Ngongba's Impactful Return Powers Duke to Sweet 16
GREENVILLE, S.C. - Duke fans erupted in applause when Patrick Ngongba made his entrance at the 16:14 mark of the first half. It was as if the prodigal son had returned, and his presence was felt immediately.
“I was trying not to smile too much,” Ngongba admitted post-game.
The real excitement, however, came when Ngongba hit the court just under four minutes into the second half against TCU. By then, it was clear that Duke needed his presence to secure their spot in the Sweet 16.
Sure, the final score read 81-58, suggesting Duke could have won with anyone at center. But Ngongba was the game-changer, potentially the key to a championship run.
Despite rolling into the locker room on a medical scooter due to his injured foot, Ngongba’s impact was undeniable. Guard Isaiah Evans, who put up 17 points, summed it up: “Every aspect: passing, interior scoring, another rebounder - and then another sub, another body.”
With Ngongba, a 6-11 sophomore from Manassas, Va., back in the lineup, Duke relieved some of the pressure from All-American power forward Cameron Boozer. Boozer delivered with 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists in just his second NCAA Tournament game.
Ngongba’s passing was on full display, tallying four assists in his limited time on the floor.
“We didn’t know until he checked in,” Evans said. “He was working on his foot, missed half the warmups. So we really didn’t know.”
The last time Ngongba played was on March 2 against NC State, contributing 11 points and 5 rebounds in a dominant win. Duke didn’t lose during his absence, claiming the ACC Tournament title and evening the score against North Carolina.
But it wasn’t the same Duke team. They averaged 1.17 points per possession without him, not quite their usual elite numbers, and allowed opponents too much comfort at 1.05. Against TCU, they held them to just .841.
The Devils struggled in the ACC quarters against Florida State, narrowly escaping with an 80-79 win. Their March Madness opener against Siena saw them down by 11 at halftime, a deeper deficit than any No. 1 seed had faced against a No. 16 seed.
Ngongba knew he’d be ready for this game, and his return allowed teammates to settle into more natural roles. Freshman wing Nikolas Khamenia didn’t have to fill in at power forward, freeing up Boozer from center duties. Duke’s bench saw 45 minutes of action, compared to just 33 against Siena.
Ngongba played only 13 minutes, but his impact was monumental. His plus/minus rating was an impressive +20, a testament to his influence.
Imagine being worth 20 extra points in such a short span. If you watched the game, you’d understand.
TCU had just taken a two-point lead when Ngongba re-entered the fray. Within six minutes, Duke was up by 10, already contemplating their DC travel plans.
The rally began with Ngongba’s beautiful high-post pass to Boozer for a dunk. After two free throws by Boozer, TCU’s Xavier Edmonds attempted a drive, only to be denied by Ngongba’s imposing defense.
Ngongba then set up Caden Boozer with a perfect pass for a layup and a foul, sealing the lead for good with 13:43 left. A 26-6 run from there made the win seem effortless.
“It was awesome,” Caden Boozer said. “Seeing him out there, even for 15 minutes, makes us a way better team.”