All-Access at the East Regional in DC: Duke Dads

Posted on March 29, 2026 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from DC with a trio of interviews of Duke basketball fathers.

Val Khamenia (father of Nikolas)

You are from Belarus: how did you 1st get into basketball? I started playing at age 7: all the other kids in my neighborhood were playing so I just joined them.

Your son Nik was born/raised in Los Angeles, where he helped his Harvard-Westlake High School team win back-to-back state championships in 2023/2024: what did it mean to you to see him win a pair of titles? As a family we were very happy for him. He put a lot of work in, and that was the price of all his hard work.

He played for Team USA at the 2024 FIBA U-18 AmeriCup/2024 FIBA 3×3 U-18 World Cup/2025 FIBA U-19 World Cup: what did it mean to you to see him represent his country/win all those gold medals? Same as above: we are very proud of him because it is a very selective group of guys who make Team USA.

Last year he was named a McDonald’s All-American: what did it mean to him to receive such an outstanding honor? Every kid grows up dreaming about that: it makes you a part of history so you cannot get any better than that.

What made him choose Duke? It is 1 of the top programs in country, so he can continue to grow here as person 1st/player 2nd.

He plays for Coach Jon Scheyer: what makes him such a great coach? He is 1 of the best. He is a young guy who can relate to his players and he is a winner.

He has played 37 games this year and averaged 5.7 PPG: how was he able to come in and contribute right from the start? It has been a journey that had its ups and downs. Most people do not remember that he only played 7-8 minutes as a freshman in high school, but all the games you mentioned above prepared him to be a good player.

You played basketball at GW: who is the best athlete in the family? I cannot answer that: we have too many of them!

Last Friday night the Blue Devils trailed St. John’s by 10 PTS with 15 minutes left: how nervous were you, and how were they able to pull off the upset? I was not nervous at all. The Duke roster is full of good players who have won trophies at different levels so they know how to compete and impose their will on their opponent, which they did in the 2nd half.

Any predictions for tonight’s game vs. UConn? We are going to win.

Kevin Harris (father of Darren)

Your son Darren was born/raised in Herndon, VA: how exciting is it for your family to be at the Elite 8 in DC? It is great: we would be there to support him no matter where the game was played, but to be in our own backyard is special.

What made him choose Duke? Nights like these: Duke is the place to go for such nights.

He plays for Coach Jon Scheyer: what makes him such a great coach? He has kept the legacy going and relates to his players. He does a great job situationally getting the right guys on the court and exploiting mismatches. As coach you must give up some things, but they are doing a great job tonight.

Last Friday night the Blue Devils trailed St. John’s by 10 PTS with 15 minutes left: how nervous were you, and how were they able to pull off the upset? I was not nervous: they had been there before, like when they trailed Siena at halftime last week. It was great to see Caleb Foster rally the guys on the bench even though he was coming off an injury. I was there when Caleb got hurt, but I saw the determination in his face, and I talked to his dad. Caleb put in a lot of hard work and all the credit goes to him and the coaching staff.

Any predictions for tonight’s game vs. UConn? UConn might catch fire from 3-PT range in the 2nd half…but I think Duke will win it by 8-10 PTS.

Patrick Ngongba (father of Patrick II)

Your son Patrick II was born/raised in Manassas, VA: how exciting is it for him to be at the Elite 8 in DC? It is very special.

He won a gold medal at the 2024 FIBA U-18 AmeriCup and won the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit: what did it mean to him to represent his country/win a gold medal? He represented the teams well and enjoyed the time he spent there.

What made him choose Duke? It is a good school and a great place for Patrick. It has such a great history/culture and he is in good hands.

He plays for Coach Jon Scheyer: what makes him such a great coach? He played for the greatest coach (Coach K) so he knows what it takes to win.

Last Friday night the Blue Devils trailed St. John’s by 10 PTS with 15 minutes left: how nervous were you, and how were they able to pull off the upset? I call them the “Comeback Kids”! I trusted them to eventually take the lead, and they did.

You and your wife Tajama played basketball at GW: who is the best athlete in the family? My wife broke the school scoring record for the women’s team (2134 PTS) so I will have to go with her.

Any predictions for tonight’s game vs. UConn? No specific prediction…but it will be a good game and end with a Duke win.

Check back for a lot more access all weekend long!

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All-Access at the East Regional in DC: Duke breakout room interviews

Posted on March 28, 2026 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from DC with some Duke breakout room interviews.

SR F Maliq Brown

You won 4 high school state titles: what is the key to winning championships? Sticking to your game plan: you must stay present and cannot get too high or too low.

You began your college career at Syracuse: why did you decide to transfer to Duke? Duke was my dream school, so when they called me I could not pass it up. They have taught me how to be better both on and off the court.

Earlier this month you were named ACC defensive POY: what is the secret to playing great defense? UConn has a great big man in Tarris Reed Jr. so we cannot give him any easy catches/touches. I just try to be a pest and make things difficult for my opponent.

Caleb Foster returned from a foot fracture on Friday night to score 11 PTS in 19 minutes off the bench against St. John’s: how did he do it? He told us earlier this month that if we made it to DC then he would give it a shot. He will do anything to help our team win.

Bobby Hurley won back-to-back titles as a player at Duke…but is the brother of your next opponent’s coach: who do you think he will be cheering for on Sunday? He should cheer for his alma mater…but I know that family comes 1st so I am sure that he will have some mixed emotions.

Cameron Boozer had yet another double-double with 22 PTS/10 REB: I know that I should be impressed but he seems to do that every single time he steps onto the court? He is a very smart player who can score/facilitate. Even as a freshman it is crazy to see what he has accomplished this year, and I cannot wait to see what he will do in the future.

What makes Jon Scheyer such a great coach? He has done everything that he said he would do since the time he 1st recruited me out of the transfer portal. Freshmen can have a lot of emotions when they start college, but he is a great role model for young players.

What do you know about UConn, and what will it take to beat them? It is a good matchup: they won back-to-back titles in 2023/2024 so it will be a good challenge for us. If we play our best basketball then we can compete with anybody.

Check back for a lot more access all weekend long!

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All-Access at the East Regional in DC: Duke locker room interviews

Posted on March 28, 2026 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from DC with some Duke locker room interviews…once the team got off their bus.

SR G/F Jack Scott

You began your college career at Princeton: why did you decide to transfer to Duke? It is 1 of the premier programs in college basketball and I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity: it has been amazing.

In the Sweet 16 on Friday night, you trailed St. John’s by 10 PTS in the 2nd half: how were you able to turn things around? We have been in that situation of trailing by double-digits 6 times this season…and have won all 6 of those games. There is no 10-PT play in college basketball so you just have to take it possession-by-possession, rebound, and take care of the ball.

Cameron Boozer had yet another double-double with 22 PTS/10 REB: I know that I should be impressed but he seems to do that every single time he steps onto the court? He is on another level, but it is not due to all his double-doubles. His maturity for an 18-year-old kid is incredible: he goes about his business like a 10-year NBA veteran. He is a leader, so his teammates have a natural tendency to follow him.

What makes Jon Scheyer such a great coach? His demeanor/poise. He has a different message for us every day and always says the right thing to get us in the right head space.

What do you know about UConn, and what will it take to beat them? They are 1 of the top programs in the country. They run good sets on offense and are physical so we must rebound and take care of the ball.

FR G/F Nikolas Khamenia

Last year you were named a McDonald’s All-American: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It meant a lot. Most high school players dream about receiving that honor, and many of those who get it have gone on to become very successful.

You won gold medals at the 2025 FIBA U-19 World Cup/2024 FIBA U-18 AmeriCup/2024 U-18 World Cup, and won the Nike Hoop Summit last April: what is the secret to being a winner? It takes a full team so everyone must buy into their role.

Your father Valery played basketball at GW: who is the best athlete in the family? Me!

What makes Jon Scheyer such a great coach? He stays composed and does not change his demeanor.

What do you know about UConn, and what will it take to beat them? They have a great coach and players so we must guard/defend/rebound and then run our offense.

Check back for a lot more access all weekend long!

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All-Access at the East Regional in DC: UConn breakout room interviews

Posted on March 28, 2026 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from DC with some UConn breakout room interviews.

JR G Silas Demary Jr.

Your father Silas Sr. was the 2005 Arena Football League DPOY: who is the best athlete in the family? Probably him…but my mother would take issue with that because she was a good basketball player back in the day.

What makes Dan Hurley such a great coach? I knew that he would push me every day, and he has helped me grow both on/off the court.

His brother Bobby won back-to-back titles as a player at Duke: who do you think he will be cheering for on Sunday? I think that he will be cheering for us: family 1st!

How do you feel about facing Duke on Sunday? It is exciting to be facing a team from my home state of North Carolina. It is a dream come true: they recruited me out of the transfer portal, but I fell in love with UConn during my visit here. I was a little banged up during the Michigan State game, but I will put my best foot forward whether I am on the court or on the bench. Duke G Caleb Foster and I were part of the same AAU program, so I knew that he was going to play vs. St. John’s.

JR G Solo Ball

What makes Dan Hurley such a great coach? He gets 100% of the credit for preparing us for this moment.

You were born/raised in Leesburg, VA: how many family/friends will you have at the arena on Sunday? I will have a good little clan there: I had to get about 10-12 tickets. It would be very special to win it here tomorrow.

Your assistant coach Luke Murray was hired as the new head coach at BC: what sort of relationship do you 2 have? I wish that I could put it into words. He recruited me out of high school and is a big part of the best coaching staff that I have ever played for. He has an amazing family that has treated me like 1 of their own. He has had a tremendous impact on my life and will do great things at BC.

Check back for a lot more access all weekend long!

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All-Access at the East Regional in DC: UConn locker room interviews

Posted on March 28, 2026 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from DC with some UConn locker room interviews…once the team got off their bus.

Graduate assistant Andrew Hurley

In the Sweet 16 on Friday night, you trailed Michigan State at halftime: how were you able to turn things around in the 2nd half? We just continued to do what we did in the 1st half: rebound the ball and try to match the Spartans’ physicality.

You won back-to-back titles as a player for your father Dan at UConn: what is the secret to winning championships? You must take it possession-by-possession and try to win each 4-minute war. It is about defense/rebounding/getting stops.

Your uncle Bobby won back-to-back titles as a player at Duke: who will he be cheering for on Sunday? That is a tough 1. He was an incredible player at Duke…but blood is thicker than water!

What makes your father such a great coach? His passion for the game and the time that he devotes to his players. He spends a lot of time in the office game-planning to put his players in the best spots: he is as authentic as it gets.

What do you know about Duke, and what will it take to beat them? They have great players who play hard: they are not punks. We will try to match their toughness and play together.

SR G Malachi Smith

You began your college career at Dayton: why did you decide to transfer to UConn? I wanted to get to March Madness because winning is my #1 goal.

Your brother Scoochie was an all-conference player at Dayton: who is the best athlete in the family? Myself…although he made it to the Elite 8 in 2014, so hopefully I can pass him tomorrow.

What makes Dan Hurley such a great coach? His intensity: he keeps us locked in and has prepared us both on and off the court.

In the Sweet 16 on Friday night, you had 7 AST/4 STL in 17 minutes off the bench: how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most? I just tried to step up because my teammate Silas Demary Jr. was hurt. I trust my game and my coaches believe in me.

What do you know about Duke, and what will it take to beat them? They have a great shooter in Isaiah Evans, and Cameron Boozer is potentially a top-2 NBA draft pick. If we can limit those 2 guys then we have a chance.

Check back for a lot more access all weekend long!

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All-Access at the East Regional in DC: Sweet 16

Posted on March 27, 2026 by Jon Teitel

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from DC with 4 of the bluest bloods in the sport.

Pregame meal: whatever I can afford with my $20 meal voucher…which turned out to be 3 chicken tenders and some French fries. My 1st big sighting of the night was Stanford Steve, who was courteous enough to let me enter the media workroom ahead of him. My best basketball sighting of the night was Duke FR superstar Cameron Boozer during warmups:

I was hoping for a seat down low but I cannot compete with all the big-time media members who are here. Then again, I heard that it costs $800 just to get into the building tonight, so I will take my nosebleed media seat and like it. Let’s tip off an enchanting evening of hoops in the nation’s capital:

GAME #1: St. John’s-Duke

Duke G Caleb Foster missed each of his team’s 5 postseason games this month due to a fractured right foot, so when he checked into the game after the under-16 timeout the Duke fans welcomed him back with a loud cheer. It was a close game throughout the 1st 20 minutes as the Blue Devils shot a sizzling 50 FG%. However, even though the Red Storm was a mediocre 3-PT shooting team during the season (33.2 3P%), they came out on fire with an equally sizzling 9-18 3PM and entered intermission with a 40-39 lead. I went downstairs at halftime and saw proud papa Carlos Boozer holding court behind the Duke bench:

Duke quickly retook the lead in the 1st 3 minutes of the 2nd half before St. John’s stormed back with a 13-0 run to take a 53-44 lead at the under-16 timeout. It is never fun to face a Hall of Fame coach like Rick Pitino and his pressure defense was on full display, forcing the Blue Devils into multiple turnovers while trying to inbound the ball and a 10-second call when they failed to hustle the ball over halfcourt. Boozer (double-double with 22 PTS/10 REB) and Zuby Ejiofor (great all-around game with 17 PTS/8 REB/6 AST/0 TO) showed out like the conference POY award-winners that they are, but it was Duke SG Isaiah Evans who looked like the best player on the court with 25 PTS/10-15 FG. The Johnnies stayed hot all game by making 13-32 3PM, but the Blue Devils countered with a 24-8 FTA advantage and hung on for an 80-75 victory and a spot in the Elite 8 on Sunday, with 1992 Duke national champ/current Howard coach Kenny Blakeney looking on:

I skipped the press conference, headed for the Duke locker room, and did a quick postgame interview with SR G/F Brock Davis:

You were born/raised in DC: how thrilling is it to win a Sweet 16 game in your hometown arena? It was a great win and a special night: this memory will last a lifetime. Also, we are going to win on Sunday.

Your team is now 28-0 when Isaiah Evans makes at least 3 threes in a game: how crucial is his 3-PT shooting to your team’s success? He is 1 of the best shooters that I have ever seen in my life.

I just saw Caleb Foster wheeling himself down the hallway after returning from a right foot fracture to score 11 PTS in 19 minutes: how was he able to do that? He is a warrior. To have an injury and be able to come back with a performance like that shows how he just kept fighting for possession after possession.

Cameron Boozer had yet another double-double with 22 PTS/10 REB: I know that I should be impressed but he seems to do that every single time he steps onto the court? That is because you have become desensitized to how good he is. He is a special talent who embodies everything that it means to say “Duke basketball”. He is a generational player.

How does it feel to be 1 win away from the Final 4? We are excited/prepared and have a lot of momentum so we will battle/compete on Sunday.

Let’s tip off the 2nd part of our doubleheader:

GAME #2: Michigan State-UConn

Former Spartans football coach Mark Dantonio has shown up to a lot of big basketball games in the past, and tonight was no different:

I missed most of the game while interviewing Cam Ward’s parents and wondering what range of emotions were going through the mind of 1991 Michigan State All-American Steve Smith:

The Huskies did what they usually do in March under Dan Hurley: win. That is a wrap for tonight but check back tomorrow for some Elite 8 coverage!

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