Puerto Rico's Angel Rodriguez torments Blue Devils
DURHAM (NCAA) - Puerto Rico has a rich tradition of exciting guards in their national team program, including current stars Carlos Arroyo and Jose Barea. Another playmaker who will be in the reckoning for
DURHAM (NCAA) - Puerto Rico has a rich tradition of exciting guards in their national team program, including current stars Carlos Arroyo and Jose Barea.
Another playmaker who will be in the reckoning for minutes in the Boricuas squad in the years to come is Angel Rodriguez.
A member of the Puerto Rican side that played at the 2009 Centrobasket U18 Championship in Mexico, where he led his country to the title, the 22-year-old native of San Juan enjoyed one of his finest moments in American college basketball on Tuesday evening by leading the Miami Hurricanes to a 90-74 triumph at Duke.
#NCAAB upset #MiamiU vencio a #Duke, el boricua Angel Rodriguez (MIA) termino con 24pts.... pic.twitter.com/dTuKgALPIC
— Beisbol&MuchoMàs (@PalillitoArnold) January 14, 2015The Blue Devils, whose legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski also holds the reins to the USA national team, gushed with praise for Rodriguez after the 1.80m guard's 24-point, 5-assist and 5-steal effort.
"I thought Rodriguez was sensational," Krzyzewski said.
"He not only scored, but he controlled the game.
"It's one of the best performances that I've seen in Cameron from an opposing player.
"Their whole team played well, but he really set the tone in how well he played. He was great. Not good, he was great."
Rodriguez was dazzling.
HIGHLIGHTS: @CanesHoops 90, No. 4 Duke 74
Watch: http://t.co/jNubBEvejq
— Miami Hurricanes (@MiamiHurricanes) January 14, 2015It's the sort of performance he would have dreamed about having when he left Puerto Rico at the age of 15 to enroll in high school in Miami to enhance his chances of playing the game at the highest level.
He first played college basketball at Kansas State but elected to transfer.
His cousin, Javi Gonzalez, played at North Carolina State from 2007-10.
Because of NCAA regulations, Rodriguez had to sit out the 2013-14 campaign but he clearly practiced hard. His performances for the Hurricanes have been solid and even spectacular at times.
The result ended Duke's 41-game winning streak at home.
STREAK SNAPPED!
Miami stuns No. 4 Duke, 90-74, to end Blue Devils' nation-best run of 41 straight home wins! pic.twitter.com/reIF83Qel7
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) January 14, 2015FIBA