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
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
New Middletown High School boys basketball coach Darnell Hoskins can strike two subjects off his to-do list: Landing a top assistant and securing another spot in the Premier Health Flyin’ to the Hoop.
Hoskins, who left a successful program at Dayton’s Thurgood Marshall to succeed Mark Baker, is assisted by Jim Staley, an Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Famer who earned more than 500 combined career wins mostly at Trotwood-Madison and Centerville.
On Tuesday it was announced at the Good Samaritan North Health Center that Middletown will play Alter in the 2017 Flyin’ finale.
“I’ve been blessed to be in national events around the country, and nobody does it better than we do right here,” Hoskins said. “I wanted to get our kids that exposure to a tournament of that magnitude. I know the kids are amped up about this.”
Middletown lost 57-53 to Dublin Jerome at Flyin’ last season. All Flyin’ games are scheduled to be played at Fairmont’s Trent Arena in Kettering.
“There’s a lot of expectations, but with those expectations comes a whole lot of excitement,” Hoskins said. “I’m up for the challenge. We’re grinding and building, but we’ve got a long way to go. The enthusiasm we’ve received has been great. I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting it done.”
Girls basketball will make its Flyin’ debut. 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.
There are 15 area boys teams that are committed. 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/Middletown.
Flyin’ has become one of the most popular midseason boys 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, a consensus No. 1 freshman in the nation.
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