With just four games left in the regular season for the Duke Blue Devils, it seems highly likely that their standout center Jahlil Okafor will return from a sprained ankle soon.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski told ESPN he thinks Okafor will be able to play in Duke's road game Wednesday against Virginia Tech. He was hopeful his freshman big man would be able to "run around a little bit" in Monday's practice.
When Okafor showed up for treatment Sunday, Krzyzewski said, "you could see definition" in the ankle the center rolled during the Blue Devils' 92-90 overtime win at home against North Carolina. Despite the rolled ankle, Okafor returned to the game last Wednesday, but sat out the team's game Saturday against Clemson.
Playing without him, Duke cruised to a 78-56 win while Okafor sat on the bench with his foot in a boot. Krzyzewski told ESPN the boot was absent when Okafor went in for treatment Sunday.
According to the Associated Press, the coach said in his postgame media session, "I cannot be prouder of my team." Duke held Clemson to 27 points in the first half and 29 points in the second half. Guard Quinn Cook led the way with 27 points, followed closely by forward Justise Winslow, who scored 20.
"It was just the way we were on defense," Cook said after the game, according to the AP. "Our defense led to some fast-break points... We want to push it. We were smaller today, Justise got it going today, and he kind of started the tempo off. We just fed off what he was doing."
With Okafor, the team's leading scorer and rebounder, on the floor, Cook and Tyus Jones benefit from more than a few good looks from the floor. Okafor only helps with his exceptional passing ability.
