Duke basketball vital player returns to 5-on-5 scrimmage after brief injury

A vital player for the Duke basketball team returned to 5-on-5 scrimmaging. 

There has not been any serious concerns for the Duke basketball team yet in the preseason but one eye-popping absence was sophomore forward Mark Mitchell during the team’s first 5-on-5 scrimmage with ACC referees.

Duke’s social media team posted a highlight video from the practice and Mitchell was noticeably missing from the clips and sitting on the bench inside Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The 6-foot-9 wing explained during the team’s media day that he had been dealing with a minor hip flexor strain and that was the reason for his absence.

Mark Mitchell had previously been recovering from his knee injury suffered in the NCAA Tournament this offseason before being cleared to return to full contact drills in the summer and joining the team during its workouts.

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The Kansas City native returned to practice this week in a full capacity and participated in another 5-on-5 scrimmage with referees held in Cameron on Thursday afternoon.

Duke’s social media team was there to capture — and post — some of the action, which included a conventional 3-point play from the anticipated starting power forward for the Blue Devils.

https://twitter.com/DukeMBB/status/1712541016526565861

Mitchell averaged 9.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game as a freshman while playing, and starting, in 35 games.

Duke basketball hoping to remain healthy throughout preseason

Duke sophomore forward Kyle Filipowski was also recently cleared to play 5-on-5 after rehabbing from double arthroscopic hip surgery shortly after his freshman season.

Filipowski was on the court for the first official day of practice two weeks ago participating in 5-on-5 drills after being cleared for full contact a few weeks prior.

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The Blue Devils have remained relatively healthy throughout its offseason program and preseason practice as the team will finally get on the court to play in front of fans on Friday, October 20 at Countdown to Craziness, which will be followed by the only exhibition game of the season on Wednesday, November 1 against the University of North Carolina at Pembrook.

Duke begins its season on Monday, November 6 against Dartmouth.