The college basketball offseason is generally a quiet time for the sport. A new class of highly touted recruits arrives at campuses nationwide to replenish the supply of talent lost from players that graduated and/or moved on to the NBA. Some teams take international trips in order to begin practicing early without violating NCAA regulations.
Generally speaking, it is a time of anticipation for another exciting basketball season. However, the situation at Duquesne University has been far from that for the past 10 days.
The small Catholic university, located in Pittsburgh, Pa., is reeling from the shooting of five players on its men's basketball team outside of the Black Student Union College Bash, a school dance party, early on the morning of Sept. 17. A confrontation between the players - Sam Ashaolu, Shawn James, Kojo Mensah, Stuard Baldonado and Aaron Jackson - and two male non-students triggered the incident.
The reason for their altercation was Brittany Jones, a student who had been flirting with one of the players. Although there was no physical confrontation, words were exchanged between the players and their assailants before the teammates decided to leave the scene. However, as they turned to walk away, the men fired at them several times, wounding the players.
All the players except Jackson were new arrivals to the campus and to a team that went 3-24 last season. It was a terrible start at Duquesne for them, as well as for first-year head coach Ron Everhart, who was hired from Northeastern University to try and rebuild the basketball program. Everhart brought James with him from Northeastern. Mensah transferred from Siena College, and Baldonado came to Duquesne from Miami Dade College. Ashaolu was a journeyman, but most recently played for Lake Region State College in North Dakota.
The players sustained various injuries in the incident. Jackson did not suffer any serious bullet wounds and was quickly treated and released from Mercy hospital. Mensah was shot in the shoulder but has been treated and released as well. James was released but will return to the hospital when it will be easier to remove the bullet still lodged in his foot.
Baldonado was shot in the abdomen and suffered a cracked vertebra as well. He was released from the hospital Friday after successful surgery to remove the bullet but will need at least two months of rehab and will likely sit out the entire season.
Then there's Sam Ashaolu, the junior forward who, by all accounts, is fighting for his life. He was shot in the head, and while one bullet fragment was removed on Monday, three more remain lodged there. He has been speaking softly and demonstrating some motor skills, and doctors say that thus far, his progress has been fantastic.
However, the remaining bullet fragments could pose a serious obstacle for Ashaolu if they shift in his brain. Any changes in their position could jeopardize the improvement he has shown to date. He has been downgraded from critical to serious condition and has been taken off a ventilator as of Friday. His progress will be monitored, and although it's uncertain how much of a recovery he will make, he is off to a promising start.
Pittsburgh police arrested Brandon Baynes last Tuesday in connection with the shootings. William Holmes turned himself in to authorities the following day. Jones, 19, was also arrested for reckless endangerment, carrying an unlicensed handgun and criminal conspiracy. Jones, who enabled the men to get into the dance despite not being Duquesne students, has been suspended indefinitely.
The university held a candlelight vigil for the players last week, and all athletes have been wearing white wristbands with the number 5 on them to honor the basketball players. Now the university - and the basketball team in particular - will try to return to normalcy while Ashaolu continues to recover following this tragic incident.
