Wildcats draw Eastmoor at Flyin’


2017 FLYIN’ SCHEDULE

Friday, Jan. 13

Sidney vs. Fairmont, 6:30 p.m.

IMG (Fla.) vs. Hamilton Heights (Tenn.), 8:15 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 14

Alter vs. St. Joseph Academy girls, 11:30 a.m.

Springfield vs. Col. Eastmoor, 1:15 p.m.

Beavercreek vs. Hilliard Bradley, 3 p.m.

Pickerington Central vs. Wheeler (Ga.), 4:45 p.m.

Massillon Jackson vs. Gray Collegiate Academy (S.C.), 6:30 p.m.

Wayne vs. Huntington Prep (W.Va.), 8:15 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 15

Thurgood Marshall vs. Gahanna Lincoln, 11:30 a.m.

Centerville vs. Cleveland Heights, 1:15 p.m.

Pickerington North vs. Akron SVSM, 3 p.m.

Upper Arlington vs. Garfield Heights, 4:45 p.m.

Prolific Prep (Calif.) vs. Huntington Prep (W.Va.), 6:30 p.m.

Dunbar vs. Covington Catholic (Ky.), 8:15 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 16

Tri-Village vs. Versailles, 11:30 a.m.

Trotwood-Madison vs. Prolific Prep (Calif.), 1:15 p.m.

Princeton vs. Wheeler (Ga.), 3 p.m.

Bethel vs. Cin. Roger Bacon, 4:45 p.m.

Chaminade Julienne vs. Wesley Christian (Ky.), 6:30 p.m.

Alter vs. Middletown, 8:15 p.m.

PREMIER HEALTH

FLYIN’ TO THE HOOP

When: Jan 13-16.

Where: Trent Arena, Kettering.

Who: 37 basketball teams from eight states.

New: Alter vs. St. Joe Academy in first girls game.

He's No. 1: Huntington Prep (W.Va.) 6-9 freshman Jaemyn Brakefield.

Tickets: Available at Flyintothehoop.com

MORE ONLINE

View video from this event at MyDaytonDailyNews.com

See Flyin’ schedule on Scoreboard

With a loaded lineup that will feature three returning starters, Springfield High School boys basketball coach Isaiah Carson envisions another outstanding season by the Wildcats.

That’s the norm now for Springfield, which will play Columbus Eastmoor Academy in the Premier Health Flyin’ to the Hoop, the annual midseason, four-day boys hoopfest at Kettering’s Trent Arena during the Martin Luther King holiday weekend in January.

“It’s a great opportunity for the Springfield program and our kids as well,” Carson said during Tuesday’s lineup announcement at Good Samaritan North Health Center. “It’s getting that exposure and being around a great atmosphere of basketball. We’re excited and we plan to represent well.”

Springfield, 18-8 last season, is bolstered by the return of four-year senior starter Danny Davis (19.5 points per game), a second-team Division I All-Ohioan last season, three-year starter and junior Michael McKay (14.4) and 6-foot-7 junior Leonard Taylor.

Davis also is a football standout and Taylor is the quarterback. Springfield lost to Massillon Jackson 73-54 in Flyin’ last season.

“We’re very excited and the kids have been working extremely hard,” Carson said. “They put in a lot of work and got stronger and better this past summer. We’re looking forward to having a very good season and we’ll do well.”

Girls basketball will make its debut in the event. Among the 37 teams that will play in 20 games from Jan. 13-16 is a matchup of Alter, the two-time defending girls Division II state champion, against Cleveland St. Joseph Academy. It’s the first time in the 15 years of the national showcase event that a girls game will be played.

“It was nice that it all worked out,” Alter girls coach Chris Hart said. “It’s a tremendous opportunity for our players, our program and our school. We’re very humbled and honored to be a part of this.”

All games are scheduled to be played at Fairmont High School’s Trent Arena in Kettering. Alter’s boys team will play Middletown in the Day 4 nightcap.

“I’ve heard from the sponsors and public and a lot of people that they’d love to have a girls game,” Flyin’ creator Eric Horstman said. “This schedule fills up quickly and I thought, this year we’re going to do something different and have one slot for the girls.”

Springfield is the only area school to land a Flyin’ game. The finale of each day’s action is the featured contest. In the opening-night doubleheader, IMG (Fla.) will make its second straight appearance, playing Hamilton Heights (Tenn.).

Other featured matchups are Wayne, projected to be among the state’s top five Division I teams, vs. Huntington Prep (W.Va.), Dunbar vs. Covington Catholic (Ky.) and Alter vs. Middletown.

Flyin’ has become one of the most popular midseason basketball invitationals in the nation. It often draws some of the nation’s top prep teams and many high-profile college coaches. Horstman said Flyin’ draws about 20,000 spectators over the four days and has an economic impact of $1.9 million to the Dayton area.

Huntington Prep features 6-foot-9 Jaemyn Brakefield, the consensus No. 1 freshman in the nation.

“Everybody looks at this as their Super Bowl,” Horstman said, “so everybody brings their ‘A’ game. We have the best teams from Ohio playing each other and the best teams in the country.”

About the Author