Duke freshmen pass a test from Auburn

Freshmen R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish scored 18 points each, and top-ranked Duke survived its stiffest challenge of the season, holding off No. 8 Auburn 78-72 Tuesday in Lahaina, Hawaii, to reach the Maui Invitational title game.

The Blue Devils (5-0) got off to another stellar start, looking as if they were going to run another top-10 team out of the gym.

The Tigers (4-1) clawed back, trimming a 17-point deficit to 61-56 in the second half by fearlessly attacking Duke at both ends.

But every time Auburn tried to get closer, the Blue Devils answered with an alley-oop dunk or step-back jumper.

Duke will play No. 3 Gonzaga or Arizona on Wednesday night for a chance at an unprecedented sixth Maui Invitational title.

James Wiseman, a 7-foot center who is the No. 1 recruit in the nation for the 2019 class, chose Memphis and his former high school coach, Penny Hardaway, over Ken- tucky, Vanderbilt, Kansas and Florida State.

Wiseman, No. 1 according to a composite ranking of recruiting sites compiled by 247Sports, averaged 17 points and nine rebounds last season to help East High and Hardaway win Tennessee’s Class AAA championship. Hardaway was hired by Memphis to take over at his alma mater soon after that title game, and the former NBA star also coached Wiseman on the AAU level.

Marcquise Reed scored 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds, Elijah Thomas had his second straight double-double and No. 16 Clemson beat Georgia 64-49 to advance to the championship game of the Cayman Islands Classic in George Town.

Thomas finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds for Clemson (5-0), which is off to its best start since the 2013-14 season. Shelton Mitchell, who scored a season-high 22 on Monday, added 13 points, and David Skara had three of the Tigers’ nine steals.

Derek Ogbeide led Georgia (3-2) with 11 points.