The Duke basketball team was finally at full strength for the first time in over two weeks during the Sweet 16 and Elite 8, but that wasn’t initially expected.
Maliq Brown made his return after re-dislocating his shoulder in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals against Georgia Tech, missing games until the Sweet 16 matchup with Arizona.
Before the game, Duke coach Jon Scheyer mentioned that Brown was considered day-to-day, with the possibility that he could play. When foul trouble struck Khaman Maluach and Patrick Ngongba in the first half, Brown entered the game. However, it was clear that he was trying to avoid contact. Despite that, he managed to contribute with a rebound, an assist, and a steal in just four minutes of play, but did not return for the second half.
“I think it says a lot about who Maliq is and what he’s all about,” Scheyer said the day after Duke’s win over Arizona. “He’s not 100 percent. He’s not close. Ideally, he wouldn’t have played, but it was more of an emergency situation.”
Scheyer also explained that while Brown had to be ready to play against Alabama, it was much of the same. Brown’s three-minute stint resulted in just one rebound, and he didn’t play again in the second half.
“It’s incredible what Maliq did, making himself available for those two games. The intention wasn’t to play him again,” Scheyer said after the win over Alabama. “We need to get him right this week. The main thing now is to get him stronger, and provide as much stability as possible. It won’t be what he or I hoped for, but another week will be really beneficial for him.”
As Duke prepares for their Final Four matchup against Houston on Saturday night, it will mark 23 days since Brown was taken to a local hospital for evaluation after his injury. His versatility would be a huge asset for the Blue Devils against the physically tough Cougars.
“We need to get him stronger, healthier, and I’m more confident in what he can do next weekend,” Scheyer added.
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