Storming the court has consequences.
Saturday saw Wake Forest executing everything necessary to take a significant stride towards securing an NCAA tournament bid, an achievement that prompted jubilant fans to rush onto the court as the final buzzer sounded.
However, this moment of celebration turned sour as Duke star Kyle Filipowski found himself injured following a collision with a fan, reigniting debates about the hazards of court storming and overshadowing the glow of Wake Forest’s 83-79 victory against the eighth-ranked Blue Devils.
Standing at 7 feet tall, Filipowski appeared hobbled after colliding with a fan’s leg as he attempted to navigate through the crowd. Despite raising his arms in anticipation of a collision, he lost his balance and sought assistance from a manager and teammate amid the chaos.
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Expressing his frustration after the game, Filipowski suggested that the contact was intentional, stating:
“It’s just really ridiculous how that situation is handled,” Filipowski told WFMY News after the game. “I absolutely feel like it was personal. Intentional for sure. Like I said, there’s no reason where they see a big guy like me trying to work my way off the court and they can’t just work around me, you know? There’s no excuse for that.”
Duke’s head coach, Jon Scheyer, echoed Filipowski’s concerns, calling for a ban on court storming due to its inherent dangers. “When are we going to ban court storming? How many times does a player have to get into something… It’s a dangerous thing,” Scheyer emphasized.
Agreeing with Scheyer, Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes voiced his disapproval of court storming, emphasizing its lack of safety.
In response to the incident, Wake Forest’s athletic director issued a statement expressing regret and acknowledging the need for improvement in postgame security measures. The ACC commissioner also emphasized the conference’s commitment to prioritizing the safety of student-athletes.
Despite the overshadowing controversy, the game concluded with Hunter Sallis sealing the victory for Wake Forest with two crucial free throws, initiating celebrations for the Demon Deacons. Andrew Carr’s impressive performance, particularly in the second half, contributed significantly to Wake Forest’s triumph.
