Cant miss Sporting Events in Southwest Ohio this weekend

With Spring around the corner and temperatures rising, it can only mean one thing:
#MarchMadness!
With that being said, this weekend is HUGE in Southwest Ohio. Here's the TOP Sporting events this weekend, you definitely dont want to miss!

(1) Sectional Finals - Dayton High School Hoops
With hoopers such as Duke signee #LukeKennard, #OhioSt signee #AJHarris, playing, along with powerhouse programs playing each other? (Dunbar vs Alter) (Centerville vs Xenia) (Franklin vs Ponitz)
UD Arena will be rocking today, and the creme of the crop will rise today and move on to Districts Finals.
Games start at 4.

(2) Lady Slam will make historical debut today in UBA action.
While the anticipation has risen in last couple weeks, the Lady Slam have been in the lab, working hard and preppin for this big moment.
Today they will play Brick City in the second part of a doubleheader (6pm) as Gem City Slam mens squad will play first (4pm), followed by the First EVER women's pro team in Dayton. With former overseas Hooper and Dunbar legend Rhonda Price leading the team and former UD Flyer Victoria Jones coaching the squad, this sure to be a groundbreaking game - and season.
This will be the first game for both Brick City and the Lady Slam. Game starts at 6pm at Northridge High School.


(3) 2nd Annual Rising Stars All-Star Games
Despite tough weather last couple weeks, the Rising Stars Middle School All-Star games will be going down today (10am-5pm) as the TOP 50 7th & 8th grade girls and boys will battle it out in a series of All-Star games. They will all represent their schools, and the event had a great showing last year. The organization is excited about the direction of the event, and expect a nice turnout to watch the future stars in Southwest Ohio.
Games will be played at Wayne High School.

(4) Arnold Expo - Columbus
Every year the best of the best come out and compete at the Arnold Expo, a showcase for the muscleanneous - yes I made that word up- and the fitness heads out here. Usually gathering hundreds of thousands of people for the event.
If you look around hard enough you might just see Arnold Schwarzenegger himself.
This will be going on From Friday to Sunday.

Dayton suprises Syracuse, UD president parties all night; Is Dayton, Ohio officially the #1 Hotbed for Hoops?

     With March Madness occurring every year, it has been an unspoken word around the Miami Valley that while college hoops is the "hot topic" around the country, its not as much here as Wright St & UD haven't been as prominent when it comes to March. As we watch Ohio St, Cincy, and  Xavier all have great success we often wonder, "Why can't Dayton or Wright St win a tourney game?"


Devin Oliver, Flyers headed to Sweet 16

Well not this year my friends! Not only are the Flyers flyin' higher than a Snoop Dogg Concert after the classic nailbiting W over the 'Cuse, but with all the teams in the tourney, the First Four being here, and the impact of players in the college game, could Little Ole Dayton, Ohio be the Official #1 Hotbed for Hoops spot at this very moment?

Now while this sounds a little overboard, considering that places like Texas, Florida, New York, Indiana, and California breed great hoopers daily,  please consider some of the facts behind this very argument:

When you look at who was the dominant player in the NCAA Tourney, up to this point, you have to give some major votes for Jefferson Grad Adreain Payne (Michigan St); Payne was sensational in his 41 point outburst (in only 25 min no less); but the second leading scorer for Mich St was Wayne Grad Travis Trice with 19. Now if everyone from Barack Obama to Dick Vitale and half of ESPN picking the Spartans to win, wonder who will be a favorite to be Most Outstanding Player if it comes to fruition?

Adreain Payne goin' insane

The First Four has been a clear WIN WIN for not only the NCAA's but for Dayton, as 3 of the 4 winning teams from the First Four advanced to the round of 32. And with the First Four added to the 1st & 2nd round hosting that Dayton does every other year the city is profiting quite well, which in  turn brings excitement back to the city, which I think has seeped into the minds of the UD players, coaches, and staff. Im sure the Flyers were bitter having to watch the Madness while other teams come to play in your house year after year. Not this year though.

And lets not forget about the ladies shall we?  Daytons Womens program has been dancing for the last 5 years (vs #11 Florida), and the Wright St ladies also are in the dance, making it 3 of 4 for the D-1 colleges in the Miami Valley getting to the big dance (Wright St men lost in Horizon League Championship Game)

With impact players all over the country making statements such as Juwan Staten (West Virginia) , Geron Johnson (Memphis) and more future great players in tow (Justin Bibbs, Luke Kennard, AJ Harris) there's no doubt that Dayton, Ohio is on the map. Question is, is the United States of America ready to accept that Dayton, Ohio is the OFFICIAL HOTBED FOR HOOPS? 

Ask President Barack Obama that question. He's convinced enough that he tweeted congrats to UD and he's ready to play Devin Oliver in some 1 on 1s. I'm sure Oliver will take him up on that offer -
only after he's finished with the Madness.


Comments are welcome

Dunbar Wins State Title, finish dream season undefeated - in dramatic fashion.

     Dayton Dunbar did something very few teams have done in Ohio High School history - Going Undefeated and winning the D-2 State Championship on Saturday. And it took every inch of Wolverine muscle to get the win as Elida made a frantic comeback, but Dunbar was able to withstand the rally and complete the first ever perfect season in Wolverine history. Not without drama, nevertheless.
  

Dunbar 2011-12 State Champions (28-0)

     Dunbar (28-0)  held a 10- point lead heading into midway point of the 4th quarter, and it looked as if the Wolverines would push it and cruise to the title. However, Elida (24-4) kept battling, chipping the lead down to as low as 5 going into the last two minutes of the game. As Elida stood back in the zone, Dunbar seemed nervous. Then a game changing play ensued, and all hell broke loose in the last 2 minutes.

D-2 Player of Year Akbar celebrating

     An Elida player went to the basket and got a questionable foul call (there was a few questionable calls in the 4th quarter to say the least) on freshman sensation AJ Harris. Harris turned, said a couple words, and the referee immediately called a technical foul on him, all the while holding a 5- point lead. The Elida players hit 3 of 4 shots to pull to 2. After a time out, Gary Akbar was blocked, then Elida got another questionable call, as Akbar was called on a foul (which it looked like there was no foul). Elida hit the two shots to pull it to one (52-51). Chris McGuire Jr. was fouled, which set the stage for the climatic last 10 seconds of the game.
   McGuire missed the front end of the 1 and 1 and Elida got the rebound. One of the Elida players drove the court and took a mid-range shot that missed, but Deontae Hawkins was called for a push on the rebound, which send Elida's McAdams to the line.
   
    Elida's best player Reggie McAdams (headed to Akron)  had been unstoppable all game, hitting jumpers, 3's, inside shots, and had a chance to ruin Dunbar's hopes. McAdams made the first and missed the second, tying the game. Dunbar got the rebound, kicked it to Andre Yates, who dribbled through three guys, slid down the left side and dropped a beautiful left handed floating 12 ft bankshot with 2 seconds left, sending the Wolverines into a frenzy, and ending Elida's chance for a monumental upset. Elida missed on their half-court attempt, and it was party time as the Wolverines had done what no team had done before. Go undefeated and be champs. 


Yates is hero after clutch shot for Wolveines

     There has been a lot of talk about who is the best team to ever come out of Dunbar at this point, with no team ever going undefeated until now. And this game will add to the debate. Dunbar couldn't hit open jumpers, played a little sloppy and missed cruicial free throws in the 4th. They didn't play the perfect game people expected to see. They had a few questionable calls against them. But one things for certain; They showed why they were the best by winning games that normal teams, even winning teams, lose.

  So to the Wolverine Nation, congrats and enjoy it. As everybody knows, its not how you win or how much you win by, its gettin the "W". And the Wolerines did that every time they stepped on the court this season, even in the most pressure packed situations.
                             
                                  Now let the "Greatest Dunbar Team Ever" debate begin.