Hansgen enters his 40th season as the voice of the Flyers on WHIO Radio. He remains close to UD basketball legend Bucky Bockhorn, his longtime partner on broadcasts through the 2018-19 season, but his on-air analysts these days are Waleskowski and Hall, the two former Dayton teammates who rank 21st (1,515 points) and 25th (1,404) respectively on the program’s all-time scoring list.
In recent seasons, Hansgen, Waleskowski and Hall have shared their thoughts on the Flyers in the preseason. They did so again in early October — before the Malachi Smith injury cast a bit of a shadow over the start of the season. They’re always optimistic but also realistic. None were willing to go as far as ESPN analyst Mark Adams, who in early October predicted Dayton will play Houston in the NCAA championship game next March.
Here’s what the Dayton experts had to say about one of the most-anticipated seasons in recent memory. It all starts Monday with a game against Lindenwood University at UD Arena.
On the team’s potential
Hall: At some point this season, they’ll crack the top 10, and in wins and losses, I have them at 25-plus. ... This team has a chance to be really good, but that’s kind of a captain obvious statement. On paper, they look really good, but it’s the little things that I’m seeing that could hold them back that I’m happy with. They’re ahead of the game in leadership. The leadership looks good — and their competitiveness. Those guys were going at it. They got chippy at the workout (he saw in early October). They were going at it verbally. Sometimes you’ve almost got to come to blows with your teammate. That’s how you push each other. I saw a little bit of that. Those are the type of things that made me feel better. We may not see any lapses like we saw early last season.
Hansgen: A lot of people have asked me what I think, what I expect, and the word I use is special. I think this team can be special. When I say special, I mean in what they can accomplish: wins; championships; NCAA tournament; deep runs; things like that. But I think the other way in which they’re going to be special is that relationship with the fans. This is just a really likable team. The fans are really going to enjoy this team from that standpoint as much as the wins and losses. We got glimpses of it last year. Deuce (DaRon Holmes II) and Malachi (Smith) are the main instigators, if you will, of that. Last year, there was an over-and-back call, and Deuce is at midcourt, mimicking what the officials would do. Then he’s picking up Brady Uhl and carrying him around after a game. We just saw the beginnings of that last year. Obviously, they’ve got talent. But I’ve been around them in the summer and early in the fall, and they’ve got a chip on their shoulder. I think they really do. A lot of folks are probably worried about all these preseason expectations. Can they live up to it? I think they’re still upset they came within a game of being in the tournament last year. I think that’s motivating them. They’re like, ‘We just need to win one more game? Well, let’s go out and make sure that doesn’t happen again.’ So I think that they’ve got the right attitude to go along with the amount of talent.
On expectations
Hall: This fan base, it’s hungry. Now much is given, much is expected. We’ve got a rabid fan base, but they’ll let you if you’re not living up to what they think you should be. So hopefully the guys are mentally tough enough. Are they gonna be able to handle adversity? When the energy in the building isn’t there because they’re not playing well, the great teams are the teams who can respond within two or three minutes. They don’t let those spans go on 10 to 12 minutes. Are they going to be mentally tough enough to do that? Because they’re going to get everybody’s best shot. They’re starting with the bull’s eye on their back. It is hard to be the hunted. It’s easier to hunt. Those are going to be some of the challenges, but I think they’re ready.
Waleskowski: They all seem very humble. I don’t think seeing their name in the paper or seeing their name on TV is necessarily the motivation for these guys. I think the motivation is from within — just wanting to do good for their teammates, wanting to hold up their end of the deal and come out and perform. They seem like they genuinely enjoy playing basketball. They all get along. They’re all buds, and you don’t want to let any of your buds down when you’re out on the court. They do a good job of blocking out the noise, and I think Anthony does a good job of helping to filter some of that stuff and keeping them grounded.
On lessons learned last season
Waleskowski: They were learning Anthony (Grant), learning the system, learning each other, learning how each other plays, what works for them individually and kind of how to put it all together. I think they were really, really close by the time the last quarter of the season rolled around. You saw those growing pains. We knew that was going to happen last year. We knew there were going to be growing pains. We didn’t necessarily think that we would lose three buy games, but there’s lessons to be learned in that. I think each one of these guys — and I’m sure the coaches are echoing the same thing — learned that at this level you can’t underestimate any opponent. You have to come ready to play your best every single night, and if it’s not working for you, how do you continue to be effective? I think there were a lot of underlying lessons that they learned last year more than just dribbling, shooting passing and where do I go on this particular play. I think that’s going to pay off huge dividends this year for these guys.
On the comparisons to the 2019-20 team that won 29 games
Waleskowski: I think that’s going to be the bar that we compare everybody to moving forward, and that’s an extreme bar to set. That team (before the Maui Invitational), they won their games, but it wasn’t pretty. They were figuring each other out. By the time that team got to Hawaii, it was like, ‘Alright, it’s time to let these horses run.’ The rest of the season, they just took off. There was game planning, prepping, making sure that they’re healthy and their minds were in the right spot, but it was, ‘Let them run.’ I feel as though this team is going to have a little bit of that in them as well. It might not be completely their identity. They don’t have a single individual that’s as dominant as Obi (Toppin) was. But collectively, top to bottom, the skill level on this team is probably better than that team. The individuals have talent. They’re not just good role players. They’re good at a number of a number of different things.
On how Dayton was able to keep its roster mostly intact in the age of the transfer portal:
Hansgen: I think it speaks to the culture that coach Grant has has created within the framework of the university itself. Guys have a sense of belonging. Some people would wonder why a guy like Zimi (Nwokeji) would still be here after getting such little playing time last year and having everyone that was taking his time returning, but I just think there’s a guy who loves being a Flyer. One of the assistant coaches, Darren Hertz, maybe described it best. He said, ‘Their strength is their camaraderie. They’re all best friends. Every one of these guys when they get married, every every other member of the team will be at that wedding. They’re just they’re just that close.’
On what improvements this team needs to make
Waleskowski: I would just say consistency. The level at which they play needs to be consistent. The decision making and the IQ, reading defenses, being able to digest what’s in front of them and make a quick decision and capitalize on that, that needs to be consistent. While they want to play a little bit faster, the things that are coming at them should start to slow down a little bit this year, meaning that they’re adjusting to the game better. That just needs to be consistent from the beginning of the game to the end of the game during crunch time, whether it’s a nationally-ranked team, whether it’s a championship game, a tournament final, or whether it’s a buy game where you’re favored to win by 25 points, there can’t be any let-up in what we do.
On sophomore slumps
Hall: With Malachi, with me, I’m like, ‘OK, was that a fluke? To be that good as a freshman.’ I experienced that. I had a really good freshman year, and then I had a subpar sophomore year, what you would call a sophomore slump. That’s what happens, right? What makes that happen? Well, now you find yourself at the top of people’s scouting reports. You sneak up on people as a freshman, but when you have a big freshman year, now you’re a key contributor and there’s game film on you from last year. So that slows some people down. It is not going to slow down Malachi and DaRon.
On Smith
Hall: Malachi has taken his game to another level. People were asking about his jump shot. Well, guess what? Yeah, it’s improved. But he’s so good. His feel for the game and playing with tempo and getting into the paint, you can’t stop him at what he does anyway. So everybody that’s like, ‘Man, he’s just got to learn to shoot. Well, yeah, he needs to improve his shooting. But you can’t stop him getting into the paint, no matter how much you back off. He knows how to use pick and roll. He plays with the poise and craftiness of a seasoned senior already.
On Holmes
Hall: Everybody said he had an amazing year and the sky’s the limit, but is he going to be able to improve physically? Well, guess what? He put on like 20 pounds of muscle, and you can see it. If there was a flaw in his game, it was going to be his strength and physicality. He addressed that, so I don’t see how you stop him. Everything he did last year was just off of hard work and a feel for the game. Now he knows what he’s doing. He’s physically tougher. Everything that people were projecting for him in terms of player of the year and all that is absolutely warranted.
Waleskowski: The game will start to slow down for him a little bit this year. Even with that being said, he developed a name for himself and everybody knows who he is, so he’s going to see all different types of defenses this year. People are going to play him different ways. But I’m sure he’s been working all summer long at how to adjust and how to adapt and getting bigger, stronger, faster and quicker and adding new facets to his game.
On guard Kobe Elvis
Hall: Kobe has taken his game to another level — not only physically but even mentally. He’s showed some leadership qualities. Kobe has stepped up from what I saw (at practice).
On freshman Mike Sharavjamts
Hansgen: The guy can play. He just knows how to play the game. The only thing that’s going to hold him back — and it’ll be a short curve — is just the physical aspect. He obviously needs a year in the weight room.
Hall: I think Mike legitimately can play the one through the three. I was hesitant to say he can play point guard because people don’t understand that true transition from high school. Playing point at the high school level to playing it at the high Division I level is a big difference. Everybody can’t do that. So I was waiting to see him, and he can play the one at this level — like spot minutes as a backup. His IQ, his passing ability is off the charts. He’s way more athletic than people even realize. He’s one of the more athletic guys on the team, which says a lot because this team very athletic. He can shoot it. He can defend. I was worried to see how he would defend, but he’s got a good defensive IQ. That’s what holds freshmen back from playing. Like Kaleb Washington, he’s is as offensively gifted as anybody but what held him back was his defense. Mike has an advanced defensive IQ, so you don’t have to hide him defensively as a freshman, which is a luxury.
On general excitement about the start of the season:
Hansgen: In my 40 years, this is the nicest group, top to bottom. These are just really good guys. It’s hard to not pull for good people. You want good things to happen to good people. That’s what makes me excited about this team.
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
Part 12: The rising star of DaRon Holmes II
Part 13: How rare is returning five starters?
Part 14: Is NCAA tournament expansion coming?
Part 15: A short history of UD injuries
Part 16: A closer look at recruiting
Part 17: Dayton’s deep connection to New York
Part 18: Scouting UD’s first four opponents
Part 19: Three 2020 recruits enter Year 3
Part 20: Transfers will again play big roles
Part 21: Nwokeji could have bigger role in third season
Part 22: Update on former Flyers
Part 23: Ten fun facts about 2022-23 season
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