The Flyers had “to survive a street fight in the second half”, did it, and came away with a surprise win over undefeated Georgetown on Thanksgiving night.
Kissimmee, FL – Pure pluck. Pure perseverance. Pure positivity. And also any other ‘Ps’ one can come up with to describe what the Dayton Flyers did for Thanksgiving.
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That’s what it took for UD to fend off Georgetown in overtime Thanksgiving Night in the ESPN Events Invitational at Disney World in Kissimmee,
Fla.
After scoring the 84-79 jaw-dropping win, the Flyers meet Brigham Young, the nation’s No. 8-ranked team, for the trophy Friday night.
Hall of fame writer Hal McCoy covers the UD Flyers for Press Pros Magazine.com.
Time and time again it looked as if the Flyers were getting the book closed on them by the 5-and-0 Hoyas, but that book is not on UD’s coffee table.
UD coach Anthony Grant was hoarse after the game, the result of loudly expressing displeasure with some officiating calls. And Georgetown coach Ed Cooley was just as vociferous.
But Grant had voice enough to talk post-game about his team’s gigantic success that pushed the Flyers to 6-and-1.
“We had to gut it out, survive a street fight in the second half,” he said.
Georgetown is a team that beat Kentucky in Lexington a month ago, 84-70.
That, though, was ancient history to the Flyers as they staved off Georgetown comebacks time and time again.
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“I’m just so proud of our guys,” said Grant. “They gave great effort.”
UD opened the game as if rushing to a five-alarm fired and built a 36-21 lead, confusing the Hoyas with a bag stuffed with an assortment of different defenses, including a rare 1-1-3 zone.
But after constructing that 15-point lead, the Flyers went the last four minutes of the half without a field goal and the Hoyas went on a 10-4 run to cut the halftime score to 40-31.
Keonte Jones slam dunked a shot to start the second half and give the Flyers a 42-31 lead, but Georgetown sprinted out on a 13-1 run and grabbed a 44-43 lead with 14 1/2 minutes to play.
It was the Hoyas first lead since 3-1 and a time for less resilent teams to kiss this one good-bye.
“Mr-when-you-need-him”…Dayton’s Javon Bennett ignited late to lead the Dayton Flyers to an overtime win over Georgetown.
But not the ultra-resilient Flyers.
Off they went on a run of their own, a 24-9 sprint to grab another comfortable lead, 67-53, with 5:47 left.
Comfortable? Not this night.
It was run time for Georgetown, a 16-2 eruption that tied it, 69-69 with 35 seconds left.
Javon Bennett missed two game-winning attempts in the dying seconds…and it was a rugged night for the heart and soul of the team.
He finished the night 4 for 19, 2 for 10 from three-point territory…but he would play a big role in the overtime.
Even that looked bad when the Hoyas opened the five-minute extra session with a three by Georgetown star C.J. Lewis. He finished with 19 points, but fouled out in the overtime.
This is when Bennett made his presence felt — a three from the left side to tie it, 72-72.
Enter Jacob Conner, who had played only five of the first 40 minutes. Malik Mack, who scored 24, missed a shot and Conner snagged the rebound.
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Now it was guard Jordan Derkack’s time to shine. And he was a polished apple, sinking two free throws to give the Flyers a 74-72 lead.
Then it was Conner again. Lewis missed a shot and Conner hooked the rebound. Bryson Herd buried a three and UD led 77-72.
From there it was time to make more free throws — Keonte Jones 2 for 2. And with the Hoyas within 81—79, Derkack made one of two for an 82-79 lead with 20 seconds left.
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Mack missed a last-ditch three-point try that would have tied it and Jaiun Simon grabbed the rebound, was fouled, and drilled two free throws to put a lid on it.
Notice anything?
The well-stock UD bench played a major part in this one — Conner with his two gigantic rebounds, Bryce Heard with 12 points in 18 minutes and Malcolm Thomas with six points in 14 minutes.
“Georgetown did a heck of a job, they never gave up,” said Grant. “They kept the fight on. And in the overtime our guys had to gut it out.
“I thought we got some great minutes off the bench,” he added. And indeed they did.
“We got them (minutes) out of Heard and Connor, after not playing any extended minutes in the second half. The guys made plays, they made plays and they made free throws down the stretch,” Grant added.
The Flyers made free throws most of the game — 25 for 32, while Georgetown was 14 for 21.
And the usual starting suspects were part of it. Amael L’Etang, the 7-foot-1 basket patroler, had a season’s best 18 points, six on a pair of downrange threes, and six rebounds.
De’Shaun Montgomery scored 10 in the first 10 minutes and finished with 13. But he injured his ankle missing a dunk late in the game and didn’t play in the overtime.
In three appearances in this event, the Flyers are now 9-1. And with wins over Marquette and Georgetown this season, Grant is 6-0 against Big East teams.
Now he and the Flyers get a shot at the Big 12…Brigham Young after the after the Cougars stopped Miami (Fla.), 72-62, in their semifinal skirmish.
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