DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Patrick Ngongba II provides No. 4 Duke with a space-eating presence offering length and touch, a key component to the Blue Devils’ inside-out approach that can overwhelm opponents.
Of late, though, he’s found himself sitting longer because of foul trouble.
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The 6-foot-11, 250-pound sophomore played 16 minutes before fouling out of last week’s loss at rival North Carolina. Then, after missing a game because of injury, he played only four first-half minutes after picking up two immediate fouls in Saturday’s win over No. 20 Clemson.
He avoided such trouble in the second half, when the Blue Devils blew the game open in a nod to his on-court value. The two games represent a blip, but also a factor to monitor going forward for a team with Final Four aspirations.
“I just have to be smarter and not put myself in those situations,” Ngongba said after the 67-54 victory over the Tigers.
Leaning on the frontcourt
Freshman Cameron Boozer is Duke’s no-doubt star as one of the nation’s top scorers (22.8) and a high-end NBA draft prospect. But Ngongba starts alongside him, while defensive whiz Maliq Brown gives the Blue Devils a trio of bigs capable of tipping matchups in their favor.
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They have been the centerpiece of coach Jon Scheyer’s evolved approach with this overhauled roster. A year after reaching the Final Four with a team driven first by perimeter strength, the Blue Devils by mid-January had started steering harder into their interior edge to pummel teams in the paint.
Ngongba can impact the game at both ends. He is strong enough to hold his position against bigs and has length enough to alter or block shots.
Offensively, Ngongba can finish around the rim and has at least a modest ability to step outside (seven 3-pointers this year). He also is a capable passer who on Saturday tallied his fifth game with at least three assists — the highlight being when he lobbed a pass from beyond the arc while looking over 6-7 defender RJ Godfrey, hitting Boozer for an alley-oop dunk early in the second half.
But he’s got to be on the court to do any of that.
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Ngongba averages a personal foul every 8.1 minutes, with only Brown (7.5) at a quicker rate among the Blue Devils’ primary rotation players. Those two have combined for five of Duke’s six disqualifications this year.
“Part of our strength is the fact that we have three guys — Maliq, Pat and Cam — that can just rotate,” Scheyer said. “I think we can wear on you. When you take out one of them, it doesn’t have that same effect.”
Recent trouble
Ngongba fouled out of last weekend’s loss at UNC with 6:18 left, coming less than a minute following his return from sitting 8 1/2 minutes after being whistled for his fourth foul. He missed Tuesday’s win at Pittsburgh with a wrist injury.
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He picked up his first foul Saturday at the 17:37 mark when he slapped down on Godfrey’s post turn, appearing to catch all ball for a strip on a play that had Scheyer animatedly protesting to officials. Then, after Boozer fell on a rebound attempt to trigger a 5-on-4 advantage for Clemson, Ngongba left his feet against Carter Welling’s pump fake and picked up his second foul at the 16:23 mark.
That sent him to the bench until the start of the second half.
“I was stretching back here,” Ngongba said of his long rest. “I’m just staying engaged, talking to my teammates and whatnot.”
Ngongba was whistled for a third foul less than 2 1/2 minutes into the second half, seemingly signaling another early seat. But he avoided further trouble, saying part of his focus was in “doing my work earlier” in terms of getting in the right position.
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Ngongba had all six of his points while playing 15 second-half minutes, helping Duke turn a 31-26 halftime margin into a 20-point lead by midway through the second half.
That’s the kind of presence the Blue Devils will need going forward, including with a marquee matchup against No. 2 Michigan looming next weekend. They return to action Monday against Syracuse.
“We’ll watch film, we’re learn and we’ll make sure that he’s not getting in foul trouble,” Scheyer said. “Because we can’t afford that. I know he doesn’t like it either. I’ve got to help him, so I will.”
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