On Saturday, February 24 the Wake Forest Demon Deacons upset number 8 Duke in a NCAA basketball game. In response to the upset, Wake Forest fans stormed the court in jubilation. Duke star Kyle Filipowski was trampled in the chaos, coming away with a sprained ankle.
In the past three months there have been about three court stormings per week in College Basketball. This has led to upheaval among players and coaches. Following the game, Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer said “How many times does a player have to get into something, where they get punched, or they get pushed, or they get taunted right in their face? It’s a dangerous thing.” The debate on fans storming courts following upset victories is a subject that has recently got a lot of attention. The Duke incident happened just over a month after Iowa superstar Caitlyn Clark had a similar collision. She didn’t suffer any serious injuries, but it’s still scary.
To ban court storming completely is a bit excessive, as a lot of fans show up in hopes of getting to do so. Players recognize this, but they hope for better safety precautions. Purdue basketball Center Zach Edey had this to say, “I think it’s a reason for fans to go to games. I think there’s nothing wrong with it, as long as you do it safely.” Players are certainly put at risk and their safety must be prioritized. A lot of these players are top prospects for professional sports teams, and their future in the sport could be jeopardized.
At the end of the day, court storming has been around for ages and is a great way for students to show their passion for their school’s team. There are arguments for both sides as to whether it should be banned but the chances of it being taken from the fans is low. The NCAA will look into the controversial topic of court storming and decided whether to keep fans happy or protect the players of college basketball.