Duke coach Jon Scheyer has called for immediate action from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) to prevent court-storming incidents after star player Kyle Filipowski was injured following a collision with a fan during a weekend game against Wake Forest.
Scheyer stated on Monday that Filipowski was “a little bit sore” after the incident, which saw him collide with a fan running onto the court, resulting in Filipowski needing to ice his knee.
“Something should be done right now; we shouldn’t wait until next year,” Scheyer emphasized during the weekly coaches teleconference. He stressed that only players, coaches, and officials should be on the court during games.
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While initially misstating that Filipowski hurt his ankle, Scheyer clarified on Monday that no diagnostic imaging was needed for Filipowski’s knee. Filipowski didn’t exhibit a significant limp after the game, but his availability for Duke’s upcoming match against Louisville remained uncertain.
Scheyer urged the ACC to implement a policy against court-storming immediately, despite Duke having only one away game left in the regular season. He highlighted that while the ACC mandates safety procedures for court-storming, it has historically refrained from issuing fines, unlike other major conferences.
Despite the incident involving Filipowski, the ACC reportedly has no intention of penalizing Wake Forest. However, the incident has reignited discussions about the dangers of court-storming, especially following previous incidents this season, such as Iowa’s Caitlin Clark being knocked down by a fan.
Other coaches, including Purdue’s Matt Painter and Kansas’ Bill Self, have also voiced concerns about court-storming, citing potential safety risks and the need for stricter security measures.
Scheyer emphasized the importance of protecting student-athletes and called for immediate action to prevent similar incidents in the future, referencing a situation where a fan came face-to-face with Duke player Jared McCain after a game.
In conclusion, Scheyer stressed the urgency of addressing the issue of court-storming to ensure the safety of players and prevent potential confrontations between fans and athletes.
