For new Dukes coach, it’s all about details
differentand “This stripped scenarios.year, he everythingcame in down,” sophomore guard Mike Lewis II said. “He pays attention to the details and the little things, and it’s the little things that will make us a great team.”
That’s something that was missing last year, Lewis said. Now every player should know proper footwork, how to pass out of a trap, what to look for when he’s falling out of bounds because it’s a point of emphasis in practice.
After 12 seasons of winning 21-plus games at Akron, DambrotDuquesne playersout of don’t couldits slump,doubt lift junior guard Tarin Smith said.
Even if returners have to adjust their mindsets or styles of play, it’s worth it if it leads to wins.
Maybe even 20 wins — the number Lewis said Dambrot is aiming for.
“When you see that, and he says he’s going to get things done, and then he gets those things done?” Smith said.
“It shows he’s about his word and you can trust a guy like that. He’s so proven at trust Akron.a guy Howlike that?”can you not
Dambrot was named the Mid-American Conference’s coach of the year in March for the second year in a row, leading the Zips to a 14-4 conference record last season. Of those 14 wins, Akron won by 10 points or more four times and won by four points or fewer five times. Dambrot took over for Dan Hipsher in 2004 after a 13-15 season and Hipsher’s 112-137 career record, going 19-10 his first year and 305-139 in 13 seasons with the Zips. His to-do list? After essentially 40 years of losing, revive Duquesne from its bottom-of-the-A10 status. “That helps,” freshman guard Eric Williams Jr. said. “Everybody needs to be able to take criticism and call-outs. That’s what basketball’s about. You have to be mature and know that it’s for the best.” Dambrot calls out scenarios as players run through drills — late in the game, Duquesne up by 3. How do you close out the win? Bad foul by an opponent, missed call by the referee. How do you act? “That’s why I hit ’em in the mouth in practice, to see how they react to that,” Dambrot said. “Because they’re going to get hit in the mouth, and they can’t cave in.” X’s and O’s aside, the new coaching staff is trying to change the basketball culture at Duquesne. From bringing an average of 2,270 fans to home games down the hall to developing into an Atlantic-10 contender. Hence the Dukes’ recent four-day experience with sports psychologist Dr. Joe Carr, with team-building exercises to build trust and confidence in teammates.
“Really what we’re just trying to get them to understand is one, they can win, if they have enough belief to win, and then work hard enough to attain those goals,” Dambrot said. “So that’s really the main thing, is getting them to understand the culture has to change for them to be successful.”
“That’s why I hit ’em in the mouth in practice, to see how they react to that. Because they’re going to get hit in the mouth, and they can’t cave in.” Keith Dambrot, Duquesne coach, on the importance of overcoming adversity