Dayton Public Schools halted all classes, as well as athletics, for a six-week period that ended on Jan. 4 because of COVID-19. Athletic teams were permitted to practice starting the week of Dec. 28.
First-year coach Anthony Dixon Jr., a 2006 Dunbar graduate, had two weeks with his team before the first game.
“We’re having fun together. That’s the main thing,” Dixon said. “I think we’re playing good team basketball. I think we still got room to grow but for the most part they’re buying in and having fun with each other and playing good team basketball.
“I don’t think we’re where we need to be conditioning-wise, but I think we’re good enough to play a full game.”
Helping ease the transition into Dixon’s first season are nine seniors, led by Chanze Amerson and Justin O’Neal. They’re joined by DaShaun Huffman, Dimitri Jackson, Shamare Jones, Dashawn Lathern, Gregory Packnett, Gordon Ross and Josh Williams.
Sophomore Antone Allen, a transfer from Belmont, has given the Wolverines a boost, too.
Dixon coached the current seniors when they were freshmen at Dunbar. He later coached at Thurgood Marshall before returning to the Wolverines
“With a new team it kind of helps those kids have been in the program for four years,” Dixon said. “Even though I’m a new coach and it’s a new direction, they understand the Dunbar tradition and the Dunbar way. That’s helped me get the players to buy into the program.”
Dixon certainly knows about that Dunbar tradition. He was teammates with standouts Daequan Cook, Norris Cole, Mark Anderson, Antoine Sain and Aaron Pogue, among others. Pogue is one of Dixon’s assistant coaches, along with Pierre Williams, Jaron Brooks and Dwayne Hansbro.
The Wolverines tried to bolster team chemistry through Zoom workouts. Players also spent time at the downtown YMCA, and other courts they could find still open, working on their own with no official practices permitted while DPS was idle.
The Dayton City League is playing a DCL-dominated schedule with the later start, with a few other schools sprinkled in. One of Dunbar’s bigger challenges comes Saturday with Cincinnati Woodward, which received votes in this week’s Associated Press poll for Division II. Dunbar win’s so far have come against Ponitz, Thurgood Marshall (twice), Belmont, Winton Woods, Stivers and Meadowdale.
“I really didn’t know what to expect coming off a short two weeks of practice. I knew we could be good,” Dixon said. “My main thing was just trying to get them to buy into the culture and the program and my coaching philosophy.
“It was very tough (not playing). I’d go watch a couple Springfield games and I just wanted to get a feel what it would look like. Yeah, it was very tough watching other teams play. It made me anxious to get out there, for sure. The kids definitely appreciate it more. They definitely understand it can be taken away by the pandemic like that. They’re more upbeat. They’re very excited.”
West Carrollton surging: A four-game winning streak, including two victories over Sidney, has put the Pirates atop the Miami Valley League’s Valley Division.
West Carrollton is 10-3 overall and 10-3 in the MVL. Sidney is 7-5 both overall and MVL.
Javen Vaughn scored 22 points, Stanley Shrivers had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Jye’Ton Howard added 14 points in West Carrollton’s 72-66 win on Wednesday.
Allen Lattimore led the Pirates with 23 points in a 62-58 win over the Yellow Jackets on Jan. 18. Sam Walker added 14 points and Trey Dennis 12 off the bench.
MBC battle: Troy Christian (11-5 overall, 7-1 Metro Buckeye Conference) hosts Legacy Christian (11-3, 6-1) in a key conference matchup.
The teams met Dec. 18 with Legacy Christian holding on for a 35-34 victory.
Sectional seeding starts: The seeding process for the sectional tournament by area coaches starts Sunday. Coaches have until Feb. 3 to enter their team record and comments for consideration on the OHSAA website. The voting window is open from Feb. 4-6 and coaches meet on Feb. 7 at various sites or through a virtual meeting to determine the brackets.
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