Cooper Flagg, Meet JoJo Tugler — Inside Houston’s Plan To Defend The Flagg In This Duke Showdown

SAN ANTONIO — Cooper Flagg is the clear leading man of this NCAA Tournament. The 18-year-old Duke star who’s certain to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft this June is even making a bid to challenge Peyton Manning in new commercials. Duke coach Jon Scheyer says the AT&T bingo one is his favorite, lauding Flagg’s “acting” in it.

University of Houston’s own unicorn of a player, 19-year-old JoJo Tugler, isn’t getting any national commercial deals. Tugler is the kind of player who mostly excites basketball coaches. If you live the game, you love JoJo Tugler. If you only turn on college basketball during March Madness. . . well, you’re much more likely to gravitate to Flagg.

But Flagg vs. JoJo — not the one-on-one matchup as this top-ranked Houston defense will send multiple defenders and different looks at Duke’s star — but who plays more like their usual selfs, will go a long way in deciding the marquee second semifinal of Saturday night’s Final Four. If Flagg puts up one of this monster scoring games, Duke will likely win. If Tugler can use the 7-foot-6 wingspan that has to be drawing the attention of the Men In Black and uncanny basketball instincts to disrupt everything, Kelvin Sampson likely will be coaching on Monday night (in the national championship game) for the first time.

“That boy play hard,” Tugler tells PaperCity when asked about Flagg. “That boy can hoop. I like his game.”

That’s the thing. Hoopers appreciate hoopers and as different as Tugler and Flagg’s games are, UH’s defensive star appreciates the attitude the high-scoring Flagg plays with. “That boy’s a smart player,” Tugler says. “I give him respect.”

UH assistant coach K.C. Beard, who had the scout for this Duke clash of the titans, sees some Grant Hill in Cooper Flagg’s game. The versatile Hill won a national title as a freshman at Duke. Now Houston’s defense must try and block Cooper Flagg’s path to pulling off that feat.

“It’s tough because he does so many different things,” Beard tells PaperCity when asked who Flagg reminds him of. “I think he’s got elements of Grant Hill obviously in what he can do. And then probably a little bit of maybe Kawhi Leonard. Probably those two to be that at that size and also have guard skills.”

UH figures to use multiple defenders against the 6-foot-9 Flagg. Starting power forward J’Wan Roberts and backup center Ja’Vier Francis, whose lateral quickness helps make this Houston defense go, both will probably get possessions on him. But Houston just might throw in a few defensive surprises too.

“As a coaching staff it makes you try to maybe get a little outside of the box,” UH assistant coach Kellen Sampson says. “And cook up something to make sure that our guys are prepared.”

This 34-4 Houston team is always one of the most prepared teams in America. If any college defense can capture the Flagg, it’s this one. Duke coach Jon Scheyer is betting that Flagg is one of those one-and-done forces that transcends any traditional boundaries of college basketball.

Ja’Vier Francis, maybe the most low key of Kelvin Sampson’s players, just wants to get to the game.

“All this,” Francis says, gesturing around a UH locker room packed with media, “is a lot. I can’t wait to get on the court.”

When the Cougars and Blue Devils get there on Saturday night, Francis will help decide the game. Even if know one outside of his teammates is hyping him up or asking him to be in a commercial. In many ways, Francis has become a closing unit player for Sampson’s team during this NCAA Tournament run.

“It’s been awesome,” Beard says. “And it’s good for Ja. Ja’s put in so much work. Probably as much work as anybody that we’ve had here. And for him to be rewarded on the biggest stage, where everybody, can see how good he is. You know JoJo’s special.

“But so is Ja. The two of them together is in a lot of ways what’s helped us get to this point.”

Now they just need to stop Cooper Flagg, college basketball’s marquee man.