Keith Dambrot, Duquesne forge ahead amid emotional season

During their recent five-game losing streak, a torturous stretch that saw the Duquesne Dukes drop three of their first five Atlantic 10 men’s basketball games by no more than five points, the team says it has remained locked in solidarity.

Despite what others may think.

“Adversity is always going to come for those ready for it,” said Duquesne senior guard Jimmy Clark III, the team’s second-leading scorer. “You’ve just got to be ready for the team and do whatever is needed. That’s the main thing.”

It doesn’t figure to change anytime soon. Players insist they have their coach’s back, and they’re convinced he has theirs.

You see, Keith Dambrot has been in an emotional state since before the season began, anxious about his ailing wife, who is set to undergo breast cancer surgery Feb. 1.

“These guys have been unbelievable supporting me,” said Dambrot, who spoke publicly about the ordeal for the first time this week. “They’re a good bunch of guys. Our coaching staff, too. Just to have them step up, like they’ve done. These guys on my staff are my best friends.”

Among them are Terry Weigand, who played for Dambrot at Division II Tiffin and has been by his side as an assistant for 22 seasons, and Rick McFadden, who played for Dambrot at Akron and is in his 19th season assisting him.

Associate head coach Dru Joyce III played for Dambrot, first at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, and later collegiately at Akron.

“I’m not looking for any sympathy,” Dambrot said after a final prep for Fordham, the Dukes’ opponent at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse. “It’s hard, emotionally. I’ve got some built-in stress, but my job has been stressful ever since I began coaching.”

Dambrot’s wife, Donna, was diagnosed in August after discovering a lump while laying in bed, her husband said. The revelation came a day after the couple attended a breast cancer awareness event near Akron.

“I came into work and told the team … I’m really fortunate to be around such good people,” Dambrot said. “I’ve had to make very few changes in practice … probably, at the most, three times. We’ve kind of worked around that pretty good.”

Dambrot has tailored his hours to make time for his wife’s medical schedule, accompanying her to a majority of her appointments and treatment sessions.

“I just felt it was necessary,” he said. “I just felt it was important. It was necessary that I had her back and support her through a difficult time.”

Dambrot said he’ll likely miss Duquesne’s Feb. 3 game at Rhode Island to remain home with his wife.

“She’s supported me all these years. It’s time for me to show her the support she deserves,” he said.

The couple has been married 34 years.

“I still put everything I have into my job, and that’s what I’m most proud of,” he said. “I can accept whatever comes along, as long as I put everything into it. I still think good things will happen. I have an obligation to those guys on our team.”

Dambrot, at times stopping to corral his emotions, went on to thank the Duquesne administration for the support he has received “through the good and bad.”

“Dr. (Ken) Gormley has been really supportive,” said Dambrot, referring to Duquesne’s president. “(Athletic director) Dave Harper and the board of trustees, they’ve been very good to me.”

The Dambrots’ son, Robby, a former Pitt soccer player who currently is under contract with Virginia-based Loudoun United of the USL Championship, and their daughter, Alysse, a physical therapist assistant, have lent a hand during the season.

But, Dambrot said, he’s mainly been on his own.

“I used to work late afternoons and early evenings,” he said. “Now, I get started around 5:30 in the morning and I’ll leave around 1:30 and do the rest of my work in the afternoon — phone calls, watching film, texting players.

“I really think I’m working as hard as ever. I’m just not always in the office.”

Dambrot, 65, has been coaching basketball for 32 seasons, 29 at the college level, where his career record is 514-301. Now in his 26th season as a college head coach, he is in the final year of a seven-year, $7 million contract at Duquesne, compiling a record of 101-92.

His two 20-win seasons with the Dukes are tied for the third-most in program history.

During their recent woes, the Dukes’ record took a hit but still stands at 10-8 overall. However, Duquesne is just 1-5 in the A-10 following a 54-50 victory Tuesday over St. Bonaventure.

“If we can make progress and get better, we can make a run at this at the end of the year,” Dambrot said.

Twelve of Duquesne’s remaining 13 games are against A-10 opponents, including Fordham (9-10, 3-3), which comes to UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse riding a four-game winning streak.

The 15 points Duquesne allowed against St. Bonaventure in the first half Tuesday matched the lowest total by an opponent in Dambrot’s time at Duquesne. His 2018 team held Fordham to just 15 in the second half of a 64-41 victory.

Dambrot said leading scorer Dae Dae Grant will return to the lineup Saturday after sitting out the past three games with a concussion. The coach paused at the thought of expanding an already overloaded rotation but also was ready to welcome back one of his senior leaders.

Grant, who is averaging 18.3 points, was injured prior to the Dukes’ 72-62 loss to No. 16 Dayton on Jan. 12. But he played in the game and didn’t show signs of a concussion until afterwards.

“Dae Dae didn’t practice for 14 days,” Dambrot said. “How do you reintegrate him without violating the trust of other guys? But he’ll play some (Saturday), even though he’s only been back practicing for two days.”