Duke basketball star Kyle Filipowski injured during Wake Forest court storming
It was a hard fought game. It was a game that everyone was going to tip its cap to Wake Forest and declare it an NCAA Tournament team. Not anymore.
It will now forever be remembered as the game that Kyle Filipowski was injured because of a court storming.
The potential All-American was making his way off the floor after the Demon Deacons defeated the Blue Devils, 83-79, when the rush of students came barreling at him.
Court stormings are common when Duke loses on the road given its the banner program in all of college basketball and typically sets attendance records in opposing gyms.
However, Jon Scheyer couldn't pull his team off the floor early because there was still 1.8 seconds left and Duke was hoping for a miracle by sending a pass near half-court and a player would catch, shoot, hit the 3-pointer, and get fouled to potentially tie the game.
Sure, it was a long shot, but crazier things have happened in the sport.
The plan didn't come to fruition as the pass was tipped away and the sold out crowd of half-hearted Demon Deacons fans, who haven't produced a sellout in the last seven years, rushed the court and had no regard for any security enforcement or arena protocols, like in most court stormings.
Filipowski would then be trampled by the student section, one person shoving him in the back, as he collided with another fan and nearly fell to the court. More taunts came from the students as several members of Duke's personnel tried to help the 7-footer.
However, it was apparent that he could not put weight on his leg as the team tried to get him off the floor as the stampeding continued. He was helped all the way through the tunnel and back to the locker room.
The party continued in Winston-Salem despite the incident and Filipowski's status remains unknown.