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A lot of guys can tell you the names.
But Que Duncan will be one of the rare Putnam Science Academy basketball players who knows what it’s like to have actually gone up against them.
Duncan is transferring to Putnam Science Academy for his senior season after playing the last two at Notre Dame-West Haven, a team PSA beat three times by an average of 30 points over those two years.
“I remember DayDay Gittens and Desmond (Claude), Arturo (Dean), Mo Dioubate,” Duncan said recently. “PSA has always been a powerhouse. And every time I played against them, I could tell going to that school, they’re going to put you in the best position to play college basketball as a freshman. That’s my goal. Going to Putnam will really help me do that.”
The combo guard already has a solid foundation, according to PSA associate head coach Josh Scraba.
“When we played Notre Dame in 2022, Que was picking us apart as their point guard. Six-foot-5, making plays,” he said. “This past season, we watched him become a knock down shooter for that team. And now watching him with Expressions (Duncan’s AAU team), he’s shown his IQ and feel with a really talented group. I think when we get going in September, he’s going to blow up.”
Duncan, who holds a half-dozen Div. I scholarship offers, has already scored 1,000 career points – and that includes a COVID-truncated freshman season.
“For me, first and foremost, I need to get stronger,” he said. “I think that’s the big separator. I need to get stronger, and I need to get quicker laterally on defense. I can play defense, but I need to get better.
“I’m going to knock down some 3s, I’m comfortable scoring the ball. But if you need me to get the offense going and run some plays, I can do that too. I’m not a guy who’s into personal stats. I just want to win. I’m just trying to get better and trying to help Putnam win another national championship.”
Duncan, a Waterbury native who counts Steph Curry and Kevin Durant as his favorite players, realized around seventh grade that he was pretty talented on the court. He was scoring a lot of points with a local team, and thought about what he could do if he started taking the game more seriously.
“I first started playing because it was fun,” he said. “Like most kids right, I liked playing with my friends and putting the ball in the hoop. Now I feel like I love it because it creates bonds on and off the court. I’ve got a lot of my friends because of basketball.
“And I think basketball can put me and my family in a better position in the future if I keep playing and I keep working. That’s really what drives me.”
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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