Nate Santos, UD’s 6-foot-7 senior forward who had just played in the gut-wrenching, 50-minute endurance fest?
Or, his sister, Sidney Niwahereza, who had just traveled over 20 hours from her home in Africa — a trip that began in Nairobi, Kenya; then went to Frankfurt, Germany; Paris; Chicago; and finally, Dayton — just to see her younger brother play?
She was dealing with the nine-hour time difference and jet lag.
Nate had just endured the roller-coaster ride with Richmond that included his nail biter, length-of-the-floor drive and lay-up with a half-second left to tie the game at the end of the first overtime.
It was the most dramatic play of the game and set the stage for the second overtime, where he made four straight, pressurized free throws.
“Who’s the most pooped?” Sidney said in a voice now hoarse from yelling. “I’m going to say him. I’m like pumping on adrenaline from watching the double overtime. Nate has to be exhausted.”
The Flyers celebrated Senior Day at UD Arena on Saturday.
Six players – Santos, Enoch Cheeks, Zed Key, Posh Alexander, Brady Uhl and Malachi Smith – all were brought onto the court with their families before the game where they got an embrace from head coach Anthony Grant as well as a warm reception from the sell-out crowd who stood and applauded.
Santos was joined by his parents, two sisters, brother, brother-in-law and an uncle from Florida. They are an accomplished basketball family and Saturday’s game got them all together for the first time in a few years.
Sidney got married in Uganda in early August of 2023 and the rest of the family was there, but Nate — just new to the Flyers after transferring from Pitt where he came off the bench for two years — couldn’t leave the UD team, which was just starting a summer European trip that included a few exhibition games.
The last time the whole family had been together was when Nate’s other sister, Ashley, got her PhD degree.
“I feel like we all try to show up for the really big moments, even though we have our own separate lives,” said Sidney, who played college basketball at Oakland University, coached in Sweden and now teaches and coaches at an international school in Nairobi.
“This is a big moment for Nate. He’s earned it and we’re so proud of him.
“I’ve been overseas for a while. I went to a couple of his Pitt games, but I’d never gotten to Dayton. I couldn’t have him finish the season with me not having seen him play at home.
“Plus, I really wanted to experience Flyer Nation.”
So, how was it? Did it live up to her expectations?
“The fans are amazing,” she said “The atmosphere is incredible.
“What was most special to me was all the different people coming up and saying, ‘You’re a Santos? We love Nate!’”
Even though she now lives on the other side of the world, she knows plenty about the Flyers.
She has converted her Ugandan husband, who she met doing missionary work there, into a basketball fan and more specifically, a Flyers fan.
They watch all the games that are streamed.
Her second-grade students — who come from 14 nations ― are all Flyers fans too, she said. So are the varsity basketball players she coaches.
She and her class watch Flyers highlights, and she said there’s a Nate Santos Fan Club at the school.
But the biggest supporters of the Flyers leading scorer were sitting in the UD Arena section next to the pep band. That’s where the players’ families are and Nate’s group was loud and animated and fervent in their support.
They all know basketball.
His mom played at Wichita State; his dad at Southern Nazarene College and in Puerto Rico, for the national team and as a pro.
Ashley played at Marquette and Louisiana Tech; Sidney at Oakland, his 6-foot-8 brother K.J. was at UIC and Missouri; and his Uncle Gus played at Wichita State and in Puerto Rico.
“I think Nate is definitely the best of all of us,” Sidney said.
Nate’s the youngest and she said: “He got to see the highs and lows of our careers and learn from them.
“He was in the gym at such a young age, and we could see it. I think we all knew from the jump that Nate was going to be the best of us.”
‘Next-play mentality’
Sidney said one moment she won’t forget Saturday was when the Flyers came out of a time out with just 34.2 seconds left in the first overtime.
The score was tied, 57-57.
“It was really sweet,” she said. “Coming out of that time out, it was ‘Go Time’ and he just looks up at us as a family and we’re nodding, ‘You got this!’”
But with 7 seconds left Richmond forward Dusan Neskovic got past Jaiun Simon and drove to the basket for a two-hand dunk that put the Spiders ahead 59-57.
The crowd was stunned.
On the sideline, Grant said he contemplated calling a time out, but by then the ball was inbounded to Santos, who came rumbling down the court, switching hands back and forth with his seven dribbles.
“I knew there were six seconds left and that’s just about the time it takes to dribble up the court,” he said. “I knew someone had to shoot; someone had to make a play and that’s what I tried to do.
“They didn’t really stop the ball, and I was just trying to be aggressive and see what would happen. I saw a lane open and after that I just kind of let my natural instincts take over.”
He roared past Richmond guard B. Artis White and then cradled the ball briefly in his left hand as he went airborne.
Richmond’s big man, Mike Walz, didn’t break away from Zed Key to challenge him and Santos laid the ball in to tie the score, 59-59, just a half tick before time expired.
Grant commended his presence of mind in those final hectic seconds, and he also noted how he showed composure after committing two turnovers — although one looked more like a Richmond foul — earlier in that first overtime.
“It’s that next-play mentality,” Grant said. “It’s a guy being able to move on and not let it bleed into what he had to do at the other end of the floor. That’s a toughness, a competitive character that you’ve got to have, especially at this time of year.”
In the second overtime Santos hit the four free throws, as did Enoch Cheeks, who also added a lay-up.
Malachi Smith, who had his own glory moment with a three-pointer in the final minute of the first overtime to tie the game 57-57, added a driving layup in the second extra period.
Santos and Cheeks shared game-high scoring honors with 18 points each. Smith had 14 points and Key blocked six shots, tying a UD record.
Credit: David Jablonski
Credit: David Jablonski
‘I’m glad I came here’
In a private moment after Saturday’s game, Santos said he felt some trepidation when he debuted with the Flyers two seasons ago:
“It was definitely different coming here (from Pitt.) I was a little nervous when I first started playing here. I was just trying to fit myself in and get the fans to know me.”
He ended up being one of the most popular Flyers, and rightly so.
He is a true student-athlete. He was named to the Academic All-Atlantic 10 team last year and likely will do the same this year.
Unlike at Pitt, he was given a chance to play at UD and he responded.
He’s now started 62 straight games for the Flyers. Last season he averaged 11.7 points and 6.3 rebounds a game. This season he’s averaged 14.3 points and 5.3 rebounds.
Off the court he’s shown himself to be engaging, committed and kind.
“It’s been a great two years,” he said. “I’m glad I came here.”
Sidney, who was scheduled to leave Dayton on Sunday and wouldn’t arrive back in Nairobi until Tuesday, said the same thing after the game.
“Getting to watch Nate and the team dynamic — and hearing how the fans feel about him — was really special.
“I would fly a million times over just to hear how loved and taken care of he is by this community. I’m glad I came here.”
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