Duquesne Basketball
Duquesne’s Keith Dambrot on Taking the Dukes to Akron
NEW YORK — When Duquesne’s 2018-19 men’s basketball schedule was released, there was one oddity that stood out.
The Dukes’ Nov. 17 game against Radford, the third home game of the season, was scheduled with the venue to be determined.
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Duquesne’s home court, A.J. Palumbo Center, will be occupied because the school is hosting the NCAA Division II and III Volleyball Championships, and the Division III semifinals and finals are happening that weekend. Across Fifth Avenue, PPG Paints Arena, where the Dukes occasionally play larger drawing home games, was also booked.
So the Dukes had to get creative. Duquesne head coach Keith Dambrot, who coached in the city of Akron, Ohio for 19 years before arriving in Pittsburgh, decided to take a trip back to his roots. The Dukes will play their home game against Radford in Akron.
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Dambrot said part of the reason for returning to Akron was his continued relationship with LeBron James, who Dambrot coached in high school. Duquesne has an apparel contract with James’ personal Nike brand, and plans to visit the I Promise School that he opened in Akron this year.
Here’s more from Dambrot on the decision:
