Dayton loses third-leading scorer to transfer portal

Here’s what Amzil wrote to announce his departure:

“To the Flyer Family,

First want to thank the coaching staff for welcoming me as a kid from high school a couple years ago and taking me in to the University of Dayton. Thank you to all the players who I can now call my brothers and the bond that we’ve built that goes beyond basketball.

“Thank you to the amazing fans and the community of Dayton that have cheered me on during my time here and providing me with a home that will always hold a special place in my heart. I will cherish all the memories and relationships I’ve built during my time here.

“My story is still being written and it is time for me to turn the next page in this story. With that being said, I will continue chasing my dreams and goals by entering my name into the transfer portal.”

Amzil picked up immediate interest from a number of schools. According to a report by 24/7 HS Hoops on Twitter, these schools have shown interest in Amzil: Pittsburgh; South Carolina; Utah State; Southern Methodist; DePaul; San Francisco; Memphis; and New Mexico.

With the departure of Amzil, Dayton will have at least three scholarships to work with this spring and probably more depending on the decisions of other players. He is the first UD player to enter the transfer portal since Tyrone Baker and Kaleb Washington in December.

Amzil, a 6-foot-10 forward from Finland, signed with Dayton in November 2020, joined the team that December and scored 22 points in his debut on Dec. 30, 2020, in a 67-65 loss to La Salle at UD Arena.

Amzil averaged 9.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in 19 games as a freshman. He shot 38.2% (26 of 68) from 3-point range.

In his sophomore season, Amzil saw averages drop to 5.6 points and 4.1 rebounds. His 3-pointer percentage fell to 29.5% (28 of 95). He earned a permanent spot in the memories of the Flyer Faithful by making a last-second shot to beat No. 4 Kansas in the semifinals of the ESPN Events Invitational.

Last summer, Amzil talked about his decision to stay at Dayton for a third season.

“Even though last year wasn’t what I expected it to be, I always bet on myself,” Amzil said. “I feel like with my skill set, I can play.”

Amzil did improve in the 2022-23 season. He ranked third on the team in scoring (9.3) and rebounds (4.8) He ranked second in 3-pointers made (45 of 123, 36.6%). He moved in and out of the starting lineup all season but started all three games in the A-10 tournament.

Amzil finished his Dayton career with 700 points. He’s one of 92 players in school history to reach that mark.

Amzil is the 11th player recruited and signed by Dayton coach Anthony Grant and his staff to enter the transfer portal. He’s one of the few who left a starting position at Dayton, and of the players on the list below, none averaged more points than Amzil. Here’s the list of those players, the dates they entered the portal and where they ended up:

• Frankie Policelli, April 10, 2018 (Stony Brook).

• Jhery Matos, March 30, 2018 (Charlotte).

• Luke Frazier, March 22, 2021 (Ohio/John Carroll)

• Dwayne Cohill, April 16, 2021 (Youngstown State)

• Rodney Chatman, March 23, 2021 (Vanderbilt).

• Lynn Greer III, Dec. 27, 2021 (Saint Joseph’s).

• Moulaye Sissoko, March 23, 2022 (North Texas)

•. Elijah Weaver, March 29, 2022 (Chicago State).

• Tyrone Baker, Dec. 19, 2022 (has yet to commit to new school).

• Kaleb Washington, Dec. 20, 2022 (has yet to commit to new school).