Archdeacon: ‘Dayton Strong’ on history-making night for Flyers

Thanks, in a big way, to two bouncers – one a 5-foot-5 bowling ball of might, the other a 6-foot-9 marvel of flight – the Dayton Flyers made history Saturday night at UD Arena.

Both, as the public address announcer intoned about the former early in the second half, are the “essence of Dayton Strong.”

The No. 3 Flyers were uncharacteristically sluggish in the first half of their regular season finale against George Washington, a malaise that was understandable considering the way emotions had been drained before the game.

First there had been the ESPN “College GameDay” spectacle on campus that drew a turn-away crowd to the old Fieldhouse court at the Frericks Center and made UD, as coach Anthony Grant put it later, “the epicenter of college basketball.”

Then, just before the opening tip, there were the heartstring tugs that came with the Senior Night ceremonies as the team prepared to send off Trey Landers and Ryan Mikesell, each playing his last game at UD Arena.

After seven lead changes – and once trailing by seven to the Colonials, who have lost 19 games – UD finally came roaring back in full drive and dunk fashion for an overwhelming 76-51 victory.

In the process they:

• Completed their Atlantic 10 schedule with a perfect 18-0 mark.

•As former player London Warren put it after the game, the also were “undefeated in the crib,” going 17-0 at UD Arena this season.

•Their No. 3 ranking is the highest in program history in 64 years.

•Their 29-2 record is the best ever by a Flyers team.

These milestones were reached, in part, because of Jeremy Ganger and Obi Toppin, the Odd Couple of Flyers conquest Saturday night.

During a timeout at the 15:52 mark of the second half, UD was leading by just two – 35-33 – when the sold-out crowd was surprised by the appearance of Ganger.

The former football player and part-time pro wrestler is the bouncer at Ned Peppers in the Oregon District and was working the door the August night when a gunman with an assault weapon killed nine and wounded 27 in the downtown entertainment district.

As the siege was taking place, Ganger ushered many people into the bar and then physically blocked the doorway as the gunman came running toward the entrance.

There were close to 200 people inside – including several UD students – and there were four Flyers basketball players outside. Landers slipped out the back of the bar and crawled over a fence and Mikesell, Jordy Tshimanga and Jhery Matos were across the street and witnessed the massacre.

As Ganger provided resistance, the gunman was shot and killed by police at the doorway of the bar.

Had it not been for Ganger’s actions the toll on the city and the University of Dayton and the team may have been far different.

UD president Eric Spina and athletics director Neil Sullivan recognized that and asked Ganger to be the Flyers guest Saturday night. He watched the game from a suite and on the court was given a shirt and an autographed ball as the PA announcer saluted his “bravery and courage” and the crowd gave him a loud, standing ovation.

The 42-year-old Ganger waved his arms to get everyone pumped up and, as he’d explain later, get the team to “step it up.”

And, amazingly that’s just what happened.

‘Obi’s different’

Once Ganger left the floor, the Flyers went on a 23-4 run, much of it spurred on by the aggressive play of guard Jalen Crutcher and the jaw-dropping punctuations provided by the other bouncer of the night.

Actually, when Toppin bounces it quickly turns into a high-flying aerial act that culminates with his bag-of-trick dunks.

“Obi’s different,’ back-up guard Dwayne Cohill explained later. “It’s not everyday you see a man go between his legs (and dunk) in a game….And do a 360 (and dunk) …And throw the ball through somebody’s chest (and dunk.)”

Cohill said the affable Toppin leaves opponents reeling:

“You don’t really know what you’re gonna get from Obi. He might be nice to you and then he gets an opportunity to put a highlight tape on you. I’m just gonna start calling him ESPN Obi. Every time he plays. I just want to see an ESPN play.”

Toppin had several Saturday night. In that run he had four dunks, including the spin move, as well as the slam right over GW’s 6-foot-7 freshman Jamison Battle and, finally, the breakaway, take the ball beneath his right leg during midflight and then jam, a play that made the UD players on the bench erupt with delight as Grant laughed and the crowd went nuts.

Saturday’s performance – 27 points, on 11 of 15 shooting, five rebounds, five assists and seven dunks which lifts this season’s total to 107, top in the college game – may have cemented his spot as the national player of the year.

On a similar note, Grant should be named the national coach of the year.

What he’s done – not at a perennial hoops powerhouse, but his beloved alma mater – is extraordinary. He’s collected talented players others had overlooked or let go and then gotten them all to play together unselfishly while paying attention to the intricacies of winning basketball.

Yet, for all the glory Saturday night, there were some tears, too.

This wasn’t just the final home game for Landers and Mikesell, but almost certainly for Toppin, as well.

He’ll be a top five draft pick in the NBA this spring. And while there is plenty of tournament basketball left this season, he seemed hit by the pending goodbyes and for a while draped a towel over his head to hide the tears.

“This was the perfect place for him,” Roni Toppin, Obi’s mom, said as she stood on the court afterward during a net-cutting ceremony that was more like a lovefest between the players and coaches, their families and some former players and fans who joined them.

“Dayton was perfect for my boy. He came here and accomplished all the goals he set out to.”

Then she caught herself and smiled: ”But this year is not finished, I want to go to Atlanta.”

That’s the site of this year’s Final Four.

‘Making history’

Former Flyer Sedric Toney – Grant’s UD teammate and later an NBA player who now lives in Atlanta – thinks Roni Toppin will end up there:

“I think these guys will go all the way to the Final Four…and then, if we get to the final game, we can win it.”

Several former players had come to UD Arena Saturday night to be a part of “making history,” as Crutcher had called it.

Warren, minus his famed dreadlocks, had come from Chicago, where he now lives.

Chris Wright, who has seen his career dunk title at UD topped by Toppin – “I’ve got to admit it, Obi’s the dunk king now,” – joined the festivities, as did his uncle, the Rev. J.D. Grigsby who played for Don Donoher. Keith Waleskowski was there, too, and Derrick Dukes stopped by the media room.

On Thursday three Flyers from the Tom Blackburn era — Pat Allen, Hank Josefczyk and Frank Case — stopped by a Cronin Center practice to meet the players

Former players saluted Toppin’s unselfishness and how it set the tone for the rest of the players who all seem to relish each other’s success.

“You see Coach Grant in this team, you really do,” Toney said. “That’s how he played.”

All the former players seem to appreciate Grant’s leadership of the program:

“It’s so beautiful to see a former player come back and really put UD on the map at the national level and gain the respect it deserves again,” said Dukes.

“Anthony has worn the uniform. He knows the tradition and what it means here.”

Grigsby lauded the way Grant does his job: “He’s a humble guy. He has character and decency and he loves the kids. He teaches them his own way. He doesn’t have to do all that yelling and screaming. He coaches them with love.”

Wright said that was especially important this year when Grant helped his players understand what their winning could mean to the entire city: “They couldn’t erase the pain from the tornadoes and the shooting, but they could ease it for everybody.”

Crutcher – who finished with 21 points Saturday – understands that:

“We knew we had to lift the community up with basketball. There was nothing else that could lift the community up like (that) because they love basketball here.

“And that’s what we did.”

That was evident Saturday especially after the game during the warm and joyous and sometimes tearful communal celebration on the court.

“Just look at this,” Grigsby said quietly. “This is beautiful. Just beautiful. This is, as they say, Dayton Strong.”

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