SYRACUSE, N.Y. – In this tight-knit community, where the winters are long and daylight hours short, basketball games double as defining events. They are the communal gatherings, celebrations and indelible beacons of the region’s identity. The big games loom on the calendar with the same anticipation as birthdays and anniversaries, reunions for friends and family and commemorated by an array of commemorative T-shirts. In many ways, a high-profile game like No. 1 Duke visiting Syracuse allows the city and university to celebrate itself. By tipoff on Saturday, the game itself was secondary, shrouded by emotion, awkwardness and some levels of discomfort. On Wednesday night, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim was driving home after Syracuse’s game against Louisville and struck and killed a pedestrian on a local highway. Law enforcement officials stressed that Boeheim did nothing wrong, terming the collision as a tragic accident and praising Boeheim’s actions – calling 911 and using his cellphone flashlight to wave down cars – in the aftermath. The university decided on Friday to allow Boeheim to coach, and what proceeded was an emotional day where the drama and tragedy of the week overshadowed the game on the floor. ESPN wisely canceled its “College GameDay” program. Prior to the game, the university had a tribute to the accident victim, 51-year-old Jorge Jimenez, that was read in both English and Spanish. That was followed by a moment of silence. It set the tone for a somber day amid celebratory trappings that began with a supportive ovation for Boeheim when he walked on the court and ended with a pair of emotional press conferences by Boeheim and his close friend, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. No. 1 Duke won, 75-65, but the game proved secondary to the emotions of the tragedy shrouding it. Three days after accidentally hitting and killing a pedestrian, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim returned to the bench to loud applause prior to the Orange’s game against top-ranked Duke. (AP) Boeheim started his press conference by reading from a prepared statement that stressed he and his family’s sympathies for the Jimenez family: “The grief and pain his family is feeling at this time is, simply put, unimaginable.” Story continues He later veered off script and gave a glimpse into the emotion of his past 72 hours, his voice catching multiple times as he attempted to convey his feelings. “I don’t think I can make anybody understand who hasn’t been there,” Boeheim said. “This is something that’s there forever for me. I’ve always felt in life, you get a lot of things you have to overcome. I started here with nothing and been here a long time, and there’s a lot of things you have to overcome. There’s nothing like this when a human life is lost and you are there. I can’t describe it to you.” Boeheim attempted to balance his sympathy for the Jimenez family with giving insight into the pain that’s accompanied his role in the accident. “This is never going away, like I said,” he said. “Tuesday it’s not going to be better. It’s not going to be any better next week. It’s not going to be any better next month. It’s not going to be any better next year. We’ve reached out to the family, and I intend to try and do that as I can in the future. This is isn’t about me, it doesn’t matter how I feel. It’s about how they feel and what’s happened to them. There’s just nothing I can say about it.” A debate rose whether Boeheim should coach in the game. He said he did because of his “responsibility and obligation” to his players, and the university formally announced he’d be coaching on Friday afternoon. (Boeheim missed practice on Thursday.) To those around Boeheim, there really wasn’t much of a chance he’d decide to skip the game. For 43 years, he’s coached through everything from cancer and scandal. It’s as much who he is as his occupation. That notion was summed up tersely but accurately by Krzyzewski, who said: “I’m glad he coached. What the hell else is he supposed to do? That’s what he does.” That meant the most anticipated moment of the Saturday would be Boeheim’s walk onto the court. At 5:58 p.m. ET, Boeheim entered the Carrier Dome with his head bowed down. The largest on-campus crowd to ever witness a college basketball game (35,642) rose to their feet and delivered a rousing ovation, which Boeheim acknowledged by quickly raising his right hand. Boeheim crossed the court named after him to the opposite end, where Krzyzewski was clapping with the orange-clad masses. The two embraced in a long hug – “He’s not a hugger,” Coach K observed afterward – and exchanged a few words. “It was such a sincere showing of emotion,” Krzyzewski said. “It was really beautiful. I commend the Syracuse community and fans.” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, right, embraces Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim at the end of an NCAA college basketball game in Syracuse, N.Y., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. Duke won 75-65. (AP Photo/Nick Lisi) With that, Boehiem walked back to the Syracuse bench, peeked to the far corners of the Carrier Dome and stood in his familiar position. “I’ve been here all my life,” Boeheim said. “[The fans have] always been supportive. I think they know how bad I feel, what I feel. I just thought they were there to support our team and me. It’s an unimaginable situation. I can’t, I just can’t describe the feeling I have and have had since Wednesday night.” The game unfolded with little drama. Duke figured out a way to win without Zion Williamson, as RJ Barrett scored 30 points and Alex O’Connell added a career-high 20. Rob Gronkowski cheered behind the Syracuse bench, but the Orange had little chance with star guard Tyus Battle shooting only 4-for-17. After the game ended, Boeheim finished his remarks and headed off to his new normal. “I did this feeling fully the weight of the tragic accident and its impact on the Jimenez family,” Boeheim said. “This is something that will be with me for the rest of my life.” More from Yahoo Sports: • Panthers’ Reid rips ‘false narratives’ about Kaepernick • Sohi: DeRozan loves and loses again in Toronto return • Sources: Warriors’ Green close to hiring LeBron’s agent • Report: Harper meeting with Phillies owner in Las Vegas<doc-sep>SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The investigation into the fatal crash involving Syracuse University men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim will likely be closed next week, according to Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick. The Syracuse Police Department traffic section is in the process of reconstructing the scene and determining contributing factors, according to a news release from the Syracuse Police Department. This process is currently projected to be completed next week, according to Sgt. Matthew Malinowski, a spokesman for the department. Once completed, the investigation will be sent to the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office for review, police said. Some news outlets reported Tuesday that Fitzpatrick said the the “investigation is closed.” That’s not true, according to the DA. The investigation can’t officially close until after the Syracuse police’s accident reconstruction is done, he added. Fitzpatrick said he’s been told that Boeheim was traveling at or near the speed limit when the accident occurred, but he said the he has “not seen the report.” Fitzpatrick said absent some new unexpected revelation he expects to be able to close the case after getting the police report. Boeheim was traveling east on I-690 on Feb. 20 when he came upon a crash. A car with four passengers had spun out, hitting a guardrail before coming to a stop across two of three lanes on the highway near the Thompson Road exit. The four people in the car had got out of the vehicle. Boeheim swerved left to miss the car, but struck one of the passengers, Jorge Jimenez, 51, who died from his injuries. Another passenger, Osvaldo Rivera-Olivo, 49, was also struck by Boeheim and suffered several broken ribs. Fitzpatrick and Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner said last week that so far they do not expect any charges or tickets to be issued. They have said neither driver was drunk or high. They said the dark, icy road contributed to the crash. At this time, it does not appear driver distraction or impairment was a contributing factor in the crash, Malinowski said in a news release Tuesday. Jimenez, who was originally from Cuba but moved to Syracuse, was a sociable and loving family man, his daughter told Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. Funeral services for Jimenez will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at A. Dewitt Memorial Funeral Homes, 4612 S. Salina St., in Syracuse. Syracuse businesses are donating their services for his funeral.<doc-sep>
Rich Barnes/Getty Images Coaching in his first game since hitting and killing 51-year-old Jorge Jimenez with his vehicle on Wednesday, Syracuse Orange coach Jim Boeheim issued a written statement on the accident. "This is something that will be with me for the rest of my life," Boeheim wrote, per Yahoo Sports' Pete Thamel. Prior to a showdown with top-ranked Duke, the 74-year-old coach said all of his previous life experiences "pale in comparison to this," per Syracuse's Matt Park. Boeheim had previously expressed his remorse in a statement on Thursday, via Syracuse Basketball: "I am heartbroken that a member of our community died as the result of last night's accident. Juli and I extend our deepest sympathies to the Jimenez family. Out of respect for those involved, I will not be providing further comment at this time." While Boeheim's status for Saturday's contest was in question following the accident, it was announced on Friday that he would be on the sidelines against the Blue Devils. He revealed on Saturday, per Park, that "the University makes those decisions." Boeheim made his way to the court as tipoff neared, and he received a warm ovation from the Carrier Dome crowd: Before the game got underway, Syracuse honored Jimenez's memory with a moment of silence, per CNY Central's Justine Marschner: Boeheim further discussed the situation following Syracuse's 75-65 loss, per DT Sports Media: "This is never going away. Tuesday it's not going to be better. It's not going to be better next month. It's not going to be better next year," Boeheim said, per Syracuse Basketball. "It doesn't matter how I feel. It's how they feel. There's nothing I can say about it." According to ESPN.com, Syracuse police said that Boeheim hit Jimenez with his vehicle on I-690 in Syracuse on Wednesday night after a car carrying Jimenez and three other people crashed into a guardrail after hitting a patch of ice. Boeheim struck Jimenez as he attempted to avoid the disabled vehicle, and Jimenez was pronounced dead after being transported to the hospital. Results from a sobriety test administered to Boeheim came back negative "for any sign of impairment."