Texas Tech Overjoyed to Get Under-recruited Sharpshooter From Lubbock Trinity
Ethan Duncan from Trinity Christian is really good at basketball. I don't want that to be misrepresented at all. The guy can flat-out shoot. If you shoot 91 percent from the free-throw line your stroke is pure. If you can shoot 44 percent from three with real defenses in your face, at any level, you can shoot. The hoop and ball do not change from TAPPS to NCAA D1.
Shooting translates.
That being said, Ethan Duncan has committed to Texas Tech to play basketball.
Duncan averaged 27 points per game shooting above 91 percent from the charity stripe and better than 40 percent from three. He was Hub City Preps' TAPPS All-City Player of the Year and had several games above 30 points -- even a couple of 40-burgers.
Sure, Duncan could go play for his dad at LCU and probably get major minutes early in his career as a freshman on the Division II level. Instead, Duncan will start his career at Texas Tech to test his mettle. LCU star and Lonestar Conference Player of the Year Parker Hicks started his career as a walk-on at Texas Tech before transferring to LCU.
I'm not so sure that's Duncan's plan. In a perfect world, he could work into a Davide Moretti-style role as a deadeye shooter and late-game free throw specialist. Duncan isn't quite as tall as Moretti, but can shoot just as well.
Up in the first paragraph, I gave a bit of a disclaimer stressing that the kid can play. Here's why.
Duncan, beyond the talent, has a ton of connections to Texas Tech and this staff. Duncan's dad played at Texas Tech. The elder Duncan played at Texas Tech for two seasons in the late '80s and had just over 10 points per game and a ridiculous 46 percent from three on five attempts per game.
The connections don't stop there. Spencer Sutton coached Ethan Duncan at Trinity Christian. Sutton, as you might have guessed, is the son of Texas Tech coach Sean Sutton. Spencer led the Runnin' Lions to the State Title game before losing 97-94 in overtime in the final game of the year.
A Brief History of Texas Tech Men's Basketball in the NCAA Tournament