These are dark days for Duquesne basketball. The Dukes went 3-24 last year, and certainly challenged for the label of worst Division I hoops team in the country. This debacle marked the eleventh straight year in which Duquesne didn't even sniff a tournament, with many of those seasons coming under the watch of a head coach who looked like the leader of the Heaven's Gate Cult.
Well, things appeared to be turning around for the Dukes this off-season. They finally forced out Marshall Applewhite. The new coach, Ron Everhart, brought in a boat-load of talented Juco transfers, and spoke openly of dismissing the program's culture of losing. Now comes word early this morning that five Duquesne players were shot while returning home from an on-campus dance. Fortunately, three players, center Shawn James and guards Kojah Mensah and Aaron Jackson have been released from the hospital already. However, two players, forwards Sam Ashaolu and Stuard Baldonado (the Dukes top recruit) remain in critical condition.
I'm having trouble wrapping my head around any scenario where this was an intentional hit on the baketball team. It's not like anyone lost money betting on the Dukes last season, and if someone did, well, chances are they don't possess the mental capibility to discharge a firearm. No, it seems most likely this was just an incredibly unfortunate random act of violence. Another tough break for a program that has already endured way too many.
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