Dayton’s leading scorer invited to prestigious pre-draft showcase

According to the tournament website, “Every year since 1953, the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament has invited 64 senior college basketball players from across the nation to compete before professional scouts. Eight teams of eight players play a 12 game tournament over 4 days, with each player hoping to reach their dreams of becoming a professional basketball player.

“Over the years, the P.I.T. has welcomed players that are now household names, like Rick Barry, Earl ‘The Pearl’ Monroe, Dave Cowens, Scottie Pippen, Tim Hardaway, Dennis Rodman, Jimmy Butler and more.”

Two other former Atlantic 10 Conference players received invitations Thursday: Max Shulga, who was the A-10 Player of the Year as a fifth-year guard at Virginia Commonwealth in 2025; and Ace Baldwin Jr., who was the A-10 Player of the Year as a junior at VCU in 2023 before playing his last two seasons at Penn State.

Santos, a 6-foot-7 forward from Geneva, Ill., played the last two seasons at Dayton after playing two seasons at Pittsburgh. He led Dayton with 14.3 points per game as a senior this past season. He ranks 72nd in UD history with 872 points.

Santos is the first Flyer to receive an invitation to the Portsmouth Invitational since Toumani Camara in 2023. Camara scored 27 points in his first game at the event. He was drafted in the second round that June.

Prior to Camara, the last Flyers to play in the Portsmouth Invitational were Scoochie Smith and Charles Cooke in 2017. Dyshawn Pierre played in the Portsmouth Invitational in 2016. Jordan Sibert also received an invitation in 2015 but was unable to participate because of an injury.

Brian Roberts played in the event in 2008 after his final season at Dayton and said, “It’s intense. You’ve got guys playing for their careers and their lives. It’s definitely not like playing for a conference championship in college.”

Negele Knight (1990), Ryan Perryman (1998) and Kevin Dillard (2013) are among the other Flyers who have played in the Portsmouth Invitational.