While in Akron, Duquesne will visit school founded and funded by LeBron James

When Duquesne travels to Akron’s Ellet High School on Saturday to play Radford, the game’s final score and what happens between the whistles will matter.

And not just because the Dukes (8-0) are one of five undefeated teams left in college basketball.

The video Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot will carry onto the bus for the trip home will help build a guide for what he needs to correct over the next three months.

“I know we have a lot of work to do,” Dambrot said. “The thing I’m excited about more than anything is I don’t really think we played all that great. If we work at it, we can become better. I don’t think we topped out at all.”

But he’s talking about the basketball aspect of the two-day trip. Friday is important for another reason.

The day before the game, Dambrot will escort his players through Akron’s I Promise School, a facility that supports at-risk grade-school students and their families and aims to give them a stable learning environment.

The school is funded by the Lebron James Family Foundation. James, who played for Dambrot at Akron’s St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, got the idea for the school when he saw the high school-dropout rate in his hometown.

“I texted LeBron today,” Dambrot said Thursday after practice. “I told him, ‘In my opinion, I think it’s one of your greatest accomplishments.’

“It’s important that (Duquesne’s players) understand that somebody like LeBron is way bigger than a basketball player. He tries to do the right thing on a daily basis for people. Sometimes, he’s not going to be perfect, but he’s still going to try to be the best man he can be. If he can do it, it sends a lesson to these guys that they can do it.”

Dambrot is not shy about advertising his relationship with James. He first met him when the soon-to-be NBA icon was 13-years-old and attended Dambrot’s $1 basketball clinic at the Jewish Community Center in Akron. James then led St. Vincent-St. Mary to back-to-back state championships in 2000 and ‘01.

The two men have been friends since.

Dambrot likes to tell the story of the time St. Vincent-St. Mary played Sebring during James’ sophomore year.

“After the game, there were 500 people waiting outside our locker room for autographs,” he said. “What’s strange about it, there were (Sebring) kids who had just played in the game in their uniforms that were waiting for him.

“I felt like I was traveling around with Elton John.”

Dambrot credits James with some of the success he has achieved as a college basketball coach. He will take a career record of 456-238 into Saturday’s game.

Duquesne junior Marcus Weathers was awe-struck Thursday when he looked at Dambrot’s cellphone and the name “LeBron James” popped up on the screen.

“Legally, he can’t make one (recruiting) call for us,” Dambrot said. “But everybody in the world knows he played for me, and everyone in the world knows we have a relationship. It can’t hurt you. It gets you in the door.

“He’ll tweet and quote about how hard I was on him, how he didn’t understand it then, but he’s glad I was. That’s stuff the parents want to hear. They want their kids to be coached. I respect LeBron because he allowed me to coach him. He’s allowed me to be his friend. He hasn’t forgotten about me.”

Dambrot makes only one demand of James. Even if somehow James finds the time in the midst of his busy NBA schedule, Dambrot won’t allow him to attend a Duquesne game.

“Until I think we’re good enough for him to come to a game,” Dambrot said. “If we get to the NCAA Tournament, I’ll ask him and, hopefully, he won’t have a game that night.”