Note: In preparing the player previews this season, we thought it would make more sense to do a new feature on the players once a month as the season progressed. We felt it would be a better and more interactive reflection on where the players stood and how they were developing. For this first segment, we will focus on a couple of strengths each player is bringing to the table right now, and a couple of areas that will require some further work. This is based on past performance and initial looks at the players in practice and in exhibition

We will publish reports on one class per day, leading up to Duke's home opener against Georgia Southern.

Duke's Freshman Class: Janee Johnson, Allison Vernerey, & Alexis Rogers

#32 - Alexis Rogers

6-1 Forward/Guard - West Chester, Ohio

Strengths: It's difficult to describe Lexi's game, because she doesn't have a particular skill that stands out above the rest. Instead, she simply does everything well. At 6-1, she has the size to defend guards or forwards. Rogers can run the floor, finish with either hand, hit threes, play aggressive on-ball defense and grab rebounds. She's a Swiss army knife of a basketball player, capable of providing what the team needs at any given moment. While a fine and skilled athlete, her best attribute is her brain. Rogers has clearly not only been well-coached, she's obviously proven to be very coachable.

Needs Work: Lexi mostly played in the post in high school, so her challenge this season will be making the transition to wing. She's certainly quick enough to take on those players defensively, as her ball-hawking has demonstrated in the early going. Rogers has also demonstrated a solid three point shot, especially from the corner. What she'll need to work on is her ball handling (especially when and where to dribble) and mid-range game. A pull-up jumper would make her a tremendous overall threat.

#43 - Allison Vernerey

6-5 Center - Alsace, France

Strengths: There's a lot to be excited about with Vernerey, both in terms of her skills and potential. Baseline to baseline, she's a remarkably fast player, especially for someone who's 6-5. She's left-handed, making her an interesting challenge for many opponents. Vernerey has a remarkable array of post moves for such a young player: up and under, drop step, head fakes and more. Her hook shot, when she's within about 5' of the basket, is pretty much automatic. When Vernerey gets into a rhythm, she has proven to be a deadly player. I mentioned that she reminds me a lot of Payton Black at this stage, but what sets her apart is that she's such a battler. Despite her slender frame, she has absolutely no fear of wading into the middle of the action, getting physical and getting mean.

Needs Work: This is a year of adjustment for Allison, both to living in a new country and playing American college basketball. So far, she's made huge strides in just a short period of time. She's been aided by playing on French national teams against a number of elite players, a factor that I think has contributed to the lack of hesitancy in her play to date. Like Alexis Rogers, it's clear that Vernerey has received good coaching, and this is reflected in her solid fundamentals. At this level, Vernerey needs to continue to work on her ball handling and especially her shooting. Vernerey will likely be getting to the line quite a bit, and she will need to hit foul shots reliably. I will be excited to see her go up against elite post players, and Vernerey needs to keep her confidence even when she gets knocked down from time to time.

#44 - Janee Johnson

6-1 Forward - Matthews, North Carolina

Janee will redshirt the 2009-10 season after tearing her ACL this past summer. We'll look forward to previewing her Duke career next fall along with Duke's 4 player recruiting class of 2010 - Richa Jackson, Chelsea Gray, Haley Peters, and Tricia Liston.