Winter Storm Jonas caused several professional sports teams an inconvenience this weekend, as the Philadelphia 76ers, Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals all had to reschedule their games to account for the blizzard.
But as the Duquesne men’s basketball team can attest, those with smaller travel budgets had a bit more trouble with the storm.
Fresh off a road win over George Mason on Friday that gave head coach Jim Ferry his 300th career win, the Dukes attempted to drive the roughly 230 miles back to their campus in Pittsburgh. That’s when Jonas intervened.
Just stepped off the bus | at least 18" of snow outside the door pic.twitter.com/F0aSPZFbWK
— Duquesne Athletics (@GoDuquesne) January 23, 2016
Looking back along our bus pic.twitter.com/AdrzTvKKjm
— Duquesne Athletics (@GoDuquesne) January 23, 2016
The storm stranded the team on the highway for the entire night, forcing them to get creative both for means of survival and entertainment.
.@DuqMBB stuck in standstill traffic on the turnpike. Snagged the remaining drinks from underneath the bus pic.twitter.com/gaXrB3VnA3
— Duquesne Managers (@DuqMBBManagers) January 23, 2016
Nick Foschia: known for three-pointer celebrations, Cleveland sports knowledge, and now snow angels #DUQSurvivor pic.twitter.com/o3g4OgyAhe
— Duquesne Basketball (@DuqMBB) January 23, 2016
The team’s equipment staff even took to social media to let the world decide who should push the team bus.
Who should push the bus?
— Duquesne Managers (@DuqMBBManagers) January 23, 2016
UPDATE: The walk ons got voted to push the bus pic.twitter.com/D6C2UI9RXc
— Duquesne Managers (@DuqMBBManagers) January 23, 2016
The Dukes still were stranded on the Pennsylvania turnpike as of Saturday morning.
.@DuqMBB now 9 hrs in same spot | safe on warm bus | hoping others out here are as fortunate #PATurnpike pic.twitter.com/xU8pMrmnUK
— Duquesne Athletics (@GoDuquesne) January 23, 2016
Ferry informed ESPN’s Andy Katz the team had yet to make it home but was holding up OK.
Duquesne coach Jim Ferry said in a text message that the team is 80 miles from Pittsburgh. "We r holding up. Bus… https://t.co/3kHc1n2QX1
— Andy Katz (@TheAndyKatz) January 23, 2016
