CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Duke coach Jon Scheyer mentioned it is a “actual lengthy shot” that freshman star Cooper Flagg will be capable of play within the ACC match semifinals due to an ankle sprain.
Flagg rolled his left ankle within the first half of the top-ranked Blue Devils’ 78-70 quarterfinal win towards Georgia Tech. He hobbled off the court docket earlier than heading to the locker room, then returned to the bench for the second half however did not play once more.
It got here moments after defensive whiz Maliq Brown needed to be helped to the locker room, his left arm hanging limply by his aspect after he once more dislocated his left shoulder.
Scheyer mentioned 6-foot-9 Flagg was already coping with swelling and mentioned he’d “must be actually satisfied we should always even take into account seeing if he can go” within the semifinals Friday night time.
Scheyer mentioned X-rays confirmed no fracture for Flagg, the ACC’s player and newcomer of the year, who averaged 19.4 factors, 7.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists throughout the common season.
“It isn’t about being able to go tomorrow,” Scheyer mentioned. “That is not an important factor for us. We have to see if we will get him proper for this run that we will make within the [NCAA] match.
“However I must be actually satisfied that we should always even take into account seeing if he can go [Friday]. He might not be capable of go anyway. He in all probability will not be capable of go anyway. However I believe it is an actual lengthy shot, an actual lengthy shot.”
Flagg wasn’t obtainable to talk with reporters afterward as a result of he was receiving remedy for the damage.
It is too early to say whether or not the 6-foot-9 Brown will make it again in any respect. He was taken to a close-by hospital after dislocating his left shoulder once more lower than per week after coming back from the damage. He performs a significant defensive function along with his means to change screens, guard a number of positions and use his size to tally offense-disrupting deflections.
And similar to that, Duke (29-3) now faces critical damage questions that threaten to linger properly past nonetheless lengthy the Blue Devils play this week in Charlotte.
“We frightened about it after the sport,” Duke guard Tyrese Proctor mentioned. “Clearly it is robust to see them go down. Nevertheless it’s basketball, it occurs. It is unlucky. We will get them proper and they are going to be good and we’ll simply proceed to play our recreation.”
Duke was projected because the possible No. 1 general seed within the NCAA match coming into the sport after taking excessive spot within the rankings this week. The Blue Devils had received eight straight video games earlier than the ACC match.
The Blue Devils had been trailing 26-17 late within the first half when Flagg went up for an uncontested rebound and appeared to have his left foot clip the foot of Georgia Tech’s Baye Ndongo as he got here down, inflicting his ankle to roll grotesquely and sending him crashing to the court docket grabbing on the joint with 2:46 left within the half.
Flagg hobbled again to the bench in clear misery, then bent over along with his arms on the seats and pounded a chair along with his proper fist.
After sitting on the bench for a couple of minutes, Flagg bought up and put his arms round two teammates and was taken to the locker room for remark. He was later proven in a wheelchair within the bowels of the Spectrum Heart.
When Scheyer greeted every participant with a excessive 5 or a hug on the locker room after the ultimate horn, Flagg walked gingerly along with his teammates earlier than shaking arms along with his coach as he filed into the victorious locker room.
“Cooper’s one of many hardest guys I do know,” graduate guard Sion James mentioned. “I have never gotten a an opportunity to see him or discuss to him however I actually hope he is feeling so much higher.”
Brown’s damage had come moments earlier, on the 4:58 mark on the identical defensive finish of the court docket.
Georgia Tech guard Naithan George tried to dribble to his proper on the high of the important thing earlier than banging into Brown’s left shoulder. He collected himself, did a jumpstep again after which charged ahead to attempt to beat Brown into the paint. Brown reached along with his left arm to attempt to poke the ball free and instantly grabbed on the shoulder, sporting a black supportive sleeve, and doubled over in ache.
Coach Jose Fonseca then needed to information the nonetheless bent-over Brown off the court docket and to the locker room.
