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Award-winning columnist Tom Archdeacon — an old-school storyteller in a brand-new venue — writes about sports, the city, southwest Ohio and anything else that catches his fancy… or yours.Home > Blogs > Through the Arch > Archives > 2009 > March > 27 > Entry
blog: UD coaches keep a protective eye on Staten
COLUMBUS — Dayton Flyers head coach Brian Gregory and top assistant Billy Schmidt were sitting courtside at the Schottenstein Center, Friday, as Thurgood Marshall overcame Circleville Logan Elm, 62-53, in overtime.
Certainly the pair are basketball fans and they may be scouting some talent here from around the state, but you can bet — first and foremost — they were keeping a protective eye on Juwan Staten.
The Marshall junior point guard — who UD began recruiting heavily when he was a freshman — made a verbal commitment to the Flyers last year, which means he’d join the UD team in 2010.
Xavier had battled the Flyers tooth and nail for Staten — and several other big time colleges came after him, too — but the 5-foot-11 prep star said Thursday he thought Dayton was “the right fit” for him.
But he also said, “nothing is set in stone” and admitted a few other colleges are still showing considerable interest in him, especially since he hasn’t signed anything yet:
“West Virginia’s still trying to contact me and Ohio State doesn’t do it directly, but they’ve got their sources, same with UC.”
So while Gregory and Schmidt may have been on a little guardian angel duty Friday, they also had to like some of the things they saw from the future Flyer.
While the sometimes-limping Staten did struggle some from the field — going 6 for 12 overall and 0 for 3 from three-point range — he controlled the game when finally given the chance in overtime, drove, dished off well and was a perfect 12 for 12 from the free throw line for the day.
For a Flyers team that struggled from the stripe this past season, a kid like him would be a godsend.
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