Mitchell sees better days for 4 Dukes from New York
Tuesday, October 24, 2006By Phil Axelrod, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


Robert Mitchell was aware of the popping sound of shots being fired when he grew up in Bedford Stuyvesant, a hardened urban neighborhood in Brooklyn. That's one of the reasons he chose to leave home after high school.
He never expected to hear it when he came to Duquesne University's low-key campus on The Bluff.
But in the early morning of Sept. 17 he was on the scene when five of his basketball teammates were wounded by gunfire in front of the dormitory after a dance.
"I was right there and I rushed to Kojo [Mensah] immediately," said Mitchell, a 6-foot-6 freshman. "I thought I left this back at home. I wanted to get away from the problems. It was really violent. It shocked me."
After a pause, he added, "I still feel safe, secure on campus. The campus is the best place to be. If I'm not in the gym, I'm on campus. I still walk through campus like any other day, but I'm looking at things differently than I did a month ago."
Two of the players shot, Shawn James and Mensah, were boyhood buddies of Mitchell. James, who still has the bullet lodged in the soft tissue of his foot, was quickly treated and released from the hospital. Mensah was hit in the arm and shoulder and was hospitalized for a couple days.
"When Kojo was in there, it hurt me so much," Mitchell said. "They are two of the nicest, friendliest guys in the world. I would have traded places with Kojo if I could have. No one deserved that. I want to be there for them, and for the team."
James and Mensah are sitting out this season under NCAA transfer rules and will have two years eligibility starting in 2007-08.
James, a 6-10 transfer from Northeastern, led the country in blocked shots last season and was the Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year. Mensah, 6-2, averaged 16.7 points per game last season at Siena.
In addition to the three Brooklyn natives, Duquesne has another player from New York City on the roster, 6-5 freshman Stephen Wood from Queens.
Asked what common trait the New Yorkers bring to the court, Mitchell answered without hesitation, "Toughness. That's what we're known for. You won't find a New York guy crying or making excuses."
Duquesne coach Ron Everhart is making sure his players aren't hanging their heads or feeling sorry for themselves because they could be without two promising power forwards this season. Stuard Baldonado, who had a bullet removed from his elbow and lower back, is going to classes and watching practice from the sidelines. Sam Achaolu still is in the hospital after being shot twice in the head.
"We have to be stronger mentally more than anything else," Mitchell said.
"With everything that has happened, it makes me want to be there for them."
Mitchell always had wanted to be there with Everhart, who came to Duquesne this spring after rebuilding the program at Northeastern. Mitchell made a commitment to play for Everhart at Northeastern when he graduated from Brooklyn's Grand Street Campus, but he didn't qualify academically to play as a freshman and went to Notre Dame (Mass.) Prep last year. He averaged 10 points and 4.0 rebounds on a 27-3 team that had nine Division I recruits.
"I would have followed coach Everhart anywhere," said Mitchell, who said he is most comfortable at guard but most likely will spend most of his time at forward because he is the second-tallest healthy player on the team. "I love his competitiveness, his winning mentality. He's not going to let you go half-speed. He's going to discipline you.
"He has helped me already. I can only imagine how much more he's going to help me."
As for playing out of position, Mitchell said: "I'm working on my post-up moves, setting screens and rebounding. It will put more dimensions to my game and make me a more complete player."
Coming to Duquesne and Pittsburgh was somewhat of a culture shock for Mitchell.
"I remember on my official visit seeing all those mountains and yellow bridges. It was a whole new world for me. New York is so fast-paced. Pittsburgh definitely is slower and the people are a lot more friendly," he said. "This is a new beginning for me."