Duke basketball's Jon Scheyer on Kyle Filipowski throat punch: 'I've never seen a play like that'

Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer declined to comment on whether a flagrant should've been called for the accidental punch that struck Blue Devils freshman Kyle Filipowski in the throat during the late stages of Monday's loss to Virginia Tech, but added there was no malice in the action.

"Obviously you're trying to learn if intent matters and all those things, and you know, it seemed like the call was made and they stand by it," Scheyer said on Thursday. "I've never seen a play like that, where it's clear that (MJ) Collins did not mean to do anything. That was clear. But it happens, so what's the call? I rather not go into detail of any of the conversations on that end."

Moments after Hokies freshman guard MJ Collins made a go-ahead jumper with 13.6 left, Collins pumped his fist in celebration and connected with Filipowski, who doubled over in surprise pain before officials stopped the game for an injury timeout.

Scheyer rushed out to check on his freshman star while officials reviewed the play for a possible flagrant foul. It was determined that the punch was incidental and no foul was called. Scheyer said later that Filipowski threw up in the huddle after the play but remained in the game.

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"He was full-on throwing up and he wasn't about to be out for a second," Scheyer told the media after the game. "He's a big-time warrior, man."

According to NCAA rules, a "flagrant 1 foul is a result of excessive contact that in nature is categorized as unnecessary or avoidable." It was deemed incidental because the action was celebratory.

A flagrant 1 call would've given Filipowski two free throws before giving the ball back to Virginia Tech with Duke trailing 77-75. The Hokies, instead, held on for a 78-75 win.

The Blue Devils (14-6, 5-4 ACC) travel to Atlanta on Saturday (3 p.m., ACCN) to face Georgia Tech (8-12, 1-9 ACC).

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Duke basketball Kyle Filipowski throat punch: What Jon Scheyer said