Brewer and Todd Day.
The game was officially known as the Mike Conley Jr. Tennessee vs. Arkansas All-Star Classic. Tennessee swept the contests, winning the girls game 92-72 and the boys game 81-78.
“We learned a few things from [Thursday] night and we’ll try to get better,” Ingram said. “Actually, we won’t try. We will get better.”
The biggest thing, Ingram said, was that the teams needed one and maybe two practices before playing the game.
“And, instead of trying to do everything in one day, maybe we will bring them in overnight,” Ingram said.
Players from both teams participated in a luncheon and community service prior to Thursday’s game.
The players spent 2½ hours working with children from the Full Potential Child Development Center in Little Rock.
“They might have been a little tired,” Ingram said.
“They did a great job with the community service.
They spent a lot of time with those kids.”
Sports, Pages 26 on 04/19/2014