By Joe Henricksen
There are styles, systems and players that fit in basketball. You hope in the recruiting world the player and the college program are a match. When it comes to Morgan Park’s Kyle Davis and the University of Dayton, it’s ideal.
Davis, the high-scoring guard who is poised for a big senior season, committed to coach Archie Miller on Sunday night. He visited the Dayton campus earlier this month and decided to end his recruitment before taking any other visits.
The attacking style Davis plays with should easily translate to Dayton’s offensive style, which is one of the factors that led to the commitment at this time.
“Their style and the way they play was definitely one of the main things I looked at,” says Davis, an explosive guard. “They play fun, exciting basketball.”
But what separated Dayton from any other program that was recruiting Davis was the warmth he felt from the staff during the recruiting process and while on his visit.
“They opened their arms and had already made me feel like a part of the team before I had even committed,” says Davis. “I could see the bond their coaches had, and I can now be a part of that.
“This is a great position for me to be in — committing at this time. I am sure there are some people that will say I should have waited, that I should have taken more visits. But I really like Dayton. And I am relieved to get it out of the way. Now I can focus on school and what we have to do to go on a state and city run at Morgan Park.”
Dayton, a program with a lot of basketball tradition in the Atlantic 10, finished 20-13 a year ago and reached the NIT. The Flyers return leading scorer Kevin Dillard, a former Mr. Basketball winner in Illinois from Homewood-Flossmoor.
With the recruiting efforts of Miller and assistant coach Tom Ostrom, who was the lead recruiter on Davis, Dayton has hit the Chicago area hard since Miller and his staff were hired in April of 2011. Dayton has made the Chicago area a recruiting priority and remain in the thick of things for Simeon’s Kendall Pollard. Now Davis will join Dillard as a connection to the city and suburbs.
Meanwhile, Davis is anxious to get back on the floor. After beginning last season at Hyde Park, Davis transferred to Morgan Park during the second half of the season. He sat out the second semester and is counting down the days to the start of practice in November. Davis is the No. 7 ranked player in the senior class in the Hoops Report’s Class of 2013 player rankings.
“We have high expectations,” says Davis of his Morgan Park team, which includes DePaul recruit Billy Garrett, Jr. “I’m excited.”
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