The freshman for Duke Blue Devils, Cooper Flagg has suffered a left ankle injury late in the first half of the ACC tournament match against Georgia Tech on Thursday, March 13. The team has further ruled him out for the remainder of the game.
During the halftime, Cooper Flagg was taken to the X-ray room in a wheelchair and he later returned to the bench under his own powers early in the second half. Despite taking any help with walking, Duke confirmed that the star forward will not return to action in the match further.
How did the injury occur to Cooper Flagg?
The Duke Blue Devils, Cooper Flagg, who is the ACC Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year went for an rebound and then later landed awkwardly on the foot of Georgia Tech’s Darrion Sutton.
He immediately fell to the ground and was in severe pain afterwards. He struggled to make his way back on his feet and then the bench. Flagg eventually sat down and pounded a chair with his right fist before being helped by his teammates to the locker room for further medical assistance.
The Duke Blue Devils also faced another injury in the first half as Maliq Brown suffered a shoulder injury. The team later on ruled him out of the action as well. These injuries come at a crucial time for the Blue Devils as they entered the game as No.1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. After an eight-game winning streak, the Blue Devils saw themselves at the top of the rankings.
Cooper Flagg has been one of the key players for the Blue Devils this season as he averages 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists during the regular season. His absence could then be of major blow to the Duke’s hopes in the ACC Tournament and in the near future as well as it all depends on how severe he has injured his foot.
The fans of both, Duke and college basketball will eagerly await for the further updates on Flagg’s condition as the team gears up for the NCAA Tournament.