Javon Bennett once again was the go-to guy. (Press Pros Feature Photos By Julie Wright-Daniel)
‘The Three Basketeers,’ Javon Bennett, Jordan Derkack and Keonte Jones all did their individual things, the things they do the best, to lead the University of Dayton Flyers to a 68-63 win over St. Bonaventure in the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament quarterfinals, moving them into Saturday’s semifinals against Saint Louis.
Pittsburgh, PA. — There is Johnny-on-the-spot, but for the University of Dayton basketball team it is Javon-on-the-spot.
Hall of famer Hal McCoy writes UD Flyer basketball exclusively for Press Pros Magazine.com.
Whenever the Flyers need a lift, they dial ‘0,’ Javon Bennett’s uniform number and he answers on the first ring.
And it happens game after game after game. Who ya gonna call? Javon Bennett.
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It happened again Friday afternoon in the PPG Paints Arena during UD’s takedown of St. Bonaventure, 68-63, in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament.
It earned the fourth-seeded Flyers a semifinal slot Saturday afternoon against top-seeded Saint Louis, against whom UD split two games this season.
Bennett, a 5-10 point guard who gets the point and scores when needed, zipped in game-high 27 points on 8 for 12 shooting, 6 for 10 from threeland and 5 of 6 from the foul line.
Jordon Derkack knows how to get fouled.
And it was not just the fact he scored 27 points, it was when, it was the timelines.
His last basket was highlight reel stuff. The Flyers led, 61-57, with 3:49 left. This time it wasn’t a long-range missile. Bennett drove across the lane, spun in a 360° whirl-a-round and laid in a dagger lay-up.
“The defender cut me off, so I hit him with a secondary move,” said Bennett. “It was just natural for me to do that.”
It’s natural for Bennett to do the unnatural and make it look natural, especially his penchant for bottoming out three-point shots.
After Bennett’s 360 was almost a 999 ending for the Bonnies, Jordan Derkack, the man who can’t be kept off the foul line, took control. He drove for the basket time and time again and Saint Bonaventure whacked him time and time again.
He scored UD’s final five points, 5 for 5 from the line, to keep the Bonnies at arm’s length.
Amaël L’Etang, who produced a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds, and Bennett hit back-to-back threes to lift UD to a quick 6-0 lead.
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Then here is what ‘Count On Me’ Bennett did the rest of the way.
The Bonnies led, 13-10. Bennett buried a three to tie it, 13-13
The score was 15-15. Bennett buried a three for an 18-15 lead.
Keonte Jones looks for a teammate.
The score was 22-22. Bennett buried a three for a 25-22 lead.
The Flyers fell behind, 37-35, early in the second half. Bennett buried a three for a 38-37 lead.
The score was 44-44. Bennett buried a three for a 47-44 lead.
The Flyers led, 52-49. Bennett drove the lane for a rare two and a 54-49 UD lead. UD’s biggest lead of the game was six early in the game.
Saint Bonaventure came back to within two on a layup by Darryl Simmons II. But he was whistled for taunting and guess who stepped to the line to bury two free throws.
If you said anybody but Javon Bennett, you obviously were kidding or not paying attention.
Then Bennett and Derkack, former teammates at Merrimack University, guided the Flyers home.
As Bennett always keeps the Flyers on course, Derkack has the knack in the closing minutes to find his way to the foul line and put the game away with free throws.
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“When I’m in the game, all I can think about is trying to win, all we preach is let’s figure out how to win this game,” said Derkack. “In that case, I thought getting fouled and getting to the free throw line was the best way for us to win.”
It has been the best way to win several times this season as the Flyers pushed their record to 22-10.
Amaël L’Etang recorded another double-double.
The third member of this Three Basketeers group on this day was Keonte Jones, whose specialty is making the other team’s best player wish he was playing against any other guy named Jones.
Keonte’s modus operandi is denying a player the ball and when he does get it he has about one-tenth of a second to get a shot off.
St. Bonaventure star Frank Mitchell, 6-foot-8 and 300 pounds of sinew, scored 12 points in the first half. Jones said, “That’s enough,” and held him to four in the second half.
Of more significance, Mitchell leads the nation in offensive rebounds and he came up with zero on this day against the Flyers.
And late in the game on a St. Bonaventure breakaway, Andrew Osasuyi went up for a slam dunk. The only thing he slammed was his thumb on the rim because Jones, following the play, blocked the dunk.
Blocked the dunk? How do you block a dunk?
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The only time Dayton has won the Atlantic 10 tournament was 2003, when it was held at UD Arena. Other than that, no matter the venue — Pittsburgh, Atlantic City, Brooklyn — the Flyers rarely advanced beyond the quarterfinals.
Now it is on to the semifinals after Saint Louis was 21 points down to George Washington in the first half in their quarterfinal only to come back and win, 88-81.
Jaiun Simon chases a loose ball.
Of his penchant for showing up in the right place at the right time, Bennett said he realizes just when his team needs him the most.
“Yeah, I’ve always had that chip on my shoulder,” he said. “The coaches and my guys have great confidence in me and I take pride in that. Whenever they need me to step up, I’m always willing to do that.”
And Derkack knows how his buddy Bennett carries the Flyers on his slight and slim shoulders.
“He was massive for us today, especially in the first half keeping us alive,” he said. “We were in a rough patch early in the first half and he just kept us alive.
“To be two places (Merrimack, Dayton) with him, we’ve won a lot of games together,” Derkack added. “I’m proud of him and the work I see every day and happy that it is paying off for him.”
De’Shayne Montgomery doing a behind the back pass towards the basket.
And it is paying off for the Flyers as they try to continue their season after recording their seventh win in their last eight games.
UD coach Anthony Grant was cognizant of the fact neither team played pristine basketball.
The Bonnies were playing their third game in three days and perhaps were shooting free throws with heavy legs. With the Flyers leading, 65-61, with 2:24 left, Cayden Charles had a chance to slice it to one with three free throws. He is an 81% free throw shooter. He missed all three.
“We knew today was going to be a fight based on the last time we played them,” said Grant, referring to a 72-70 UD win at UD Arena. “It was a battle at our place.”
It was a battle Friday, too, a very ugly battle.
“To start the game, emotionally we were a little bit out of character,” Grant added. “We left some stuff on the table and we knew it would be back and forth. Our guys did a heck of a job battling and persevering through the all of it, on both sides of the ball.
“We found ways to make enough plays, defensively and offensively,” said Grant.
Those guys were Bennett, Derkack, L’Etang and Jones. The Flyers might need a bit more to stop Saint Louis Saturday.
UD Coach Anthony Grants wants it his way.
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