Dru Joyce III takes over Duquesne basketball amid new heights and challenges

Newly hired Duquesne men’s basketball coach Dru Joyce III is taking over the program on the heels of the team hitting heights we haven’t seen in half a century.

Joyce was promoted from associate coach to head coach Thursday, replacing recently retired Keith Dambrot after seven years on the job and 22 as a head coach in Division I basketball. Dambrot piloted Duquesne’s historic run through the first round of March Madness earlier this month, and Joyce was his top lieutenant.

The 39-year-old Joyce is being handed the head coach’s whistle in the wake of the Dukes making the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1977 and winning an NCAA Tournament game for the first time since 1969. Not to mention completing back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 1972.

For those reasons, Joyce III feels like he is getting his first college head coaching opportunity at just the right time, at just the right place.

“I am overwhelmed with joy,” Joyce said during Friday’s “Breakfast With Benz” podcast. “This is something that I’ve prayed for and I’ve asked for. I’m excited to make an impact with our young student-athletes on and off the court. I’m just passionate about the purpose and the opportunity that I have.”

That said, it’s not as if Joyce is taking over command of the ship in entirely calm seas. Whether Dambrot had decided to stay on board for another year, Joyce got the job or if it was given to someone else, the Dukes were looking at a serious need to reload the roster.

Seven players are leaving the team after exhausting their eligibility. Among them are the club’s two top scorers, guards Dae Dae Grant (16.4 points per game) and Jimmy Clark III (15.0). Forward Fousseyni Drame has also graduated. The one-year transfer student was Duquesne’s top rebounder (220) and was fourth on the club in points per game (6.9).

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“Every team, every coach goes through it with every program,” Joyce said. “At some point, sometimes you lose your main scorers. Sometimes, you lose your role players. You just have to rebuild it. You have to regroup. But I do believe in the core of young men that we have returning and the culture that we have in place.”

What Duquesne is returning could form enough of a nucleus to compete again in 2024-25. David Dixon is showing continual development down low. He’s already a defensive presence, and with two more years of eligibility remaining, his offensive game has room for growth. Sophomore-to-be Jakub Necas proved to be a versatile defensive tool whose offense started to blossom during the tournament games. Swing player Matus Hronsky has always had an intriguing game that appears like it could develop with more minutes, Jake DiMichele started 21 games, and Kareem Rozier has two years of experience running the point.

Plus, it’s Joyce’s belief, at this point, that the majority of last year’s players will stay at Duquesne despite the coaching change.

“I believe that our young men want to be a part of Duquesne University,” he said. “They’ve enjoyed their experience, and they would like to keep it going. Those are conversations that still need to be had. I want those players that have decided to commit to this program to be here for the following years.”

So there are still components there that should carry over from Duquesne’s recent success, but Joyce knows he still has to find some instant contributions in the portal and from the incoming freshman class.

“Things have been going well with recruits. We have to continue to be diligent in our work and finding the right pieces that fit — not only from a talent standpoint, but fit and belief in our culture and what we want to accomplish here,” Joyce added.

What the Dukes want to accomplish in 2024-25 is repeating as Atlantic 10 tournament champions, a task the program hasn’t had to embrace since 1978 and a challenge Joyce is going to have to face in his first year on the job.

One thing Joyce is clear about, he’ll have his own game plan to make that happen, even if at times it looks like a lot of Dambrot’s thinking is woven into his approach.

“Some people may see some elements as they see me on the sideline (and say), ‘Man, that’s what Coach Dambrot used to do,’” Joyce laughed. “Who knows? But I’m just excited for the opportunity to be the best me that I can possibly be.”

If nothing else, Joyce will be able to start that journey next fall in a much better situation than most coaches do when they take over a program — on the same night a banner is raised from the previous year.

Listen: Tim Benz interviews new Duquesne men’s basketball coach Dru Joyce III