In four games played over five days in the Bahamas, Kentucky proved that it was a class ahead against opponents such as the Bahaman National Team, San Lorenzo, Mega Bemax, or Team Toronto. But the elephant in the room this week is the Cats’ real competition.

Duke plays its own international exhibition games this week in Canada.

Generally, it’s Duke that is coming into the season with a team blended between veterans and talented newcomers, while Kentucky is plugging the top handful of recruits into a new-look squad. But recently, the tables have turned. And while Kentucky was outstanding in four exhibition games, the Duke exhibitions will also be must-watch basketball for what will certainly be a collision course on Nov. 6, and looks like it could be a rematch next March or April.

Kentucky was remarkably balanced in its four-game exhibition run. The Wildcats averaged 92 points per game and committed just 11 turnovers per outing, winning each game by at least 23 points.

Kentucky displayed an interesting mix of experience and talent. Senior transfer Reid Travis finished the trip with a 19-point, 15-rebound effort that helped him lead the Wildcats in rebounding for the tour. Sophomores P.J. Washington and Nick Richards both looked stronger, more mature and more effective than they were as freshmen.

Sophomore Quade Green, after a poor first game, looked more comfortable and consistent in the remaining three games than he had for most of his freshman campaign. Add in four impressive freshmen — talented scorer Tyler Herro, high-energy forward Keldon Johnson, and learning-on-the-job guards Immanuel Quickley and Ashton Hagans, and Kentucky, even without injured players E.J. Montgomery and Jemarl Baker, looks at least eight deep, and able to meld experience with talent.

Still, this was August preseason basketball. John Calipari told the media afterward that he was “not intoxicated” with his team’s performance. Quade Green echoed his coach, saying at one point, “This is preseason games …. This is really nothing.”

Kentucky fans who watched their new team win four games by an average of 26.5 points might not go that far, but the regular season remains the proving ground. And that regular season opens Nov. 6 in Indianapolis against Duke.

While Kentucky looks different than Calipari’s prior blueprints, the Duke team that plays this coming week will be a different creature altogether. While Kentucky returned two full-time starters (Richards and Washington) and one part-time starter (Green), the Blue Devils return no player who averaged four points or 14 minutes per game last season. Rarely used junior center Marques Bolden, sophomore guard Alex O’Connell, and junior forward Javin DeLaurier are the only returning players who will be even vaguely familiar to most observers.

But Duke does have the nation’s top recruiting class, including ostensibly the three top prospects in the nation, with wings R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish and power forward Zion Williamson.

Reddish and 5-star point guard recruit Tre Jones (younger brother of Tyus, who helped Duke win the 2015 title) will not be playing on the Duke trip to Canada, so to some extent, coach Mike Krzyzewski is still hiding a few basketball aces up his sleeve.

But while Mega Bemax might not have matched Kentucky in talent, Duke is a potential suspect to accomplish that feat. But how will the Blue Devils handle a significant lack of experience. Krzyzewski has more than dipped his toes into the one-and-done waters — the 2015 championship team started three such players — but he’s usually had more upperclassmen assistance.

Usually it’s Calipari who is pumping the breaks on expectations before February or March. This year, it’s probably going to be Coach K.

It’s Kentucky and Duke, and even in August, college basketball will be watching. Even if it sometimes looks like the two schools flipped player development theories, the must-watch portion of exhibition season is half finished. Now it’s Duke’s turn to show what they’ve got ahead of them. Kentucky will certainly be watching.