Red Wolves - IU East

KOKOMO - A player named Duke will always have a place in the Indiana University East men's basketball program.

Brock (Barbary) Duke, a senior at Kokomo (Ind.) High School, has signed a letter of intent to play basketball for IU East starting with the 2010-11 school year.

Red Wolves coach Mark Hester, an avid Duke University fan, announced the signing May 5.

Hester said Duke has plenty of game to go along with the name.

"Brock gives us something we've really been looking for," Hester said. "He's another bigger, more athletic guard who will fit in with the other players we've recruited for next year.

"His biggest asset for us is going to be his ability to play defense."

Duke is a 6-3 guard who averaged 9.8 points per game and 3.9 rebounds per game to help Kokomo to a 16-6 record and a North Central Conference championship this past season.

He also was 12th in the state in free throw shooting percentage at 86.4.

(He played as Brock Barbary at Kokomo and will play as Brock Duke for IU East).

Duke hopes to provide leadership and scoring for the Red Wolves from the point guard position.

"I'll have a chance to come in and play right away, and it's close to home," Duke said.

"I liked that the buildings were close together at IU East, and I liked the apartments there and the chance to get out on my own."

Duke was an all-area selection and played in the POSTYOURT.org Indiana East/West All-Star Basketball Game. He also played safety for the Kokomo football team.

He plans to major in accounting.

"You have a good one, and I know he's excited," Kokomo coach Brian McCauley told Hester during a signing ceremony on May 5.

Duke's mother, Tammy Bender, and more than 10 family members and friends also attended the signing ceremony.

Duke is the sixth signee in IU East's 2010 recruiting class.

He joins Ian Enriquez of Lake Station, Sean Stevens of Newburgh, Justin Gill of Munster, Cody Banet of Floyds Knobs and Terry Weathers of East Chicago.

Hester said he is following the blueprint used by Butler University - Duke University's opponent in the 2010 NCAA championship game - in assembling IU East's 2010 recruiting class.

"Our goal is to get as many top-100 players as we can," Hester said. "It's a model that worked for Butler, and most of the kids we are getting were in the top 100 in Indiana."