Fan injures Duke’s Kyle Filipowski during Wake’s court storming

Wake Forest took a major step toward earning an NCAA tournament bid with an 83-79 win against Duke that sent fans sprinting onto the court in celebration. However, the afterglow of the game was overshadowed by a collision between Duke star Kyle Filipowski and a fan, reigniting discussions about the dangers of court storming.

Filipowski was left hobbled after the collision, leading him to believe it was intentional and calling for a change in how court storming is handled. Duke coach Jon Scheyer and Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes both expressed their displeasure with court storming, with Scheyer calling for it to be banned.

Following the incident, Wake Forest’s athletic director expressed regret to Duke’s athletic director and the ACC senior associate commissioner. The ACC also issued a statement emphasizing the safety of student-athletes as the top priority and will be working with both schools to address the issue.

Despite the controversy surrounding the court storming incident, the game itself was exciting with Hunter Sallis hitting two free throws with 1.8 seconds left to seal the win for Wake Forest. Filipowski led Duke with 17 points, while Andrew Carr scored 18 points for the Demon Deacons.

Court storming incidents have been a recurring issue in college athletics, putting players and officials at risk. The ACC does not have specific fines or disciplinary measures in place for such incidents, leaving it up to individual schools to manage postgame events and ensure the safety of everyone involved.

Overall, the focus should be on ensuring the safety of student-athletes, coaches, and fans during postgame celebrations. Court storming may be a longstanding tradition, but as incidents like this continue to occur, it is important to reevaluate how these celebrations are handled to prevent future accidents and injuries.

Source link



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Most Viewed

Featured Franchise Opportunity

Buffalo Wild Wings

Food & Beverage Franchises, Full Service Restaurant Franchises

$250ˌ000 - $500ˌ000

Chem-Dry

Cleaning Franchises

$50ˌ000 - $100ˌ000