There are a lot of different ways to look at a 17-13 season for Duquesne that generated so much optimism early that expectations became unrealistic and then fizzled in the final weeks much to the disappointment of everyone connected with the program.

In Ron Everhart's second season of a major rebuilding job, the Dukes ended 14 years of losing with their first winning season and most victories since 1993-94.

That's quite an accomplishment considering he inherited a 3-24 team and maintained some semblance of normalcy after five of his players were shot after a school dance about a month before Everhart conducted his first practice.

"We brought pride back to Duquesne basketball," said senior guard Reggie Jackson, a 5-foot-10 junior-college transfer who blossomed into a solid playmaker and team leader. "All around campus, a lot of people are just excited where the program has come the last couple years. It felt good to bring the excitement back.

"I know coach Everhart will continue to make steps forward to make the program better every year."

Jackson, who had a career-high 29 points in Duquesne's 82-79 loss Wednesday to La Salle in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament in Atlantic City, N.J., is one of three Dukes who played their final game against the Explorers. Gary Tucker, a guard who was Jackson's teammate at Southern Union (Ala.) College, and 6-10 graduate student Kieron Achara, are the two others who won't be returning in 2008-09.

Everhart isn't sure about 6-10 junior Shawn James, who plans to explore his options of turning pro rather than coming back for his senior season. James, one of the nation's premier shot-blockers, can test the NBA waters and not forfeit his eligibility as long as he doesn't sign with an agent. He also could decide to play professionally overseas.

"I haven't sat down and talked to him," Everhart said of James, who led the Dukes in scoring (12.7 ppg), rebounding (6.9 rpg) and a school-record 111 blocked shots. "I don't know [what he's going to do]. We'll sit down and talk. Soon."

James is the only scholarship player on the current roster taller than 6-8 and Everhart has yet to sign a big man among his current recruiting class that includes 6-1 Johnny Higgins of Notre Dame Prep, and 5-10 Eric Evans and 6-7 Shawntez Patterson of Detroit's Northwestern High School. B.J. Monteiro, a 6-5 guard/forward from Crosby High School in Waterbury, Conn., has committed to Duquesne and is expected to sign a national letter-of-intent in the spring period.

"We're going to miss the athleticism Jackson and Tucker bring to the guard spots," Everhart said. "We're bringing in two athletic guards, but we still need to get a guy who can shoot it."

Duquesne was last in the Atlantic 10 in 3-point percentage at .311.

"That hurt us a lot," Everhart said. "Teams knew our guards were better at slashing to the rim than shooting jumpers."

The Duquesne guard who struggled most with his shooting touch was Kojo Mensah. He was the team's second-leading scorer for the season with a 12.3-point average but scored just 10.4 points per game in league play. He averaged 14.8 points in non-league games. Mensah also must take better care of the ball and cut down on his team-high 89 turnovers -- he was second with 99 assists.

Mensah and Aaron Jackson (8.9 ppg, 105 assists, 43 steals) are expected to form the starting backcourt next season with the incoming recruits providing depth.

The only returning starters up front will be current freshmen 6-5 Bill Clark (8.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg) and 6-7 Damian Saunders (6.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 39 blocks and team-high 45 steals), a member of the A-10 All-Rookie team.

"They kept getting better all year," Everhart said. "They're the foundation for our future."

Everhart was asked to sum up his view of this season.

"We were oh-so-close to being very good," he said of the Dukes, who were 1-9 in games decided by seven or fewer points. "We now have an identity in the basketball community. If you had told me before the season that we would win 17 games, I would have signed off on it and said we had a good year.

"But when I look at this team and how we played at times, I know we could have been better."