The Zoom call Friday started as a preview of Duquesne’s game against St. Bonaventure on Saturday.

Yet, you’d have to know Keith Dambrot to understand how and why the conversation veered in other directions and ended up including references to Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James and Dambrot’s mom, a college psychology professor.

When Dambrot was asked about the death Friday of Aaron, one of baseball’s all-time great sluggers, Dambrot revealed his love for the game.

“I played college baseball (at Akron), so I’m a big baseball fan,” he said. “If you do your history on Hank Aaron, not only was he a great player, but he was a great human being.

“I can’t say he was my favorite player. Roberto Clemente was my favorite player, but what Hank Aaron accomplished was unbelievable.”

Then, Dambrot told reporters why he escorted his team to La Roche University’s Kerr Fitness Center on Monday in an effort to mitigate the Dukes’ shooting woes there.

“My late mother is a psychologist, a psychology professor,” he said. “I figured I’d take them over there one day, we’d shoot a lot, we’d fix our phobia.”

The Dukes responded Wednesday by returning to La Roche and shooting a season-high 50% in a 71-69 victory against Rhode Island. “Now, we can move forward,” he said.

But the key reference was to the Los Angeles Lakers’ 113-106 victory Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks. James outscored Antetokounmpo, 34-25.

“What was predictable about that game? Why do you think LeBron had it rolling?” Dambrot asked reporters of the player he coached at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron.

“The reason he had it rolling is he’s not happy about the MVP vote last year (when Antetokounmpo finished ahead of James, the runner-up). This guy’s a prideful human being.”

Dambrot sent a similar message to his team, specifically seniors Marcus Weathers, Michael Hughes and Tavian Dunn-Martin, who are so vital to Duquesne’s success. “We have to have some pride,” Dambrot said.

He said he told the seniors, “Marcus, Mike, Tavian, if you can win now, it’s all going to be because of you. A lot of people don’t think you can win. A lot of people have given up the ship. You’re going to get all the credit if we win. So, have pride. Invest in yourself. Show people how good you can be.

“That’s kind of where I’m at with our guys right now. You have a lot to prove.”

Duquesne (4-5, 3-4) struggled through the early days of January, but there’s plenty of time to reverse the team’s misfortune. Dambrot called the St. Bonaventure game “a great opportunity for us” because the Bonnies (7-1, 5-1) are in first place in the Atlantic 10.

Five Duquesne freshmen are receiving significant minutes. Chad Baker scored 19 points against Rhode Island, and Toby Okani disrupted the Rams’ final shot that clanged off the rim.

“We’re making a lot of mistakes that younger teams make that don’t allow you to be championship quality,” Dambrot said. “We’re learning the game in conference games, which generally isn’t a good thing.

“But we compete hard enough at the rim (with Hughes and Weathers) that we offset some of (the mistakes). Until we fix a lot of the basics, guarding the ball, guarding actions, we’re not going to win at the level we want to win at.”

Dambrot is encouraged Hughes and Weathers are just now approaching their previous status as two of the better players in the Atlantic 10.

Hughes has scored 29 points, with 13 rebounds and four blocks in the past two games, including a 62-48 loss to St. Bonaventure. Weathers has scored 12 or more points in all but one game, but his increased aggression around the basket against URI resulted in seven free throws, six of which he made.

For the season, he’s only shooting 55.6% from the free-throw line (30 of 54). But Dambrot said if Weathers shoots 70%, “We’ll win some games because he’s going to get to the free-throw line.”

“If Mike Hughes and Marcus Weathers play at a high level,” their coach said, “we’ll be in every game.”

Perhaps that’s when Dambrot will ask LeBron to interact with his players.

“That’s the reason he likes me, because I don’t really ask for a lot, and everybody else does,” Dambrot said.

“When the occasion’s right, and it really matters and it’s good for Duquesne and it’s good for him, then I’ll call in the chip and I guarantee he’ll say, ‘Yes,’ if he can.”

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