Assessing LJ Cryer, Cooper Flagg, and J’Wan Roberts in the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament

April 6th, 2025

Yesterday, I took the time to watch Cooper Flagg and Duke face off against the Houston Cougars in a very tough and competitive Final Four game in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Flagg struggled early on but was able to find his footing, and he ended up having a very solid game, despite not being clutch in the end, but that’s okay, because coming through in the clutch isn’t one of his strengths, as evidenced in his team’s loss to Kentucky, and other times where he and Duke would cough up the ball down the stretch.

Still, LJ Cryer was dominant, and Houston had strong shooting and defense from their players to pull off a surprising upset win to defeat Duke in order to get to the championship game, where the Cougars will play Florida on Monday night. Cryer paced the way with 26 points and made 6 threes, and he made shots at will to get Houston the win. Here are my thoughts on how Cryer, Flagg, and other various prospects fared in this game, as well as where they may currently stack up as prospects for the NBA.

Houston’s senior guard, LJ Cryer scored 26 points and made 6 threes in his team’s 70-67 win over Duke to lead his team to the championship game, where his team will face off against Florida on Monday night. (Photo: Bob Donnan/Imagn Images, via New York Post)

LJ Cryer put forth a sterling performance to lead Houston to a stunning win over Duke. He is a smart, skilled combo guard that made shots at will, and this was a night to remember for him. This was the game that put him on the map as a first round prospect, and his tremendous play was instrumental in helping Houston to pull off the upset, and seemingly, the impossible.

Cryer did a great job of shooting and scoring the basketball. He did a terrific job of making outside shots, as he particularly excelled at making threes. He was excellent at knocking down threes both off the catch and dribble. He was able to run quickly off the ball to make a quick corner three smoothly, as he has the skills to thrive as a movement shooter, and he also showed deft footwork and the shooting prowess to continually make threes off the dribble. Plus, he showed off a solid scoring touch from the mid-range, and he has the ball-handling skills to get to the rim.

He also displayed adequate playmaking skills. Cryer was able to make a drive and kick pass to find the open man, and he would sometimes make the extra pass to keep the ball moving. On one play though, he had a ball poked away that led him to commit a turnover.

Plus, he also did an adequate job of rebounding the basketball. Cryer also played decent defense. He was able to get a steal once. Also, Tyrese Proctor didn’t shoot well, so that’s also a plus for Houston’s guards on the defensive end. On one play though, he was called for a reach-in foul when defending an opponent on a drive in transition.

In general, LJ Cryer had a tremendous showing to lead Houston to a win over Duke. He is an agile, skilled sharpshooting combo guard that is a first round talent, and he has a chance to make history as a player that could win two NCAA championships at two different schools, as he won one with the 2021 Baylor Bears, and he has a chance to win one this year for Houston. His sterling shooting and scoring abilities, combined with his athleticism and handles could enable him to end up being a solid player in the NBA.

Cooper Flagg scored 27 points, made 3 threes, and had 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 steals in his team’s 70-67 loss to Houston in what could possibly be perhaps his final game in college basketball. (Photo: Stephanie Scarbrough/New York Post)

Duke’s 6-9 freshman forward, Cooper Flagg also played well in his team’s tough loss to Houston. While he got off to a slow start, he played much better as the game wore on, and he was able to stuff the stat sheet and showcase his versatility, top-notch skills, and athleticism in this game.

Flagg shot the three-ball very well in this game. He showed a knack for making spot-up threes off the catch, as this shows his marked improvement in making long-range shots. He also thrived at scoring on quick drives in transition, and he was able to quickly drive up the floor to throw down a high-flying dunk.

Plus, he also excelled at scoring out of the post. He showed good balance, body control, as well as a solid pump fake to finish plays around the basket, and he also would take on the contact to get extra free throws after scoring the basketball. On the downside, he struggled to consistently score off the dribble or on mid-range jumpers, and he would sometimes tend to take tough, contested shots that would lead to misses.

He also displayed good playmaking skills. Flagg tended to throw accurate passes off the dribble and also was able to find teammates on the move due to possessing good court vision, and he was able to notch a handful of assists. He generally took good care of the ball, but there was one play when posting up where he threw a hasty pass that got intercepted once.

Flagg did a decent job of rebounding the basketball. He also played adequate defense in this game. Flagg is a rangy defender that showed a knack for using his length, athleticism, and timing to block and contest shots to get stops, and he also would intercept passes to get steals. However, he tended to play too aggressively, as he would bite on pump fakes and over-rotate, which would lead him to commit fouls and give up open shots. There was one time where he didn’t move his feet well when defending out on the perimter, which led him to get beat off the dribble to allow a score.

Overall, Flagg played well in his team’s surprising loss to Houston. Despite a slow start and an unfortunate end for him and his team in this game, he put up strong numbers in this game, and he showed off many of his strengths as a prospect for the NBA. If he decides to enter the draft, he’ll likely be the top pick of the 2025 draft, and Flagg has the skills to be a very good player in the NBA for a long time.

Houston’s J’Wan Roberts scored 11 points, and he also had 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block in his team’s 70-67 come from behind win over Duke on Saturday night. (Photo: Eric Gay/Associated Press, via Yahoo Sports)

J’Wan Roberts had a strong showing to help lead Houston to a win over Duke. He had a solid all-around performance, as he made shots out of the post, passed and rebounded the ball well, and he was able to get key stops on the defensive end.

Roberts did a good job of scoring out of the post. He is a crafty player that has a good blend of strength, footwork, and scoring touch to consistently make shots around the basket. He utilized an up and under move to score once. He also would use quick spin moves to score, which enabled him to score on a powerful dunk another time. He also was able to dribble in to score on a tough, reverse layup. On the downside, he struggled to consistently score off the dribble, and he also missed on a turnaround, mid-range jumper early on, but his low post scoring skills helped give Houston a solid interior presence.

He also showed off solid playmaking skills. He did a very good job of passing out of the post, and he also managed to pass out of a double team to find the open man near the basket to notch an assist once. There was one play where he had a ball ripped away when posting up to commit a turnover, but generally, Roberts made good reads and passes to help his team move that basketball on offense.

Plus, Roberts also did a tremendous job of rebounding the basketball. He also defended very well. Roberts was able to intercept a pass to get a steal. He also managed to stay with Flagg on a drive and contested a mid-range jumper to get a key stop late in the game.

In summary, Roberts played very well in his team’s win over Duke, and his strong performance was instrumental in helping Houston to get to the title game. He has been a very solid player for Houston, and Roberts has the skills to end up being an effective role player in the NBA.

Joseph Tugler played well in his team’s surprising upset win over Duke. Tugler is a very athletic, strong forward that plays much bigger than his size, and he made a big impact on the game defensively.

Tugler showed a knack for scoring on hustle plays. He would tend to score on tip shots off of offensive rebounds, and he showcased his athleticism and instincts by running in to score on a thunderous tip slam late in this game. He also showed that he can draw non-shooting fouls on drives to the hoop, but he struggled to consistently make shots off the dribble.

He also displayed adequate playmaking skills. He is an unselfish player that was able to make an accurate bounce pass to find a cutter to notch an assist. On the other hand, there was another play where he had a ball ripped away from him to commit a turnover.

Plus, Tugler did a very good job of rebounding the basketball. He also defended very well. He is a very athletic, high-motor player that would use his great athleticism, timing, and instincts to block a variety of shots to help his team protect the paint. He has the range and athleticism to rotate and hustle to swat shots to prevent opponents from scoring on layups. Also, late in the game, he didn’t bite on a pump fake when defending off the dribble, as he then swatted a shot to a teammate. He was able to make a solid rotation to defend a baseline drive, and he managed to speed up his opponent to help force a ball handling turnover. On the downside, sometimes he would play a bit too aggressively at times, which would lead him to commit touch fouls.

Overall, Tugler is an interesting prospect. On the surface, he appears to be an undersized power forward, as he doesn’t look to shoot threes or handle the ball very much. On the other hand, he is very athletic and has a terrific motor, and he is a tremendous shot blocker and defensive player that made a big impact for Houston, especially on the defensive end, and that has to count for something. Tugler will eventually need to refine his offensive skills, but his strong blend of athleticism, motor, and defensive skills makes him an intriguing second round prospect for the 2025 draft, and he could end up being a solid role player in the NBA.

Emanuel Sharp also played well in his team’s win over Duke. Sharp is a sharpshooter that did a great job of making threes, especially down the stretch. He showed a penchant for making deep threes, and he also used a pump fake to make a smooth, step-back three from way out late in the game. He also did a satisfactory job of scoring off the dribble. Though he had some misses, he was able to score on a crafty, switch of hands layup, and he would expertly find ways to get fouled by his opponents to frequently get to the free throw line.

He also played adequate defense in this game. He was able to poke a ball away to get as steal, and he also was able to get a deflection. However, sometimes he would play too aggressively, which would occasionally lead him to commit a foul or allow a score every once in a while.

Overall, Sharp had a very solid showing, as he excelled at making shots, especially down the stretch. While he may be undersized for a shooting guard, he is a terrific shot maker, and he is an agile, skilled combo guard that could be a solid pick for an NBA team in the late first to the second round range of the 2025 draft, as he could end up being a solid player in the NBA.

Kon Knueppel had a solid showing in his team’s stunning loss to Houston. He played especially well early on, and he put forth a solid all-around performance in general.

Knueppel showed surprising foot speed to score on a quick drive off of an offensive rebound early on, and he did a decent job of scoring off the dribble. He did a great job of knocking down spot-up threes, particularly from the corners, and he also ran quickly off of a ball screen to make a three to showcase his movement shooting skills. Also, he was able to score on a quick backdoor cut another time.

He also passed and handled the ball well, and he showed good court vision to make crisp passes off the dribble to notch assists. He also rebounded the ball well. Also, he played decent defense in this game. He would contest outside shots to force misses, and he also poked a ball away to help his team get a steal.

Overall, Knueppel played well in his team’s loss to Houston. He is an agile, skilled sharpshooting swingman that will likely be a lottery pick in the 2025 draft, as he could end up being a very solid player in the NBA.

Khaman Maluach had his ups and downs in his team’s loss to Houston. He played well early on, as he was able to make his presence felt as a finisher and rim protector in the first half. However, he didn’t take enough shots, and he surprisingly grabbed zero rebounds in this game, despite being the tallest player at 7-2, and despite having very good athletic gifts.

Maluach excelled at scoring on hustle plays. He particularly excelled at scoring on rolls to the rim, as he was able to score on a powerful dunk while getting fouled once. He almost scored on a tip slam, but it didn’t count, because his teammate ended scoring earlier on a goaltend.

He also displayed decent playmaking skills. Maluach was able to find a cutter to notch an assist to show off his passing skills. However, he didn’t rebound the ball well at all, and he didn’t grab a single board in this game. He also defended fairly well. Maluach has great size, length, and athleticism that allows him to rotate to block shots to help his team protect the paint, and he would also contest shots to help his team get stops. However, sometimes he would play too aggressively, which would lead him to be out of position, and it would cause him to commit fouls and allow scores.

Overall, Maluach was able to showcase some of his skills, but he was plagued by foul trouble, and he also didn’t rebound the ball well at all. He’ll need to be more confident in taking outside shots, because he’s shown that he can do it at various points of this season, and he’s also a pretty good free throw shooter. He’ll likely end up being a late lottery pick, and he’ll need to be more assertive, but his size, athleticism, and skill set could enable him to be a solid role player in the NBA.

Milos Uzan didn’t have his best game, but his team was able to get a win over Duke. Uzan was able to score the basketball in a variety of ways. He did a decent job of scoring off the dribble, and he is a shifty, crafty guard that can use his ball-handling and quickness to score on smooth layups. He also managed to make a smooth, step-back three to showcase his footwork and jump shot. However, he tended to miss on tough, contested mid-range jumpers, and he took plenty of contested shots that ended up hurting his shooting percentages.

Uzan would sometimes move the ball to help his team get assists, but he also was a bit turnover prone, and he threw a low pass that got dropped out of bounds once. He did an adequate job of rebounding the basketball. He was active defensively, but sometimes he would play too aggressively and wind up out of position, which would lead his team to give up baskets.

Overall, Uzan didn’t have a great game, but he is an agile, skilled playmaker that could project to be a game-managing, backup point guard at the NBA level.

Tyrese Proctor was able to run off ball screens to make a floater and a bank shot from the mid-range in this game, and he showed an affinity for driving and drawing fouls upon his defenders to get to the free throw line. However, he shot the ball poorly in this game, and he ended up missing all of his threes that he took from beyond the arc. Even more worrisome was that he struggle to make his free throws, which was surprising, given that he’s shot the three-ball well this season.

He also showed off satisfactory playmaking skills, and he is an unselfish player that can get the ball to his teammates, but he also carelessly lost the ball out of bounds once when handling it. He didn’t grab many rebounds in this game. Defensively, Proctor was active and was able to contest a shot to force a miss, but he also struggled to defend quicker players, which would lead his team to commit fouls and allow scores.

Overall, Proctor didn’t play very well, and he didn’t make shots when his team needed him to down the stretch. He’s not an explosive athlete nor a dynamic playmaker, so he may have a lower ceiling than a handful of prospects at the point guard position. Still, he’s shot the ball well on the season, and he is a second round prospect that can space the floor and provide some minutes as a backup point guard at the NBA level.

Sion James had his ups and downs in his team’s loss to Houston. He was able to make some shots and defensive plays, but he also was too turnover prone, especially late in the game.

James did a decent job of shooting the basketball, and he was able to make an open, spot-up three on the break. He also did a good job of moving to the open spaces to score quickly around the basket. However, sometimes he would miss easy shots around the basket, and he struggled to score off the dribble.

He also was quite turnover prone. He had trouble making passes as the inbounder as he would often stare down his targets, which would his passes to often get deflected or intercepted. On another play, he drove to the hoop from the baseline, but ended up losing the ball out of bounds.

Also, he showed a solid ability to rebound the basketball. James also was able to intercept a pass to get a steal. Overall, James didn’t have a great game, but he is a fairly athletic, skilled swingman that has a variety of skills that makes him a second round prospect, and he could end up being a rotational swingman on an NBA roster.

Other Notes:

Finally, some final thoughts. Sion James did a terrible job as an inbounds passer, as he wasn’t decisive enough in making reads, and he tended to stare down his targets, which would allow Houston to intercept his passes. Duke needed a better passer than Sion to inbound the ball, and they could’ve used more screens and cutting actions to get their players open. That said, the way this game was going, Houston might’ve won anyways.

Houston played very good, stifling defense that enabled them to disrupt Duke from getting their passes through, and hats off to them for playing a great game. Kelvin Sampson did a terrific coaching job, one for the ages, and Houston fans will remember the night where they pulled off a comeback win over Duke and their highly touted prospects. LJ Cryer was amazing, and he made some unreal shots, Emanuel Sharp made key shots, J’Wan Roberts consistently made solid plays on both ends of the floor, and Joseph Tugler played terrific defense in this game. It was interesting to see this unfold, as well as to see Duke coming unglued, but it was also a little frustrating that Duke has so much talent, and yet can’t seem to find a way to win a close game against a very good college basketball team. Anyways, it will be interesting to see what happens on Monday night, to see if Houston or Florida will come out on top. Thanks for reading.