Class of 2013 Point Guard Kahlil Dukes from Capital Prep goes off for 51

Kahlil Dukes is one of the top scorers in the country.

Follow Kahlil on Twitter @Kahlildukes

Not too many people hit 50+ points in a game. How did you feel after that performance?

I felt good to put on a performance for my city. I've trained and trained and worked harder than I ever have for this season and this spring/summer. It was a great feeling seeing the results, competing until the final buzzard, leading and carrying my team, and getting the win in front of 1,200 plus fans that were there.                                                                                                                                                    

A lot of people look at you as just a scorer, but what other part of your game are people sleeping on?

I am much more than a scorer, I'm a combo guard now. I can dish the ball, I can lead a team, I can keep my teammates happy, I can be a coach on the floor, and I can get the job done. Winning has been something I've focused on and I've noticed that scoring isn't the only thing that determines the victory. Once I found that out, which was probably my freshman year when I averaged 29 points a game and failed to advanced my team past the quarter finals, I put my mind toward being more than a scorer. Now I'm right where I want to be, if not on my way.

You've played against some good players. Who are some the best you've played against and why do you consider them the best?

The best player I've played against was Shabazz Muhammad who is now currently ranked the best player in the country. His work ethic, competitive nature, and determination to succeed and be the best really had a positive effect on me. Seeing him takeover the number one spot, and play to his top level of performance every given night really convinced me that he was the real deal. However, Kris Dunn is still my favorite player, at all levels before pros, and I'm pretty sure he'll be there in a couple of years. 

What do you do during the off-season to better your game? What is your workout routine?

During the off season, I went to live period in July with the 17u Connecticut Basketball Club (Andre Drummond, Kris Dunn), and I did good throughout the month. We went to Indiana, Vegas, and Florida. I got back August 1, and I had my first offer from Vermont. I showed Kris Dunn and he told me "don't let that stop your hunger", and after that I just worked on my game ever since and hadn't taken a day off from August 1st all the way through Thanksgiving (when my high school season started). 

I worked on conditioning, I worked on my weaknesses during the live period (finishing with contact, getting stronger, more explosive) which had a lot to do with the weight room, I did tons of shooting, dribbling with a forearm on my waist, hop steps, floaters, and everything you could probably think of, I did. I also watched a lot of film and worked on my winning mentality. I wanted to be a killer this year, and win. And I think that the 50 point performance really showed how hard I trained over the off season. The win made it even better. 

What are your goals as a basketball player and student?
My goals as a player and student are to just be the best person I can be, best student I can be (maintain this 3.2 GPA that I have or raise it), inspire my teammates to want to win as bad as me,be a leader, and just WIN. I feel like if I do that, everything as far as recruiting and all the other little feature stuff that doesn't really mean anything (rankings) will come with that.  Until then, I understand the journey isn't over, and I'm going to continue to keep pushing, training, being patient, and leading. I just want to win and see everything I've trained for pay off. 

Any last remarks or shout outs:
Shout out to my troops (teammates) at Capital Prep, Coach Levy, My bro CJ, my bro Kris Dunn, my bro Andre Drummond, and everyone else who supports me. 

When you work so hard and put everything into something, you expect something in return. I guess you can say this is the return. Kris Dunn said he was proud of me, and with that being said, I will not stop.

KAHLIL DUKES- CAPITAL PREP

Tell everyone about yourself?
I am Kahlil Dukes, I am a fourteen year old freshman at Capital Prep in Hartford, Connecticut. I strive to be the best basketball player I can be and I take pride in putting work in the gym, classroom, and hopefully seeing it pay off when grades come out and when its time to perform on the basketball court. I been playing basketball since I was born and I made my first basket at the age of three. I play AAU for the Connecticut Basketball Club (CBC) and of course my high school, Capital Prep.
I lead the state in scoring this year (29.1ppg) and all freshman in the nation. I got first team All State honors recently and I got first team all conference. So hopefully, I get a state championship next year. My plan is to make it to the NBA and then its a new beginning. Then hopefully I have Hall of Fame dreams and more.

What was your best game?
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My best game for me this year was probably against Windham Tech in Willimantic, Connecticut. I finish the game with 34 points and 12 assists, and a few steals I remember. It was a team effort though because my teammates finished the best all season that night, and two other players had over 20 points. We won 112-104 I think and that was our last season game before the playoffs.

How does it feel to be All-State as a freshman?
All State as a freshman feels real good. All year I had doubters and criticism that I had to manage and play through. I also had a lot of expectations for myself that I set to reach, and other people had expectations for me as well. Somehow I found it in myself to lead our team to the state tournament quarter finals as a freshman and lead the state in scoring. I finish the season w/ 669 points (29.1ppg) and I average 3 assists a game. I faced a lot of box and ones and different defenses all season, in the quarter finals I actually faced a 1-1-3 which I never seen or heard of. But really I just wanted to learn as much as I could, play every game like it was my last because I wanted to be remembered, and now, I can call myself an All Stater.

Why are sports/education important to you?
Education and sports are important to me because they both help me eventually become a professional at what I am blessed at, and that's basketball. Without education, you cannot make it to college. Without college you cannot make the money you need to live a dream. And without money, you cant live at all. Money rules the world, so I try to stay up on my grades and stay in the gym working on my game to get that big time scholarship I am after. Right now my GPA is 3.5 so I'm trying to maintain that or keep it somewhere around there so that I am not nervous when it comes to SATs. And as far as basketball, all I got to do is keep the mentality I have and everything hopefully will go the way I planned. I also pray a lot for those two things to be successful so I guess that's why I'm doing so well so far in my high school career. Just got to keep it going, never sleep, consistency was my favorite word my whole freshman year and it always will be.



What can you do to make yourself a better point guard?
Well to make myself a better point guard I could do a list of things:
1) I could surround myself by a group of guys who are great point guards or great models as point guards to look up to.
2) I could work HARDER on the fundamentals that are to be mastered by a point guard and focus on those for a few months to a year.
3) I could learn from a premier point guard coach. Like a Calipari (Kentucky Head Coach) or a Coach K (Duke). I also believe more in myself, potentially speaking. So I think the work I can push myself to put in will also better the outcome of becoming a better point guard. And simply learning from mistakes I make on the basketball court, and being a vocal leader.

What is your dream college?
I don't necessarily have a dream college but I am considering Duke, UNC, UConn, and Syracuse for big time. For little school but big conference I'd like to go to Baylor, Marquette, Florida, Butler or UCLA. For me its about the coach, basketball history or tradition of the school, and if I'm gonna be able to come into the system and play early. Other then that, I still need to do a little more research on schools and stuff like majoring. I think I wanna major in marketing, right now I'm considering that. But I still have a lot of time so we'll see.

What advice can you give other student-athletes?
Well for other student athletes, I can only say do what you gotta do and take pride in what you do. I think a lot of players get too big headed, too cocky, too satisfied, and too irresponsible. Sometimes I am even some of those but I try not to be and I have a lot of friends, family, and coaches that help me with being humble and things like that. As an athlete you have to understand that there two things, obstacles and competition.
Obstacles are the bad part, competition is the good part. Playing against someone who is trying to make it to the same place as you is great. There's no reason to be scared or worried that they might show you off. Its a game, somebody wins and somebody loses. You have to have a certain mentality, swagger, and personality about yourself. Go hard in every practice, game, and be smart in the classroom and on the court. Knowledge does anybody well no matter what sport you play or what you do. Try to learn from mistakes. Try to be the best player, student, and person you can be. It is a privilege to play sports, just enjoy yourself and have fun. Meet new people but be careful. Some people you can't trust. If your really talented, some people will try and trick you. Its a dirty game, and its a business. You just got to be smart with everything you do, say, wear, and who you hang around. When its time to perform on the court, field, gridiron, or whatever, then put on a show. When your doing work and you don't feel like it, just remember your trying to make it. Get it done, and do what you gotta do, and you will be successful as a student athlete no matter what sport you play.

Send a shout out to SoSportz:
Shoutout to SoSportz for supporting me all season during my freshman year. Definitely a good program and nice to meet new kids and athletes with the same dreams as us all and be one nation trying to make it to the next level playing sports for a living. Thanks.

RODNEY TAYLOR- RIDGEWAY HIGH SCHOOL

Tell us about yourself?
My name is Rodney Taylor. I attend Ridgeway High School and my GPA. is a 3.2. I've been playing basketball all my life and will continue until my dieing days. I am a freshman with the mind state of a senior. People say I look and play like Derrick Rose but I think other wise. My team is 5-2 (5 wins 2 losses).

What was your best game?
I think my best game was during the summer when I played for the Memphis Magic. It was 3 sec. left on the clock and we were down by 2. My teammate took the ball out and passed it to me. As time fell off the clock, I jumped from the halfcourt throwing the ball towards the rim and scored the game winning basket.(93-92)

Why are sports/education important to you?
I grew up on sports. People say that their lover or their best friends are their other half. Well my story is different. Basketball is my other half. My dad walked out of my life when I was 2 years old. I'm dedicated to getting a scholarship from a D1 or D2 college.

What can you do to make yourself better in your sport?
Take out more time practicing on my jumpshots and agility.

What is your dream college?
Duke or the University of Memphis

If a College Coach ask you, how can you make our team better, what would you say?
My courage and confidence as a player. The way I make my team better is helping them and giving them pointers on their game. All consideration is good consideration.

What advice can you give other student-athletes?
Work your hardest because you will never know who's watching

Send a shout out to SoSportz:
Thanks SoSportz!!!!!