Aug. 16, 2003
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Despite losing two starters to graduation, the 2004 edition of the Duquesne Dukes looks to be a top pick with a solid back-court and strong inside game. Entering his 11th season at the helm, Coach Dan Durkin expects strong leadership from returning starters Candace Futrell, Shiri Sharon and Erin Wehrle. The talented trio combined to average 26.1 points, 9.1 assists and 8.7 rebounds per game last season. Futrell, who missed eight games with injuries, enters the season with 1,047 points - good for 12th on the DU career list. Her 19.5 ppg led the Dukes.
Four other letterwinners return in Aiga Bautre, Nicole Sinclair, Maria Stankevich and Omega Harrington.
Bautre led the A-10 in three-point field goal percentage and is back as the Dukes' top three-point threat. She saw action in all 29 contests starting in 10 and posted nine games scoring in double figures. Sinclair is the team's top returning rebounder with 4.7 per game and will be looked upon to fill the void left by the graduation of all-time leading rebounder Beth Friday. Sinclair, a solid inside strength, competed in each contest leading the Dukes with a .536 field goal accuracy. Averaging 14.8 ticks per contest, she grabbed 135 boards, including a personal-best 15 vs. George Washington in the A-10 tournament. Harrington gave relief to Sharon at the point in all 29 games last year. She dished out 21 assists averaging 7.4 minutes a contest.
Five newcomers will wear the Red & Blue in 2004 with led by local star forward Loui Hall, guards Ashley Reed, Takneekia Baker and Krystle Jim, and post player Alyssa Borasky.
Lauded as one of the best and most dominant players in Western PA, four-year starter Hall surpassed her older sister Shauntai as the all-time leading scorer at Albert Gallatin with 2,440 points and averaged 30.3 points per contest as a senior. Reed, who practiced with the team last year as a transfer, was the second-leading scorer at East Tennessee St. in 2002 averaging 10.2 points and added 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Jim is one of two junior college transfers on the roster this year coming to DU from Garden City CC out of Kansas. She averaged 7.4 points and 4.1 assists last season leading her squad to the conference championship with a 31-7 record. She ranked 17th nationally in the NJCAA in assists and steals. Borasky bring size and strength with her 6-2 frame adding to DU's inside game. She helped lead her Northeast CC (Neb.) squad to back-to-back Nebraska Community College Conference titles and averaged 10.9 points and 7.2 rebounds this past season.
For more news on the upcoming season, please click the link at the top of this story.
