M. Hoops gets Kentucky star

Incoming freshman Duane King, a Kentucky native, will make his debut next season as a guard for the Quakers. When the 1999-2000 men's basketball season kicks off in the Preseason NIT, Penn will rely on veterans to lead the charge for an upset against Kentucky. After all, Michael Jordan, Matt Langel, Geoff Owens and company have taken on top competition in the past, and they will be the primary weapons when the Quakers travel to the Bluegrass State. But it will be a rookie suiting up for the first time who may feel closest to home; the Quakers will play the first game of Duane King's college career in the same state where he distinguished himself as a high school star. And, although Penn coach Fran Dunphy is not known for putting pressure on freshmen to perform right away, King may be doing more than just watching from the bench when the Quakers and Wildcats meet. With such an experienced team returning, playing time might be sparse for the six members of the Class of 2003, but King looks to be among the rookies who will be making more than just cameo appearances on the court. A 6'4" shooting guard from Pleasure Ridge Park High School in Louisville, King was one of the top players in the talent-laden state of Kentucky last season, earning second team All-State honors and a spot on the Kentucky All-Star team. King started both games for the Kentucky stars against the best prep players in Indiana, and even led his team with 11 points in the first contest. While he may not be a star in the Ivy League as a freshman, he could be one of the Ancient Eight's best guards for the next few seasons. "I think we can find one of the most athletic guys we've ever had in our program," Penn assistant coach Steve Donahue said about King. "He just runs the floor, runs and jumps better than anybody we've ever had really. [King has] like [former Penn player] Ira Bowman-type athleticism." Dunphy has told King that he will probably see time immediately, and King is ready to meet the demands of Division I basketball. "Hopefully, I can play 16 to 17 minutes or more per game, if I put enough time in and play hard," King said. "I'd like to compete for a starting spot, but if I come off the bench, I'll fulfill my role to the fullest." The spot King hopes to fill, however, will be one of the most hotly contested spots on the team. Langel's role as the starting shooting guard is practically etched in stone, but behind him stand several players itching for time on the court. Veterans Frank Brown, Lamar Plummer and Dan Solomito will be joined by first-year men King, Koko Archibong and Harold Bailey in competition for time at the two and three spots. "We'll be friends in the games, but when we're in practice, I'll look at them as opponents," King said. Indeed, stopping opponents is one of King's best skills. While he can score when needed, King cites defense as the strongest part of his game. It is also the area in which he might help the Quakers the most. "He's a very intense defender. He'll add a lot to our team in terms of second shots on the offensive boards from the three spot, defensive presence, getting in passing lanes, guarding kids in full court," Donahue said. "He'll do those things, and we really don't have a kid like that right now in our program that can do those things." King, though, can do more than just those things. While he needs to improve his three-point shooting and ball handling, King will enter the Palestra with a complete set of skills. "He can do a lot of things," Pleasure Ridge Park assistant coach Larry Kihnley said. "At times, he was our go-to-guy, and at times, he got the ball to other players." In high school, King -- who was ranked as the seventh-best prospect in Kentucky by Full Court magazine -- teamed with fellow All-State players Kevin Pascal and Michael Griffith to lead Pleasure Ridge Park to a 31-5 record. The trio graduated as one of the top combinations in school history. And now, as part of one of the most highly regarded recruiting classes in Penn history, Duane King has the chance to relive that experience on a much larger scale.

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