Njoya hit with 19-game suspension
The NCAA's iron fist dealt a knockdown punch to Duquesne by issuing what amounts to a 19-game suspension against freshman center Simplice Njoya, the school announced Friday.
The 6-foot-10, 225-pound Njoya, whom coach Danny Nee has called the cornerstone of his rebuilding plans, will miss the team's next 15 games for violating NCAA rules pertaining to pre-college expenses prior to his enrollment at Duquesne.
The university has withheld Njoya from the past four games, including Thursday's 82-64 loss at Cleveland State, while awaiting the NCAA's finding.
Duquesne athletic director Brian Colleary said that Njoya will regain his eligibility in time for a scheduled Feb. 19 game at La Salle but in the meantime will continue to practice with the team.
The university has no immediate plans to appeal the decision.
The rule in question requires an athlete to miss up to 10 percent of the season if he or she receives "preferential treatment, benefits or services" worth $300 to $500; up to 20 percent for receiving up to $700; and at least 30 percent for more than $700.
Duquesne (3-6), which plays a 27-game regular-season schedule, entertains Liberty (2-9) at 4 p.m. today at the Palumbo Center.
"There's numerous pre-college expenses involved," Colleary said. "There were expenses or benefits that ranged from living expenses to transportation expenses."
Njoya, a native of Yaounde, Cameroon, was rated among the top 100 high school players in the nation coming out of The Masters School (N.Y.). He will be permitted to play in Duquesne's final three home games, which would bring his season total to eight. Nee said that, because Njoya's absence does not involve an injury, issuing a redshirt is not a possibility.
Njoya attended The Masters School and Berkshire School (Fla.) each for one year. On both occasions, Njoya was placed in school by Minnesota businesswoman Julie Lyon through her firm, Lyon-Zapata International Student Exchange. He was featured earlier this year in a story in the Dayton (Ohio) Daily News, which authored a series of articles entitled "The Foreign Game," detailing the recruitment of foreign athletes to American schools.
Duquesne assistant coach Charles Cunningham, a former Minnesota assistant, said that, while he was out of coaching for a brief time, he lived with Njoya, and about the same time met Lyon, with whom he had planned to establish a "Big Man's Camp."
But, Cunningham said, "It was never finalized."
Cunningham instead was hired as an assistant at Nevada-Las Vegas, where Njoya later signed a letter of intent. But it was voided by the NCAA after it was discovered to be signed by Lyon, who was not listed as Njoya's legal guardian.
Njoya made several official and unofficial visits to other schools before signing with Duquesne after Nee, who was named Duquesne's coach in April, decided to hire Cunningham as part of his staff.
"Danny Nee didn't even know who Simplice Njoya was," Cunningham said. "I did what any other coach would have done with regard to a top 100 player. I recruited Simplice Njoya to come to Duquesne."
But the damage already was done. Njoya, whether knowingly or unknowingly, accepted benefits, reportedly in part from Lyon's firm, while preparing to enroll in college.
Because the infractions, which involve "preferential treatment, benefits or services," happened prior to Njoya's enrollment at Duquesne, the university will not be penalized by the NCAA, whose offices were closed yesterday for the start of a long New Year's holiday weekend.
Nee said junior Chris Clark, who has missed much of the season with academic problems, will get his first start at center today against Liberty.
"It's going to be very difficult (to play without Njoya) because we didn't see it coming. It's going to be very hard," Nee said. "What we're going to do is move Chris Clark into a starting position and try to get Simplice removed from the formula. We practiced that way (yesterday) morning."
Actually, Nee has known for several weeks that Njoya was likely to miss more games, but the severity of the penalty came as a surprise.
Njoya averaged 10.4 points and 4.4 rebounds through the first five games this season. Duquesne withheld him from competition Dec. 8 after the NCAA provided the university with information regarding the violations.
"We were notified about the (final) decision very late (Thursday)," Colleary said.
The school would not make Njoya available for interviews, instead releasing a statement from him. In it, Njoya said: "I am sad about the outcome, but pleased this ordeal has reached a conclusion. The NCAA has made a ruling I must live by, and I am going to continue to work hard to make a positive out of it. I like to think there is opportunity in every situation. I am going to take this time to improve my academic standing, as well as my game, and I'll continue to cheer for my teammates, who have been very supportive."
Though a bitter pill to swallow, the NCAA's decision is a fair one, according to everyone involved at Duquesne.
"A rule is a rule. Fair is fair. You take it and go on," Cunningham said. "I believe that one of our jobs as coaches is to help young people understand that every day is not going to be rosy. Adversity is part of life.
"You learn to deal with it and move on."
