Will Patrick Ngongba II play for Duke basketball vs Clemson? What Jon Scheyer said

Duke basketball was without its starting center Patrick Ngongba II in its 70-54 win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday, Feb. 10.

Against No. 18/20 Clemson on Saturday, Feb. 14, there’s a chance the No. 4/6 Blue Devils (22-2, 11-1) could be without their big man again.

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“I wish I knew,” head coach Jon Scheyer said after the win over Pitt when asked about Ngongba’s availability against the Tigers “He got hurt in the Carolina game. He fell on his wrist. We were holding on hope on whether he could play today. I think that was incredibly unrealistic. He wasn’t close to being ready. Pat’s really tough. Pat’s dealt with a lot of different – not major things this year, but just where he got hit on his other hand, and he’s had stuff that, for him to be out, it’s something. We have to see how he does the next couple days to see if there’s even a chance and go from there. It’s hard to say.”

The 6-foot-11 sophomore has started 22 of Duke’s 24 games this season, averaging 22.7 minutes per game. Ngongba II ranks third on the team in scoring at 10.7 points per contest, while also averaging 6.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists. He was initially ruled as questionable prior to Duke’s game against Pitt, being upgraded to out on the gameday report.

In Ngongba”s place in Duke’s starting five was Maliq Brown, who made just his second start of the season. Brown fouled out with a little more than two minutes remaining, scoring two points across 24 minutes.

“Maliq has obviously been in some of the biggest wars with us, and you have a ton of confidence in him, but he fouled out,” Scheyer said after the win over the Panthers. “He gets two fouls in the first half, fouls out in the second half, that’s not ideal. It’s a luxury with Cam (Boozer) that you have a guy that can slide and play anywhere on the court, he played some five (position) for us today.”

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Publish date : 2026-02-12 18:30:00

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