Grant rarely gets into specifics about injuries and timetables for returns, and he stuck to his script this time, too, when asked if Smith might be ready for the season opener Nov. 7 against Lindenwood University.
“I have no idea in terms of when he’ll return,” Grant said.
With Smith sidelined, Kobe Elvis and Mike Sharavjamts have gotten more work at point guard in the last week. Both saw action Saturday in a scrimmage against West Virginia at Bethany College in Bethany, W.Va.
“With Malachi going down last week, they’ve gotten a lot of work over the last week,” Grant said, “and they’re doing a good job. I think both of those guys are more than capable in terms of their skill set. That role is a different role. Elvis got a little bit more experience last year at the end. I’m pleased with where we are. We’ve still got a lot of room for growth to get better, but I look at it as right now we’ve got an opportunity to see some different guys and some different different situations here in practice as we prepare for the season.”
Dayton fans will get to see them both at work at 7 p.m. Saturday in the team’s lone preseason public exhibition game against an outside opponent. The Flyers play Capital University, coached by former Flyer Damon Goodwin, at UD Arena.
The status of Koby Brea, Dayton’s top sixth man last season, is also in question heading into the exhibition game. He also has a “lower body injury,” according to Grant, and has not returned to practice. Grant did not give a timetable for Brea’s return, though he was not wearing a protective boot or showing any noticeable discomfort while his teammates warmed up for practice Tuesday. Brea has been sidelined since practice began Sept. 26.
There was one bit of good injury news. Grant said Georgia transfer Tyrone Baker, who had a splint on his finger during the scrimmage, would return to practice Tuesday.
The news about Smith casts a shadow over a much-anticipated season that will open with Dayton ranked 24th in the Associated Press poll. Grant said Smith has had a good attitude since the injury.
“He’s understands this is a part of sports,” Grant said. “He’s doing everything he can to work himself back into into being ready.”
Smith averaged 9.3 points and 5.3 assists as a freshman and led the team with 31.0 minutes per game. Elvis began the season as the starting point guard, but Smith took over that spot in the fourth game.
Elvis then moved back into the starting lineup alongside Smith in the eighth game of the season. They both started every game the rest of the way until Smith injured his left ankle in the A-10 tournament semifinals against Richmond.
Elvis had little time to prepare for his return to point guard last season. He had five assists and two turnovers against Richmond, eight assists and one turnover in a 74-55 victory at Toledo in the first round of the NIT and and five assists and five turnovers in a 70-68 overtime loss at Vanderbilt in the second round of the NIT. He scored 5, 11 and 20 points, respectively, in those three games.
This time, Elvis has had an entire offseason to prepare to play point guard because he’s the next most experienced player at the position after Smith and was bound to play minutes there even if Smith was healthy.
“Over the summer, I’ve worked on playing point,” Elvis said Tuesday, “and being able to step in there and run the team and do what I need to do so that the team can be at its best even if he is not on the court at the time with us.”
Elvis was Dayton’s fourth-leading scorer with 8.9 points per game and its second most-prolific 3-point shooter (42 of 116, 36.2%).
“Obviously, with Malachi being out there with me,” Elvis said, “there’s more opportunity for me to look for my shot instead of having to create. I have to know when to balance going for my shot with creating for other guys on the court. But I’ve had experience there now, and and I know when I can go for my shots and when to create for others.”
Sharavjamts, the team’s only freshman, is a 6-foot-8 guard/forward from Mongolia. When he steps on the court, he’ll be the first NCAA Division I men’s basketball scholarship player from his country.
“I think Mike’s biggest thing is just him being confident,” Elvis said. “If he’s able to come in and be confident right away, then he’ll be fine. Basketball is a game of confidence.”
Dayton forward Toumani Camara said Elvis and Sharavjamts are both ready for the point guard role.
“It’s something we’ve been working on since the summertime,” Camara said. “When Mali was back, it was less of a role for them, but Kobe was still playing the one here and there. I think the biggest change for them is they’re going to have to do that role more often.”
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