LAHAINA, Hawaii - For those of you who like their sports judgments made in black and white, the platter of gray served up by the Illini basketball team Tuesday night won't be very satisfying.

This will not be a basketball team that marches steadily forward without retreat.

This will not be a season without disappointment, nor will it be one without celebration.

One step forward, a half-step back is the more likely drum beat for a group trying to acclimate newcomers, find comfort in designated roles and avoid the fouls that doomed them against the dribble-drive Blue Devils.

But even in Tuesday night's 79-66 loss to No. 13 Duke in the semifinals of the EA Sports Maui Invitational, there were enough reasons to justify the patience it may take to hang in there and persevere through a November and December that won't always be something to remember.

There will be some rewarding highs. And there will be some fist-pounding lows. If you're a fan who can't handle the roller coaster ride, this might not be your cup of porridge.

Stay in the couch and watch re-runs of "Friends."

But for those of you who find excitement and satisfaction in watching a team grow together and improve together, this could be an interesting ride.

No one is implying this team can patch its leaks en route to the Final Four. This isn't that kind of team because there are some unavoidable truths that just won't go away.

One is that this team lacks perimeter scoring skills. With its best shooter (Jamar Smith) watching back in the contiguous 48 in street clothes, Illinois will be streaky at best shooting jump shots. I don't care what his teammates say, I still cringe watching Chester Frazier launch 3s.

Trent Meacham and Steve Holdren have the best pure talent shooting the ball, but against Duke we are reminded that it might take a blown assignment or a triple screen to get either of them open.

Creators off the dribble they are not.

The other truth will be that despite its improved depth, Illinois can't go far if any combination of Brian Randle, Shaun Pruitt, Rodney Alexander and/or Chester Frazier are saddled on the bench with early foul trouble.

Illinois can overcome its shooting woes if Randle and Alexander can flash to the basket. These are high flyers who can make things happen around the rim. Pruitt can be a horse around the basket. And Frazier can use his boundless energy to will good things in Illinois' direction.

But if the lineup leans too heavily on unproven players, their potential alone won't hold off Duke or the better teams in the Big Ten.

The good news is that this team has some fight and gumption and some good athletes. It was good to see Calvin Brock play his tail off late in the first half, refusing to let Illinois fade away.

It was good to watch Mike Tisdale take some steps in the right direction here. He's a freshman who just eight months ago was playing for Riverton High School, and when he nails a turnaround jumper, as he did against Duke, it's foreshadowing that sometime down the road, teams are going to lose sleep worrying about stopping him.

How and when this might all come together is the mystery, but I've always liked a good mystery. So rather than focus on the good of Monday night's showing against Arizona State, or the bad of Tuesday night's loss to Duke, I will focus on the possibilities each presents.

Bruce Weber loves this kind of challenge. Sure, he wishes he had Jamar Smith shooting 3-pointers at a 45 percent clip. In the meantime, though, he'll be grateful for a deep bench, the health of Randle and Frazier and the drama that lies in snapping the pieces of the puzzle into place.

Mark Tupper can be reached at mtupper@herald-review.com or 421-7983.