Conference tournaments are about basketball but also so much more: the fans, parents, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The A-10 Tournament is taking place this week in Washington, DC, and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from DC with an interview of Duquesne basketball father Eric Anish about the Dukes’ magical run last March and how he thinks they will do this week.
You spent several years working with the US Olympic Committee Sports Medicine Program and were a member of the US Medical Staff at the 2011 Pan American Games: what was the best part of working for Team USA? The people that I had the opportunity to work with from around the country. It was a multi-disciplinary group, and I learned a lot from those health care professionals while working collaboratively with some of the best athletes in the world.
You also serve as a medical consultant for the Pittsburgh Penguins: how exciting was it to work with them during their run of 3 Stanley Cups in a 9-year span? It was a tremendous honor to work for an amazing organization. They have some incredible athletes as well.
Your son Ethan grew up in Pittsburgh: how good a player was he in high school? He was a very good high school player and always had a lot of heart. He has a real passion for the game, and it was fun to watch him play.
What made him choose Duquesne for college? It was a perfect fit both athletically/academically. He had a strong connection to the program and has grown up around it. Coach Keith Dambrot welcomed him into the locker room, so he got to know the coaches/staff very well long before they recruited him to play basketball. It felt like home for him to join Duquesne as a student-athlete.
Take me through the magical 2024 postseason:
Duquesne entered the A-10 tourney as the #6 seed but won 4 games in 5 days to clinch the title: how on earth were they able to hoist the trophy after starting out 0-5 in conference play? They had a special group of players. Despite the adversity during that bad start they never lost hope/confidence in their abilities and never splintered. They had great leadership from the coaching staff, who continued to emphasize that they could turn the season around. They never gave up, righted the ship, and came together at the right time.
In the NCAA tourney they had a 4-PT win over BYU for the school’s 1st tourney win in 55 years: where does that rank among the Anish family highlights? It certainly is up there and was a special event. I was not sure I would see the team win an NCAA tourney game during my tenure…but they did!
You work as the team’s physician: how healthy is the team this week, and is it extra-special to get to travel around the country with your son while the Dukes try to win a title? We are ready to play. Like our run last year in Brooklyn/Omaha, it is great to share these experiences with my son.
Ethan is a sophomore: what is his major, and does he have a post-graduation plan yet? He is a business major, but it is too early to tell what he will do in the future.
You ran cross country and track at Penn: who is the best athlete in the family? I could beat him in a 1-mile race, but he could probably beat me 1-on-1…although I am still a better FT shooter than him!
Any predictions for their game tomorrow vs. St. Bonaventure? I certainly hope we can win tomorrow. We already beat them once this year so there is no reason to think we cannot do so again.
