Duke’s freshman, Marvin Bagley III, entered the season as one of the most hyped players in the country. Averaging 20.7 points per game and 11.9 rebounds, he finished as the ACC Player of the Year and the ACC Rookie of the Year.

When Bagley was injured for a stretch of games a couple of weeks ago, some people wondered if Duke was better without him since they won all four games he missed. However, that question was put to rest during another classic rivalry game between Duke and UNCon Saturday night.

Bagley showed just how dominant he can be by taking over in the second half and helping Duke overcome a 10-point halftime deficit. Duke went on to win 74-64, and Bagley finished with 21 points and 15 rebounds.

As he showcased his skills during the comeback, his ability to grab offensive rebounds and willingness to follow his own shot, stood out the most. Bagley showed his persistence on the glass by not giving up after a miss but staying in the paint instead.

One huge play came when Grayson Allen missed a three and Bagley fought for the rebound. He went to the hoop…put up a shot that bounced off…followed his shot and grabbed it…then went for it again by dunking it.

Following your shot is one of the key fundamentals in basketball, yet many players run back on defense after a missed bucket. When they go to the basket and miss on the first try, they put their head down instead. They aren’t persistent enough to remain in the paint and go up again.

How does our approach to prayer compare to this? When we communicate with God and seek answers from Him, do we remain persistent and “follow our shot” with continuous prayer…or do we quickly give up when our prayer isn’t answered right away?

Colossians 4:2 (AMP) encourages us to “Be persistent and devoted to prayer, being alert and focused in your prayer life with an attitude of thanksgiving.”

Prayer is meant to be on-going as we remain “in the paint” with the Lord, instead of putting our head down in disappointment as we head back to the “other side of the court.”

We must keep pursuing the Lord in prayer until He reveals His answer. We show our trust in Him by continuing to pray and staying alert and focused on Him until the “ball goes in.”

Romans 12:12 (AMP) tells us to be “…constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength].”

Today as we think about players following their shot and staying after it, let’s make sure our strategy for prayer is unceasingly seeking God’s direction.

Let’s remember to “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – NLT).

I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I pray I would understand the power that comes from continuously communicating with You and remaining in Your will. I pray I’d be persistent in prayer, constantly seeking You, and trusting You as I wait for Your answers. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.