DUKE is one of the biggest basketball teams in the world, but it did not seem to worry new signing and promising Australian prospect Tyrese Proctor in the second half against Kansas on Wednesday afternoon.

The Blue Devils fell five points short against the Jayhawks in a blockbuster matchup for the NCAA Championship Classic, but Proctor still showed some promising signs, when moved onto the ball in the second half.

In the first half, Duke’s offence looked stagnant, and did not look likely to trouble the scoreboard. However, things looked much better when Proctor was given more duties as ball handler, creating shots for himself and his teammates.

The change was evident early after half time, when Proctor and Kyle Filipowski combined to perfection in the pick and roll at the elbow with an empty corner. Proctor used the pick to force the switch from the defence, and when the taller opponent switched a bit too short, it allowed the Aussie guard to pull up and drain a midrange.

While he had Filipowski rolling to the hoop, it would have been the lower percentage play, opening the door for the Kansas defence to potentially get a hand on the pass and force a turnover, so Proctor’s shot was the right call.

The following half-court possession, the pair combined for another pick and roll action, forcing the switch again. However, Proctor kicked the ball to Filipowski in the post, where he was able to take advantage of an undersized opponent and register another score to bring Duke back into the contest.

Proctor used his height and vision to often make smarter passes than most. With the Kansas defence rotating heavily, the six-foot-five guard made sure to not dish the ball to a teammate that was either covered or about to be, often skipping a fellow Blue Devil to find the open man.

His work in the pick and roll had multiple dimensions, not going to the same move and forcing similar plays on different possessions. After either driving into a mid-range shot or dishing to a big man looking to post up, Proctor showcased his shooting ability with a pull-up jumper later in the half, waiting for the defender to go under the screen before pulling up for a triple.

While Duke did not get the win, one of the biggest revelations to come out of the game was the positive impact that Proctor had on the contest when he was initiating the offence in the halfcourt. His first half was far from ideal, a reflection of the team, and his struggles with efficiency and getting to the rim.

Still, he has strong vision, can get downhill when needed and can shoot off the dribble coming out of the pick and roll action. It is safe to expect the Aussie to see more touches in Duke’s upcoming matches. In a tale of two halves, NBA executives will be impressed with the glimpses, while likely willing to remain patient with the five-star guard’s flaws.