“Aw,” he said, “they’ll be fine.”
Turns out, Huelsman knew more about this team than I did.
I have to admit I’m a little surprised by the fairly thorough defensive effort from Dayton in its 67-52 season-opening win over Mount St. Mary’s on Saturday.
Perhaps it was the fact that the Flyers were finally playing a game that counted, but they looked much better than they had through most of the preseason.
Even some of the breakdowns, coach Brian Gregory explained afterward, could be excused because the Mountaineers had a new coach and hadn’t played any public scrimmages. A little scouting and advanced knowledge of the opponent, Gregory said, probably would have cut down on a few of the missed assignments.
Another person who wasn’t surprised by the defensive prowess was senior forward Chris Wright.
“We take pride in playing defense,” he said. “It’s embarrassing to get scored on. You can miss shots, but if someone is scoring on you or rebounding over your back, they’re challenging your toughness.”
That’s one thing Gregory’s teams have had the last few seasons: An abundant amount of toughness.
It looks like this edition of the Flyers will have it, too — plus a little boost perhaps on the offensive end.
Mount St. Mary’s coach Robert Burke certainly was impressed.
“The thing about them that makes them dangerous is they’ve got some guys who can shoot it, which will stretch the floor and make their athleticism more explosive,” he said.
The key this season will be the defense, and while it’s too soon to go overboard, that suffocating effort against the Mountaineers certainly was a promising start.
About the Author