Akron Zips point guard Alex Abreu was arrested on drug charges Thursday and suspended from the basketball team just as the Zips were poised to make a season-ending run toward the NCAA Tournament. Read more after the jump.
According to Akron Police, narcotics unit detectives arrested Abreu, 21, of East Exchange Street and Austin L. Durgala, 18, of East Dartmore Street in Akron, for trafficking in marijuana and possession of marijuana.
They were charged after detectives seized over 5 pounds of marijuana at Durgala’s residence, the statement said. Abreu and Durgala were booked into the Summit County Jail. They are scheduled for an arraignment hearing in Akron Municipal Court at 9 a.m. today.
The university immediately suspended Abreu pending the outcome of the investigation.
Akron head coach Keith Dambrot, clearly overcome by the news, would only say, “I can’t talk. I can’t talk,” when reached Thursday night.
The arrest leaves Abreu’s personal future and the Zips immediate hoop dreams in serious question.
Abreu, the only true point guard on the team, has often said his goals were to bring national attention to the university and help make a push for a national championship.
He said he felt the Zips were a complete team.
“We have so many players it doesn’t matter if I can’t do it, or Tree (Demetrius Treadwell) or Zeke (Marshall), because it’s hard for all 10 of us to have a bad day,” Abreu said recently. “That’s what makes our team so complete and hard to beat.”
That will now be put to the test.
