PITTSBURGH — Ron Everhart was hired as Duquesne University's basketball coach 2½ years ago mostly because of his reputation of being an expert in rebuilding bad programs.

The former Virginia Tech player didn't know he would have to polish the craft he first performed at McNeese State and Northeastern so often and so early at Duquesne.

Only two years after overhauling the Dukes' long-dormant program by bringing in 10 players in a single recruiting class, Everhart and his assistants scrambled to rebuild again last spring following the unexpected departures of center Shawn James and guard Kojo Mensah.

James, one of the best shot blockers in NCAA history, and Mensah, a former Siena player, both transferred to Duquesne so they could play for Everhart following his March 2006 hiring. But the two close friends decided to leave with a year's eligibility remaining to turn pro — even though neither player was on any NBA team's radar, and Mensah currently isn't playing professionally.

"I was surprised — and disappointed — when they decided to leave," Everhart said.

The plan was for James (12.6 points) and Mensah (12.1) to be the cornerstones of the first Duquesne team to play in the postseason in 15 years. The Dukes went 17-13 last season, their first winning record since the 1993-94 team had the identical record while going to the NIT.

Instead, Everhart finds himself nearly back to where he was during his first season in 2006-07, with a roster filled with new players — nine this time, including eight freshmen — and not many holdovers.

With James and Mensah gone, the Dukes must replace their top five scorers from a season ago, not an easy task in the Atlantic 10.

A hopeless situation? Hardly. For the first time in recent memory, Duquesne's recruiting class was ranked in the top 30 by several major scouting services, and there is more returning talent than there was two years ago.

"Right now, we're trying to find some chemistry," Everhart said.

The most experienced player is Aaron Jackson, a 6-foot-1 guard and the only senior. He is the only remaining player from the five who were shot on campus more than two years ago. The other four, including James and Mensah, are involved in lawsuits alleging the school failed to properly protect team.

The most talented returning player might be Damian Saunders, a 6-5 swingman who initially signed with Marquette. He averaged 6.5 points and 5.2 rebounds during an uneven freshman season, but has shown more court presence and maturity during preseason practice. So has 6-5 sophomore Bill Clark.

The key is finding a cohesive lineup, getting the new players some experience in a hurry and hoping they don't get trampled in a competitive conference while learning on the job.

Everhart doesn't know if he has two freshmen in this group who can score as freshmen like 6-5 Robert Mitchell and 6-6 Scott Grote could two years. Both transferred after that season — Mitchell to Seton Hall, Grote to Wright State — and that has also set back this team.

"It's always a big challenge when you have a lot of freshmen because they don't know how the college game is played, especially defensively," Everhart said. "There are no nights off."

Duquesne's best-known recruit is Melquan Bolding, a 6-3 guard who originally committed to Louisville.