Duke Hoops: Tragedy Strikes Devils Freshman Andre Dawkins

The talk of the Duke Blue Devil offseason was centered around the young and talented Andre Dawkins, for both his great play on the basketball court and his decision to graduate high school this summer and enroll into Duke a season early to play basketball.

Since stepping foot on campus, Dawkins has fit in with the older, more experienced players on the team. His maturity at a young age is a big reason why all have come to love this touted recruit, but he has also received respect for his attitude on and off the court.

Then tragedy struck.

21-year-old Lacey Dawkins, Andre's sister, was killed in a car accident in West Virginia over the weekend. Duke sports officials also reported that Tamara Hill, Andre's mother, was also in the car, but there is no word on her condition at this time.

WVNS, a CBS affiliate in West Virginia, reported that the multi-vehicle wreck occured on Interstate 77 in Pax, West Virginia on Saturday morning. The report also indicated that three others were injured in the accident.

A 6-foot-4 shooting guard out of Atlantic Shores Christian Academy in Virginia, Dawkins has played big minutes for Duke this season off the bench. He is averaging 9.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.9 assists on the year.

His biggest game for Duke so far this season was a 20-point outburst against Radford. In that contest, Dawkins knocked down six three pointers, helping Duke match its all-time record with a total of 18 three pointers in the game.

First reported by WRAL in Raleigh, NC. Link to the original article HERE