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Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Staten sees the Flyers flourishing next season
Juwan Staten won’t graduate from Oak Hill Academy until May 22, but his mind is already racing ahead to next season with Dayton.
The 5-foot-11 speedster believes the Flyers can have another memorable season, although a lot will hinge on whether All-Atlantic 10 forward Chris Wright returns for his senior season.
“If Chris doesn’t come back, we’re a good enough team with the guys returning and the players coming in to have a great team,” Staten said. “I definitely think we can make the NCAA tournament, that goes without saying. If Chris comes back, we can make a RUN in the NCAA tournament.”
Staten has a close relationship with UD coach Brian Gregory, but Wright also has been a mentor the past couple of years.
“We talk a lot,” Staten said. “He’s been talking to me about little things I need to know coming to college. He says coming to college, you’re looked at as a man. If you have a problem with BG or one of the other coaches, you have to go to them yourself, you can’t go to your parents.
“He said he’ll help me with the process. And if it’s me (that starts), then it’s my team. He said it’d be a big adjustment but that I could do it.”
Oak Hill coach Steve Smith certainly thinks Staten can take over the Flyers from day one.
“He’s good enough. He’s tough enough. He’s got the confidence,” Smith said. “He gets down on himself sometimes, but that’s a good thing. You don’t have to motivate him as a coach. He listens and is very, very coachable. I don’t think it’ll be a big transition.”
