Archie Miller credits ‘electric crowds’ for last two wins

Highlights from coach’s show Monday on WHIO

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Dayton Flyers coach Archie Miller looked back Monday on victories against Richmond and Saint Louis, talking with WHIO’s Larry Hansgen and fans during the coach’s show at Fricker’s on Woodman Drive. Here are some highlights:

On the two wins last week: "It was a good week for us. Anytime you can come off the road with a two-game homestand, especially in conference play, you have to try like crazy to take care of business at home. We had two great environments, two electric crowds. The Richmond game, it sure didn't feel like a 75-59 victory. That was a hard-fought game against a good team. They're very difficult to guard. I think T.J. Cline is one of the more unique guys we'll prepare for. Then being able to get that one and a quick turnaround to Sunday afternoon, playing Saint Louis, I thought our guys did a workmanlike job. The clock was getting milked a lot, but for the most part, the shots they got were challenged, and we were able to build a comfortable lead with 10 to go. Then just a little disappointment on our end, I just thought our concentration and sharpness came down a few levels. The game got a little bit sloppier. But when you're able to win a conference game by 21 points, I don't think anyone's going to complain."

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On injuries to starters forcing young players to adapt: "It sped up development. It sped up confidence. It's given us a way of playing and knowing how to win with different lineups.

On expectations not changing despite injuries: "We never talk about anything but our own expectations. We hold ourself to a certain standard. Guys aren't coached different because maybe they're a little younger or not ready They are all coached the same. I think if you coach them all the same, when they do have an opportunity, when they have to produce for you, they have confidence to do the job."

On how recruiting has changed: "It's evolved a lot of different ways. The way you can communicate with kids nowadays is different than it was five years ago or 10 years ago. There's much less talking on the phone than there is texting and twittering and all that. It's a much different avenue to communicating. It's also much different evaluating the kid. You can sort of follow their social media platforms and get a chance to see what they're doing out there. You can learn what the kids about a little bit. Sometimes that's a good thing. Sometimes that's a bad thing. There's a lot of information. In our case, the recruiting has changed since we've been here. The quality of the kid we're in on is a lot different than it was when we first got here, but we're still looking for the same values. We're still looking for the same guys that can help us do what we want to do here."

On the type of player he recruits: "At some level, the competition they play against and also the coaching they come from. You want guys who have been coached in high school. You want guys who have played at a high level for championships in high school or on the summer circuit against the best players in the country.

On defensive improvement of Darrell Davis: "In Darrell's case, he wasn't recruited as a defensive player, I can promise you that. He had his ups and downs as a freshman who shot the ball incredibly well but was behind in the physical and mental approach to the game. As a sophomore, he had a lot of highs and lows with his role. This year, early in the year, he was still trying to figure it out, how to get his niche. He strung together probably his best seven or eight weeks. He's playing at a level that probably doesn't show up on the stat sheet because of what he's doing at the other end. He's shooting the ball well in practice. He didn't have a great shooting day against Saint Louis. He banged a couple against Richmond. The great thing about Darrell is he's got a smile on his face, and I know he feels good about himself. He'll continue to get better."

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On offensive slumps during games: "You're going to have some ups and downs defensively through the game. Teams are going to go on a run, or you're going to foul. Yesterday (against Saint Louis) and in the second half of the Richmond game, our offense goes stagnant. Sometimes we're relying on too many jump shots, too many 3s. The best thing we do as a basketball team is get fouled. Not all the time have we got to the line and capitalized. I'm proud of the guys this past week for what they did at the line. That was a big reason we won the games the way we did. We've got to get continue to attack the paint. That's with the ball being passed to the paint for post touches or drives. When we settle for jump shots and miss three or four in a row, that's when we've got to get that thing calmed down."

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