Patrick Ngongba II, the starting center for Duke, was on the bench and had a walking boot on his right foot as the Blue Devils defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Following the game, head coach Jon Scheyer of Duke stated that he wouldn’t be shocked if Ngongba and starting point guard Caleb Foster were sidelined for the entire following week.
The ACC Tournament is this week, of course, and the Blue Devils now have to deal with the possibility that two of their starters might miss the entire event. Maliq Brown will probably take Ngongba’s place as Cayden Boozer steps up to cover for Foster.
Maliq Brown might start entire ACC Tournament
One of the few seniors on Scheyer’s squad, Brown started in Ngongba’s typical position against the Tar Heels. With 15 points, 10 rebounds, five steals, two assists, and one block, he recorded his first double-double of the year.
Although it is undoubtedly a blow to lose Ngongba for the conference tournament, Brown’s performance against UNC—particularly when he faced Henri Veesaar—was a strong indication that he is prepared to fill the starting position for as long as needed.
Even while Ngongba’s stats during the regular season were higher—10.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game—he also played a lot more—23.6 minutes per game.
Prior to playing 30 minutes versus UNC, Brown’s average of 19.7 minutes per game was significantly lower. Brown averaged 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game despite having reduced playing time.
Compared to his stats while serving as Ngongba’s backup, his performance against the Heels perhaps gave the Blue Devils a better indication of what to expect from him in the postseason.
It should come as no surprise that Duke, the top team in the country, has the top seed in the ACC Tournament. As a result, the Blue Devils will not play in the postseason until the quarterfinal round on March 12 and will receive byes through the first two rounds.
However, that does not guarantee that Ngongba and Foster will be back in the starting lineup for Duke in a few more days. According to Scheyer, the two will likely not play at all this week, appropriately prioritizing their health for the NCAA Tournament.
The Blue Devils will play the winner of Florida State-Cal, which tips off precisely 24 hours earlier, on Thursday, March 12 at 7 p.m. ET.
