Three 2021 recruits make future bright for Dayton Flyers

The commitments of Malachi Smith, DaRon Holmes and Kaleb Washington, all of whom signed in November, lifted Dayton’s 2021 recruiting class to No. 23 in the nation, according to 247Sports.com. If you include Mustapha Amzil, who joined the team in December, in the 2021 class, the group ranks 16th, according to Rivals.com.

Fans who can’t wait to see Smith, Holmes and Washington next season will want to know how they’re doing this season in their final months of high school. Here’s an update from three people who know them well:

• Smith: The first player from the 2021 class to commit to Dayton in August, Smith, a 6-foot guard, will get to play an eight-week season with his high school, the St. Raymond School for Boys in Bronx, N.Y. New York allowed high school sports to resume Feb. 1.

Though high school sports were shut down across the state in the fall, St. Raymond players were able to play in one preseason league, the Gauchos Roundball Classic, before that happened and Smith was named MVP of the event.

Since then, Smith has had access to a gym, his dad Elliot Rosado said, and has worked on improving his skills and his body. He hasn’t played in a game since the fall. The return of high school basketball gives him that opportunity. He’s also 250 points away from the 1,000-point milestone.

Last season, St. Raymond reached the final four of the Catholic High School Athletic Association tournament only to have the event cancelled because of the pandemic. Rosado said Smith’s main goal this season is winning the city championship with St. Raymond, which be a favorite along with Stepinac, which features Duke recruit AJ Griffin.

Griffin is the top-ranked player in the state, according to 247Sports.com, and Smith ranks third.

“They’ll be battling for pretty much everything this year,” Rosado said. “The city championship and New York state player of the year.”

When Smith has worked out on his own, he’s followed a plan sent to him by the Dayton coaches. Smith is also friends with North Carolina freshman R.J. Davis, who sent him his workout plan.

“He’s been doing a lot of college stuff,” Rosado said. “We’re trying to keep him in that mentality.”

Rosado said he and Smith watch every Dayton game, and it’s been an exciting season to watch despite the ups and downs of the Flyers.

“The injuries, the pandemic situation, I’m going to be honest, I think coach (Anthony) Grant has done a great job considering the circumstances,” Rosado said.

• Holmes: The highest-ranked prospect to pick Dayton in this century, Holmes moved from Montverde Academy to Arizona Compass Prep in early January. He’s still playing for one of the top prep teams in the country — Compass Prep moved to No. 2 in the Max Preps top 25 last week, while Montverde is No. 1 — but now he’s living at home instead of across the country in Florida.

Holmes, a 6-8 forward, is averaging just over 15 points and 8 rebounds per game since joining Compass Prep, which is located in Chandler, Ariz.

“He’s been playing great,” said Pete Kaffey, Compass Prep’s program director. “DaRon is a great kid, a high character kid, a kid who plays with a tremendous motor, who cares about his teammates. We’re blessed to have him. He’s been a great addition to our team. Since joining us, he’s leading our team in rebounding and blocked shots.”

Holmes ranks 36th in the 2021 class, according to Rivals.com. One of his teammates, Creighton recruit Ty Ty Washington, ranks 32nd. Junior Sadraque Nganga ranks 18th in the 2022 class.

Compass Prep went 2-1 in the Montverde Academy Invitational last weekend, losing to the hosts, Holmes’ former team, 76-65 in overtime. Compass Prep then beat No. 5 Oak Hill Academy (Va.) 78-51 and No. 2 Sunrise Christian Academy (Kan.) 50-47. Compass Prep climbed eight spots in the rankings after those two victories.

“Defensively, we get after it,” Kaffey said. “That’s one of DaRon’s strengths. Dayton is getting a kid who can guard multiple positions, who can probably guard all five positions on the court. He just fits perfectly in what we do. We asked him to run the floor. He runs the floor super hard. We asked him to be a rim protector and be help side, and when we help, he’s always in position to make a play on the ball. He’s cleaning up, getting offensive rebounds.”

Holmes didn’t get to visit Dayton during the recruiting process because of the pandemic but may get to see campus when Compass Prep plays in a tournament in Dayton in early March.

• Washington: The third 2021 recruit to commit to Dayton, Washington did get to visit campus, though he was unable to meet with the coaches in person because of recruiting restrictions. He announced his choice two days after Holmes did in late October.

Washington, a 6-7 forward who ranks 98th in the 2021 class, according to Rivals.com, transferred from Pebblebrook High School to nearby Wheeler High School for his senior year and has fit in well, Wheeler coach Larry Thompson said.

“He’s been as good as I thought he was,” Thompson said. “He’s really matured in a couple of different places. I didn’t know he was that good of a defender. He has shown he can be a good wing defender or three-position defender as well as a really strong rebounder because of his athleticism and size. He’s been good. The sky’s the limit for that kid. He’s going to need to change his body a little bit, get in the weight room and pack on a couple pounds. Once he does that, the level of coaching and the level of quality guys around him, he’s going to fit in great.”

Wheeler (19-4) ranks first in Georgia in Class 6A and No. 32 in the Max Preps national rankings.

Washington had 14 points and five rebounds Friday in an 81-57 victory on the road against Osborne. He’s averaging 15.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

“We have five guys hovering between 10 and 16 a game,” Thompson said. “We’re kind of balanced this year, which is how I like it. He’s staring at a double-double, which is pretty impressive. I tell people all the time the things you do that impact winning don’t always show up on the stat sheet, but we are a stat-driven community and like to know those stats. He’s contributed in a big-time way.”