Dayton Flyers season preview: Kobe Elvis, Toumani Camara will play big roles again for UD

EDITOR’S NOTE: David Jablonski is counting down to the Dayton men’s basketball season opener on Nov. 7 with 25 pieces (one every day until Nov. 7) previewing the 2022-23 season. This is the 20th story.

Two of the three transfers who signed with the Dayton Flyers in the spring of 2021 will start for the second straight season: Toumani Camara and Kobe Elvis.

Dayton coach Anthony Grant talked about both at Atlantic 10 Conference Media Day on Oct. 3. Here’s a breakdown of what he had to say.

Toumani Camara, 6-foot-8, 220-pound, fourth-year junior forward

Camara, an All-Atlantic 10 Conference third-team selection last season and a preseason second-team pick this season, averaged 10.9 points and 6.9 rebounds in his first season at Dayton after two seasons at Georgia. He is Dayton’s only fourth-year player and its captain.

“My thing with Toumani has always been be great at what you’re good at, and I think he’s embracing that,” Grant said. “I think he’s underrated in terms of what he brings. He’s one of the most experienced guys on our team and one of the most versatile guys in college basketball. I think he’s elite in some areas in terms of what he brings from a defensive standpoint.”

Kobe Elvis, 6-2, redshirt sophomore guard

Elvis averaged 8.9 points in 25.5 minutes per game in his first season at Dayton. He averaged 5.2 points in 20.3 minutes per game in his freshman season at DePaul.

Elvis played point guard in an 80-42 exhibition game victory against Capital University on Saturday, and that will be his role for as long as the returning starter at that position, Malachi Smith, is out with an injury.

“Kobe is one of the more underrated guys in the league in terms of the impact he has on both sides of the ball,” Grant said. “Kobe got great experience last year at the end of the year, with Malachi being injured and not being able to play in the postseason, as the primary ball handler and a guy that had to run the team. That experience, in terms of leadership, was needed. It helped him grow. Physically, he’s added some good muscle to his frame as well. Then he has that experience of going through a season last year and being familiar with our system. I know he went through his freshman year at DePaul, but I think that experience without fans during that COVID year was just different. Last year, really for a lot of the guys, was their first experience in true college basketball.”

DAYTON SEASON PREVIEW

Part 1: Fans dreaming big as always

Part 2: A-10 changes tournament format for first time in years

Part 3: A familiar face returns to A-10

Part 4: KenPom.com’s math likes the Flyers

Part 5: Three new walk-ons join roster

Part 6: Grant, Martin don’t look forward to coaching against each other

Part 7: Ranking difficult of non-conference opponents

Part 8: Free-throw percentage a stat to watch for Flyers

Part 9: UD roster again full of international talent

Part 10: Ranking quality of exempt tournaments

Part 11: How Grant’s first six teams compare