Dayton Air Strikers win Preseason PBL tournamant, beats Lake Michigan

   About 15 minutes prior to arriving at the Lake Michigan Catholic gym, the charter bus turns a corner and we looked to our left, and there was nothing but water (Lake Michigan). Breathtaking to a degree, everyone stopped in their tracks and took a look. I then told coach, "You get caught in that body of water, aint' no swimming out of that one!" in which guys laughed, head coach Chris McGuire agreed and we moved on.

Lake Michigan

    In the 4th quarter, the Dayton Air Strikers hit so many shots that it seemed like the Air Strikers were shooting in Lake Michigan as they scored 42 points in the 4th quarter (outscoring the Admirals 42-23) and turning a physical, important, intense, nail-biting game into a blowout 122-102.

    To most, the Air Strikers had done the impossible; won the preseason tournament in the PBL.

   The game was a battle from the jump. Admirals MVP Odgra Bobo came out firing and dropped 12 points to pace the Admirals in the first quarter, who had fans from the ceilings for this game. He was on a tear, and it wasn't sure who was going to stop him. The Air Strikers matched the Admirals point for point. After the first three quarters no team had a lead larger than 6, at half it was 53-50 (Lake Michigan) and after the 3rd it was 80-79 (Dayton).
    In the 4th quarter Dayton could do no wrong. In front of coaches and scouts for other teams (Chicago, Charleston, PBL Champion Rochester, among others) the Air Strikers hit a flurry of 3-pointers (Walker, C.J., Bo Harris), went inside (Flint Michigan native Skinner, T. Martin, Aaron Perry and Hassell) and even when Lake Michigan scored, Dayton immediately came back and responded. Brandon Hassell (Penn St) led the way with 22 points in the win.

Brandon Hassell sizes up opponent, who is 7'3

    Dayton did what no team had done in this tournament; went on the road in consecutive weeks and won. Convincingly. And to top it off, the winning team was suppposed to recieve a bonus - making it all the more sweeter for the Air Strikers, who went 3-18 last season in the PBL, and was seemingly the doormats in the league. As you looked around during the waning minutes it seemed like everyone was in shock; from the Lake Michigan coaches, the players, the once jubilant fans, the front office. Even the other coaches for other teams looked a little surprised. But judging from the first two weeks of the preseason, there could be a lot more surprises in store for the Dayton Air Strikers and their opponents. Just ask the Indiana Diesels and Lake Michigan.
    Dayton Air Strikers have spoken without saying a word in the media. And it reads like this:  Opponents beware, or you could feel like you're in the middle of Lake Michigan without a paddle. And we ALL know what will happen if thats the case, joking or not.



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