What: First-year member of Premier Basketball League
Home court: James S. Trent Arena, Kettering
Coaches: Ron Ekker, head coach; Matt Sylvester, Steve Mergelsberg, assistants
Tickets: TBA
Website: daytonairstrikers.com
Schedule
Dec. 31 at Rochester
Jan. 6 at Saint John
Jan. 11 Rochester
Jan. 12 Kentucky
Jan. 15 at Vermont
Jan. 18 Quebec
Jan. 19 Halifax
Jan. 22 at Quebec
Jan. 30 at Kentucky
Feb. 4 at Halifax
Feb. 15 Lawton
Feb. 16 Saint John
Feb. 20 at Kentucky
Feb. 22 Vermont
Feb. 24 at Lawton
Feb. 26 at Rochester
March 8 Kentucky
March 13 at Lawton
March 22 Rochester
March 23 Lawton
KETTERING — Matt Sylvester, the former Cincinnati Moeller High School basketball player, knows he might hear a boo or two as he makes his return to basketball with the Dayton Air Strikers.
That’s fine with the Air Strikers’ assistant coach, whose last-second tip-in beat Beavercreek in the Division I regional final in 1999.
“I was used to it when I (played in Dayton),” said a smiling Sylvester. “I welcome all boos. As long as they’re in the stands, I’m happy.”
That’s one of the challenges the newest member of the Premier Basketball League faces — filling the James S. Trent Arena for its 10 home games.
The Air Strikers, the first pro basketball team in Dayton since the Jets of the International Basketball League in 2005, plan to make basketball an affordable, family-friendly event with entertaining halftime shows — ranging from comedy acts to dance performances — to go along with quality basketball.
“We want to make sure we’re involved with the local schools. We want to make sure we’re involved with the community organizations,” said Air Strikers President Anthony Byrd. “We want to be able to showcase them through our venue. We want this to be the city’s team.”
The Air Strikers — who recently selected former University of Dayton guard Marcus Johnson in the league’s entry draft — also have competition from a Dayton entry in the American Basketball Association. That team, owned by Dayton native Clarence Razor, also starts play in December.
Both will attempt to outdo the Dayton Wings (1991-92) and the Jets, who while successful on the court — the Wings won the World Basketball League title in 1991 and the Jets reached the championship game in their lone season — fell victim to the WBL folding and financial struggles, respectively.
“One of the reasons we decided to choose the PBL is it’s a new league, it’s a healthy league and they are starting to get national exposure from the NBA,” Byrd said. “People say all the time we need more entertainment, we need more things to do. I think the community as a whole will embrace this because we are going to feature as many local groups as possible. Anything we can do to get the schools and kids involved. ... We just felt it was time to bring a team to Dayton.”
The Air Strikers — coached by former Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic assistant coach Ron Ekker — selected Livingstone College’s Tayloe Taylor with the first overall pick in the entry draft on Oct. 28 and added Johnson in the second round. Jake Sottos, who has ABA experience, is also on the roster.
The team plans to hold tryouts on Dec. 10-12 to fill out the rest of the 10-man roster.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2400, ext. 6991, or gbilling@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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