Duke was awarded the ball and two shots, but there's no reward that makes up for potentially losing an impactful defender while up 30 points in a second-round blowout.
Guard Jaylen Blakes, known for his high intensity, rose and attempted to slam home one of one thousand exclamation points in Sunday's statement victory over the James Madison University Dukes.
On the way down, he was met by JMU's Noah Friedel, and he was met hard. Blakes was sent flying to the ground below the basket, and initially slow to get up. Once he did stand, worries about Blakes' status were not assuaged; he seemed shaken, leading Duke head coach Jon Scheyer to send him back to the locker room himself.
Blakes was able to walk off the court with assistance, but seemed heavily shaken, limping his way up the carpet. You can watch Blakes' hard fall here.
Jaylen Blakes tried to walk to Duke's huddle and wasn't moving well -- looked like Jon Scheyer told him to go back to the locker room.
— Conor O'Neill (@ConorONeill_DI) March 24, 2024
Duke basketball guard Jaylen Blakes suffers hard fall in March Madness vs. James Madison University
Blakes, somehow, walked back to the Duke huddle following the flagrant; he was reportedly evaluated for a concussion, but checked out.
To the audience at home, it certainly appeared as if Blakes had been knocked cold. From any vantage point in the arena, that seemed accurate (though only a few trainers attended to him rather than a full-roster surrounding).
Prayers for Jaylen Blakes on Duke. Scariest fall I’ve seen in a long time in basketball
— Sir Yacht (@SirYacht_) March 24, 2024
Expect updates on Blakes' status in Coach Scheyer's postgame media session, following reflection on Jared McCain's heroics and Duke's readiness for a matchup with either Houston or Texas A&M in the Sweet 16.
Blakes, a junior from Somerset, NJ, averaged 9.5 minutes per game this season, and can be counted on to be clutch from the line in late-and-close situations, thanks to his much-improved 92.3% from the charity stripe, up from 64.9% one year ago.
If Blakes is forced to miss time, it seems Duke displayed more than enough energy to absorb his potential loss in Sunday night's get-right scoring frenzy. Hopefully, for all parties, Blakes is more than just a supporter in next week's game.