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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 > 2011 > November > 15 > Entry
Dayton Flyers done in by Bill Edwards….again!
OXFORD - Well, Bill Edwards did it again to the Dayton Flyers.
It was almost 22 years ago, when Edwards - a Wright State freshman from Carlisle High - scored 25 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead the Raiders to a 101-99 victory over Dayton at UD Arena in the second Gem City Jam.
Tuesday night it was Bill Edwards Jr. - playing his first game ever for the Miami RedHawks - who came off the bench, scored 14 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and blocked two shots to help his team overcome an eight-point deficit and defeat the mistake-prone Flyers 72-67 in overtime at Millet Hall.
Bill Jr’s night is the topic of my column in Wednesday’s newspaper, but here are a few things that were said about him after the game.
“He carried us the first half,” said Julian Mavunga, Miami’s senior leader who was held to two points prior to intermission, but finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds. “ I have to give him credit. A lot of guys who don’t start, pout and think ‘I don’t have to play hard.’ But he realized it doesn’t matter when you come in, you just have to be ready.”
As Miami coach Charlie Coles put it afterward: “Bill did a good job tonight. He has a lot of savvy. I said before, if he does it right, if he becomes a student of the game, he’s going to be a hard guy to guard.
“He can shoot outside. He kind of reminds me of Mark Aguirre. I’m not talking ability-wise, I’m talking style of play. He’s like the college Mark Aguirre. Or (Adrian) Dantley. A guy who can play inside-outside. In the first half he gave us some buckets we weren’t going to get unless he got them.”
After starring at Middletown High, Bill. Jr. - who is now 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds — went to Penn State for a season, started five games, played in almost all the rest, averaged 16 minutes a game and then transferred to Miami and had to sit out a season to meet NCAA rules for switching schools.
After graduating from Wright State - where he remains the all-time career scorer - Bill. Sr. played a few games for the Philadelphia 76ers, played a season in the CBA and then had a stellar 12-year career in Europe, playing for teams in Italy, Germany, France, Greece, Israel and Spain.
Asked who would win a one-on-one game, the Bill Edwards of those glory years a decade or two past or the kid at Miami now, Bill Jr. laughed: “He might be generous and say I’d get him, but I watched those old tapes of him playing and saw his athleticism and I’d have to put my dad ahead of me right now. He had three or four league MVPs.”
Bill Sr. - now 40 — laughed when he heard the question: “Hey, I beat him the last time we played not too long ago.”
As for the Flyers, they seem to be taking the old “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” approach:
UD is looking at Bill Sr.’s other son, Vincent Edwards, a 6-foot-6 sophomore at Middletown High.
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By Raoul
November 17, 2011 5:28 PM | Link to this
The Flyers controlled the whole game and only lost it at the end. No disgrace losing at Miami to a Coles coached team. But, they will have to play a whole lot better to finish 8-8 in A-10 play. I would like to see Paul Williams average 18 pts per game. He has a real knack for scoring and should be the go to guy. He has earned it.
By FlyerFan
November 17, 2011 8:33 AM | Link to this
Uh oh. Miami is horrible. Dayton got beat by Miami. Ummm…unfortunately, both Miami and Dayton are horrible. Still love the Flyers, but no need to get upset this year. This is a bad team.
By Ghost of Flyers Past
November 16, 2011 9:51 PM | Link to this
It appears that Kevin Dillard and the other guards are too slow on defense as they are consistently getting beat off of the dribble. They never should have let Staten go. Also, in fairness to UD, there were several foul calls on contested shots that were very questionable that seemed to always go Miami’s way.
By Friend of a friend
November 16, 2011 4:47 PM | Link to this
Vince told me no way coming to U of D.
By Wayne
November 16, 2011 4:26 PM | Link to this
The game was settled because Kevin Dillard did the best impersonation of Rob Lowery that we have seen in a couple of years. He forgot the unselfish pass oriented team ball and decided that he was going to win the game by himself==funny the guy that Miami could not stop was not given the ball nor a play run for him in the last 10 minutes. Paul Williams was stroking it and when one of the small guards was playing him==he should have been posted===that did not happen==KD dribbled until he lost the ball or put up an ill fated shot. That was the reason UD lost (there were some questionable calls in the end that favored Miami)but the reason they lost is because KD forgot his role.
By pryor
November 16, 2011 9:16 AM | Link to this
hey arch, how come you are avoiding the scandal at psu???
By BIG UNK
November 16, 2011 8:50 AM | Link to this
And the good people/UD fans were kind of upset that nephew (Andre Yates) didn’t sign letter with UD! But I understand why they needed him all the stupid turnovers from the guard play in this game. I am not hatin on UD because I grew up in Dayton OH loving the Flyers in the Donoher era. Just hasn’t been the same. Anyway glad nephew chose Creighton and for his Dunbar HS teammate (Hawkins)take a good look before you sign.
By sec 312
November 16, 2011 8:43 AM | Link to this
I thought it was a mistake to have CJ guarding Jr. You knew he was going to shoot or try to shoot every time he had the ball. That was bad match up. Second half CJ had 2 fouls and yet he was still on him. No shame in losing at Miami. We still have most of the same players as last year, not much has changed.
By Rudy
November 16, 2011 8:24 AM | Link to this
UD is the flagship of the A-10. Our victory over Western Illinois is the best win in the A-10 so far this year.
By Xavier Dave
November 16, 2011 8:21 AM | Link to this
If Vincent Edwards is any good, he should be able to play at a better school than ud. ud is a pathetic school.
By Jughead
November 16, 2011 8:14 AM | Link to this
Someone suggested that UD could still hire Bruce Pearl. Fire ARCHIE NOW!!!!!
By 68 - 34
November 16, 2011 7:47 AM | Link to this
Miami will be playing a real school in their next game. Seriously, UD is a J-O-K-E and an embarrassment to the A-10.
By Rudy Flyer
November 16, 2011 2:53 AM | Link to this
Yo Jimmie Turnovers don’t mean jack unless the opponent scores which Edwards did. Getting to the line is a result of Miami playing good defense. UD has had a problem winning at Miami for years and it was no different tonight,
By jimmie
November 16, 2011 12:34 AM | Link to this
Hey Arch - Did you watch the same game I did tonight? Forget Edwards, it was 22 turnovers and not getting to the line that did in the Flyers.