Grant sees Dayton as destination spot for top talent

Flyers coach cautions fans to not put too much stock in recruiting rankings

Dayton Flyers coach Anthony Grant and his staff have pushed the boundaries in recruiting in their first 10 months on the job.

Dayton landed a top-100 recruit in Dwayne Cohill in the fall. It has pursued five-star recruit Anfernee Simons. On the Anthony Grant Show on Monday on WHIO Radio, Grant revealed he won't shy away from trying to convince the top players in the country to attend the University of Dayton.

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Grant saw some of those players over the weekend at the Premier Health Flyin’ To The Hoop at Trent Arena in Kettering.

“I think with what we have to offer as a university, as a basketball program, with the support we get from (the fans),” Grant said, “I see no reason we can’t be a destination spot for some of the top talent in the country.”

Cohill, a 6-foot-3 guard from Holy Name High School in Parma Heights, Ohio, ranks 97th on Rivals.com’s list of the top 150 players in the class of 2018. He committed to Dayton in September and signed in November.

With Sam Miller transferring to the College of Charleston, Dayton has one scholarship open for 2018. If the next player to pick the Flyers isn't as highly ranked as Cohill, fans shouldn't be quick to judge because Grant said he doesn't recruit off rankings.

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Grant worries about fans and the players themselves getting too wrapped up in rankings and stars behind the names. NBA players often don’t reach their potential until they are 25-27, Grant said.

“There’s a lot of development, growth and potential guys have that sometimes can go unnoticed when they’re younger for whatever reason,” Grant said. “Some of the guys I played with here, some guys who played here recently, could probably play anywhere in the country. They were that good.

“But they weren’t guys that had the high rankings or the numbers in front of their names that some other players had. It comes down to your work ethic, your character, your basketball character and how much you put into your craft. That’s what we’re looking for: guys that have a passion for what they do, fit what we do and have a talent level.”

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