With 36 hours before the transfer portal window shuts The Duke Blue Devils gained a four-star recruit in collegiate basketball. Belmont PF Drew Scharnowski confirmed his commitment to the program on Sunday. He averaged 10. 7 points, 6. 1 rebounds, and 2. 6 assists per game for the Bruins this season.
While Duke’s strategy has been more reserved and targeted, Scharnowski was involved in the effort and is a great substitute for Maliq Brown, who is now ineligible. The 6-foot-9, 230-pounder plays with a lot of zeal and is flexible on both sides of the court. He’s not the best perimeter shooter, but he doesn’t have to be.
Jon Scheyer enjoys high-motor scoring bigs in the paint and may have discovered one in Scharnowski. We’ll see how he gets into the rotation next year.
Duke does not appear to be finished in the portal, with Wisconsin guard John Blackwell scheduled to visit next week. Two other names to keep an eye on in the coming days are Santa Clara’s Allen Graves and Iowa State’s Milan Momcilovic. The trio is attracting considerable interest from Duke, and each is likely to make a decision soon.
With Cameron Boozer and Patrick Ngongba II still deciding their NBA futures, Duke has made a strong addition to their frontcourt for next year. Scharnowski has two more years of eligibility.
