As Duke faced off against Texas Christian in the NCAA Tournament, all eyes were on Pat Ngongba. After sitting out the last five games, Ngongba was back in uniform and ready to make an impact. His absence due to a sore right foot had been notable, but with the protective boot gone, it was game time.
The 6-foot-11 sophomore center logged 13 minutes in Duke's decisive 81-58 victory over TCU. His stat line was a mix of fours: four points, four rebounds, four assists, and four turnovers.
He even added a blocked shot to his return performance. While his play showed some rust, his presence on the court was a morale booster for the Blue Devils.
Cameron Boozer, Duke’s All-American, highlighted the emotional lift Ngongba’s return provided. “He gave us a lot of juice coming back,” Boozer said.
“Seeing him out there made us all ecstatic. We know how hard he works and how much he means to the team.
We’re just super happy to have him back.”
Duke’s resilience has been on full display, overcoming injuries to key players while continuing to rack up wins. Ngongba’s return coincided with Duke’s march through the ACC championship and a gritty win over Siena in the NCAA opener.
Head coach Jon Scheyer expressed optimism about Ngongba’s return, acknowledging the effort it took for him to be ready. “For Pat to come back to this game was not easy,” Scheyer said.
“He was fighting like crazy. We wanted him back out here, but it was about getting him ready for this game.”
Duke fans showed their appreciation, giving Ngongba a standing ovation when he checked in with 16:14 left in the first half. Ngongba admitted to some initial jitters, but they quickly faded as he got into the flow of the game.
Maliq Brown, who continued as the starting center, delivered a strong performance with 12 points and nine rebounds. Having Ngongba back added depth and allowed Brown to play with more freedom.
“Just his presence on the court,” Brown noted. “Knowing he was gonna be able to play today took a lot of load off everybody.”
While Ngongba’s return is a significant boost, Duke isn’t at full strength yet. Caleb Foster remains out with a foot injury, but there's hope for his return if Duke makes it to the Final Four. Foster’s determination is evident as he continues his recovery, working hard every day.
Looking ahead, Duke faces a challenging path with potential matchups against Kansas, St. John’s, Michigan State, UConn, or UCLA. Yet, with Ngongba back, the Blue Devils have added a crucial piece to their tournament puzzle.