It was consecutive years for Pat Knight to return to Assembly Hall in exhibition, and this time it was against a first-year Indiana basketball coach.
Friday night was the first look for many Hoosiers fans at what Darian DeVries hopes his team looks like in his first season. And it was a dazzling debut for IU, a 107-46 exhibition win over Marian, where Knight is the coach.
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Knight, 55, and son of the late legendary IU coach Bob Knight was impressed with one player in particular, Indiana’s Tucker DeVries:
“It’s nice that they finally have a coach’s son that’s worth a shit,” Knight quipped.
Tucker DeVries scored 23 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 5 for 7 on 3-pointers and 4 for 5 at the free throw line. He had six assists and five rebounds with a pair of steals. DeVries is a former two-time Missouri Valley Conference player of the year at Drake and was a former top-100 recruit.
Pat Knight’s NBA evaluation of IU basketball star Tucker DeVries
DeVries is a player Knight was familiar with, he said, from his time scouting with the Indiana Pacers. Knight said the grade was a late first round or early second round pick on DeVries before his injury at West Virginia.
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“Or he could move up because he knows how to play,” Knight said, “and he can shoot. So for me, now, after seeing him these last couple years, you’re looking — and I hate putting pressure on kids — but, yeah, is he a first-round kid, talent? Yeah. (He) knows how to play. Shooting’s a premium at that level, gym rat — it’s everything coach (Rick) Carlisle would tell us in scouting he likes. Kid’s got a great future.”
“I hope he has a great future here (at IU) and gets things going here,” Knight continued before his coach’s son comment.
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Pat Knight believes IU basketball coach Darian DeVries is one ‘fans should get behind’
Knight was an assistant coach under his father at IU (1999-2000) and Texas Tech (2001-08) before leading the Red Raiders from 2008 to 2011. He then coached at Lamar from 2011 to 2014 before a decades-long gap to take the job at Marian.
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He was 79-123 (.391) for his Division-I coaching career, but did take Lamar to the NCAA tournament in his first season after winning the Southland Conference. The Cardinals were 23-12 but then won six games across the next two seasons.
And Knight was also impressed with Darian DeVries.
“Just his Xs and Os,” Knight said. “When he was at Drake, West Virginia, I loved watching his film from an offensive standpoint because he recruits versatile players. It’s not like you have a true point guard, a true wing, a true center; he’s got five guys out there, they can play 5-out, which is where our game’s going to at both the NBA and college level.”
DeVries, 50, is at his third school and landed the IU job after a 10-win turnaround in one season at West Virginia, doing it largely without his son Tucker, and leading Drake to six straight 20-win seasons and three NCAA tournament berths.
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“Xs and Os, good person — somebody I think the fans should get behind because he’s going to play the right way, he’s going to recruit the right way, and he’s just a good guy, so that helps,” Knight said. “I think the fans are going to really enjoy the ride he gives them from here on out.”
Trent Sisley stars for IU basketball, and Pat Knight was impressed early on
Trent Sisley scored 23 points to match Tucker DeVries for game honors. He did so on 8-of-10 shooting, making four 3s, and grabbed eight rebounds with three assists.
“Kid can play,” Knight said, “I mean, he could play in high school. He’s a highly recruited kid.
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“They’ve got some good older guys, and that’s the other thing (Darian DeVries) has done good: It’s not just all the older guys, he’s got some good younger guys — he’s got a great mix. I’m kind of excited to see, obviously there’s a big difference between our levels, but I’m looking forward to seeing their schedule because I love the style. That’s hard to guard. When you got guys who can shoot, their unselfish, don’t have guys playing hero ball, they’re moving the ball, defensively they can switch pretty much all five guys.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pat Knight on Indiana basketball, Darian DeVries, Tucker DeVries scout
