Washington was tested to start this basketball season. Here's how they persevered
WASHINGTON — Consider CJ Duncan a good-standing member of the 7 a.m. Shooting Club.
The Washington junior gets into Torry Gymnasium before school with his boys basketball teammates and puts up hundreds of shots each morning. Duncan and the Panthers put that shooting prowess on display Tuesday night in hitting 59 percent from the field to beat Dunlap, 67-37.
His 20 points were a game-high and came on him shooting 8-for-12. He scored on a variety of aggressive drives to the basket, finishing through contact, drawing fouls and even knocking down a 3-pointer.
“It’s, for sure, a confidence thing,” the 6-foot-6 guard said of him being more assertive on offense. “Once it happens once, it’s going to keep on happening again. I’m definitely going to do that every game now.”
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With the graduation of all-Mid-Illini Conference players Jake Stewart (first team) and Micah Bruer (second team), Duncan says he knew Washington would be missing some "big pieces." A steady diet of offseason training and playing summer travel basketball for Mid-Pro Academy prepped him for this season.
So, Duncan decided to step his game up.
“When (the seniors) left,” he said, “I knew I had to bring on bigger role on the team. (Tuesday) I really feel like I filled that role.”
But that emergence didn’t just start 10 games into the season.
Duncan made his mark in the season opener at the Kevin Brown Memorial Tournament of Champions last month. His 23 points helped give Washington a 10-point victory over Burbank St. Laurence.
Tough schedule has tested Washington
That was just the first of five games against nationally ranked or reigning state champions including rival and 2023 Class 3A state champion Metamora. Washington started the season 1-4 and has since won five games in a row.
“We love playing tough opponents,” said Duncan, who scored a team-high 13 points against Metamora, “because we know we can beat anyone that we play. We’re a tough basketball team. We’re a tough out when it comes to playing us, so everybody’s got to be ready.”
Washington coach Eric Schermerhorn was intentional in making this season’s schedule, including Friday’s road game at Lincoln.
“Our schedule has been as good as anybody in the state of Illinois,” he said. “For our first five games, that was insane.”
Schermerhorn says Duncan’s development really started to take shape with the ball not in his hands. He’s been asked nightly to guard the opponent’s best player.
Now, Duncan is carrying over his defensive approach to the offensive end.
“CJ, defensively, has really changed his game,” the fifth-year coach said. “He’s drawing that assignment and I think that’s articulating right now into his offense becoming aggressive as we’re asking him to be on defense. He’s changing that mentality.”
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Getting some help from mentors
Team Duncan with Braden Vanderheydt, and good things are happening. The 6-foot-4 senior forward was named TOC all-tournament team in the City of Washington Invitational portion. He averaged 10.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists in the four TOC games.
“Braden is our utility,” Schermerhorn said, noting his team has taken on Vanderheydt’s do-it-all personality. “He’s everything. You need him to be a big? Big. Shooter? Shooter. Point guard? … Point guard.”
Before opening with 3A state-ranked East St. Louis at the Pekin Insurance Holiday Tournament next week, Duncan will be sure to stay sharp in the gym with his sister, Georgia Duncan. The three-time all-Mid-Illini first-teamer is on break from her sophomore season at McKendree.
She asked her little brother to help her workout daily while back in Washington, giving the younger Duncan yet another reason he looks up to big sis.
“I love her work ethic,” he said.
Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Washington basketball battle tested after tough early season schedule
