GRAVETTE -- Seth Duke, who wore jersey No. "0" last season for Gravette, signed a letter of intent on May 10 to take his basketball career to the next level and play for National Park College in Hot Springs next season.
Duke is the son of Grant and Hope Duke of Gravette. He is also the grandson of state representative Kim Hendren of Gravette, and his uncle is state senator Jim Hendren. He is also the nephew of Gov. Asa Hutchinson.
"They are a family of integrity, and they are a family that loves basketball," Gravette first-year coach Matt Busch said. "I see pictures that his mom posts all the time and she was his coach in Little League. They are a basketball family."
Duke (6-foot, 160 pounds) hopes to further his career at the collegiate level and has his mind set on becoming a high school basketball coach. He is learning the ins and outs of coaching by helping with the Gravette seventh-grade basketball team.
Duke has spent a lot of time working on his game, whether it's in the Gravette school gym, or a church gym in downtown Gravette. It's a work ethic that Busch said sets Duke apart from most athletes.
He first saw that drive in the fall when Duke attempted cross country for the first time and wound up earning all-conference honors. Busch challenged all the members of the basketball team to compete in cross country, and Duke took the challenge to an even higher level.
"Seth brings a toughness to our team," Busch said. "When the doors are open he finds a way to get in here. When they're not open, he's shooting somewhere else. That's a work ethic you just can't put a price on."
Seth played as a point guard for Gravette and averaged 10 points per game with a 3-to-1 assist to turnover ratio. His team finished the 2016-2017 season, 21-8.
Sports on 05/30/2017