Hampton University is mourning the loss of
basketball player Theo Smalling, who was killed Monday night in an accidental
shooting outside a night club.
The school released a statement Tuesday saying Smalling, the captain of the
team, died at approximately 8:40 p.m. and called it a "senseless accident." He
was 22.
"This is a devastating loss for our community," said Hampton coach Edward Buck
Joyner. "He was a great young man who was an asset to Hampton University on
and off the court. Not only was he the captain and leader of our team, but the
backbone of our team. He will be with us in our hearts and minds when we step
on the court."
Smalling, who was a senior in sport management and was in line to graduate in
the spring of 2010, played in 91 games (76 starts) for the Pirates. He
averaged a team-leading 5.3 rebounds per game last season. For his career,
Smalling averaged 3.3 points and 5.2 boards per contest.
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