Written by AARON BEARD, AP’s Writer on Basketball.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Kyle Filipowski remembered seeing the images of Iowa women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark being accidentally knocked down by a fan storming the court after her team suffered an upset loss.

About a month later, the 7-foot star of Duke was included in the same conversation regarding the risks of court-storming. His right leg was covered in plastic to secure an icebag on his kneecap. He was displeased with the recent events.

Filipowski expressed his frustration after a fan collided with him as they rushed the court following the eighth-ranked Blue Devils’ loss to Wake Forest on Saturday. He stated that it was chaotic and he was just trying to leave the court, but the unruly college students were not being considerate of others. He believes that measures should be taken to ensure the safety of players in such situations.

On January 21st, the Clark event occurred following Iowa’s defeat at the hands of Ohio State. It served as a reminder of the danger that athletes and coaches face when caught in the midst of exuberant fans rushing onto the court to celebrate.

For many years, it has been seen as a traditional milestone and integral aspect of college sports, particularly in a popular competition known as “March Madness” in the NCAA Tournament. However, this past Saturday saw another instance of the volatile situation that arises when fans cross the boundaries of the athletes, culminating in an altercation with an Associated Press preseason All-American player.

“Coach Jon Scheyer of Duke expressed concern about the safety of players during court-storming incidents and questioned when it will be banned. He believes that the physical altercations and taunting that occur during these incidents pose a serious threat to players.”

On Saturday evening, Wake Forest’s athletics director John Currie released a statement expressing his “regret” for the incident to Duke’s athletics director Nina King and Atlantic Coast Conference senior associate commissioner Paul Brazeau.

“Even though our team of event organizers and security had practiced the protocols for safeguarding the visiting team and officials after the game, it is evident that we need to improve,” stated Currie.

At the beginning of the game, Duke was losing by four points with only 1.8 seconds left. They only had one chance to make a miraculous comeback. Fans were already moving closer to the court when Mark Mitchell threw a long pass from out of bounds. However, Cam Hildreth intercepted the pass near midcourt. When the game ended, the fans were running at full speed.

“I mean, it was pretty obvious to everyone that it was going to happen,” stated Filipowski. “They were ahead by four points with only 2 seconds left on the clock. Everyone was just anticipating the inevitable. Did they make any effort to prevent it? No, they didn’t do anything. It’s just absurd.”

Filipowski was struck while crossing from one sideline to the Duke bench by a fast-moving player coming from the baseline.

Filipowski, who had lifted his arms as if preparing for impact, seemed to accidentally collide his right leg with a passing fan and lost his balance. He then grabbed onto a manager and walk-on teammate Stanley Borden for support as they navigated through the chaotic locker-room tunnel.

Video footage captured a Wake Forest supporter forcefully inserting his right hand into the center of the number 30 on Filipowski’s jersey, causing him to stumble.

Filipowski stated that he had been informed about videos of people being punched in the back. He strongly believes that the incident was aimed at him personally and intentional. He added that there was no valid explanation for why the other person couldn’t simply maneuver around him as he was a big guy trying to exit the court.

Scheyer was asked if he would address the situation with ACC officials and push for modifications in the future, after admitting he regretted not removing his players from the court sooner in reference to the Clark incident.

Scheyer commented on the presence of fans at today’s event, stating that it is not a wise decision and poses a dangerous situation. He questions why this is allowed in sports and notes that fans seemed to suddenly appear at halfcourt when the buzzer went off.

The events unfolded quickly on a day when the atmosphere at Joel Coliseum matched the importance for the Demon Deacons. They attracted a record-breaking audience and sold out for the first time since 2017, greatly improving their chances of securing a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

However, by the end of the game, the excitement of a strong performance was overshadowed. Currie also expressed his agreement with Scheyer’s belief that steps need to be taken regarding the widespread occurrence of fans rushing onto the court or field.

“I was unable to witness the events that occurred at the end, but I hope that he is okay,” stated Steve Forbes, the coach of Wake Forest. “I have never been a fan of court-stormings, even when I was on the other side as a coach. It’s not a safe practice, and I am confident that in the future, we will handle these situations more effectively.”

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Source: wralsportsfan.com