TODAY’S GAME
Lake County at Dayton, 7:05 p.m., 980
Every time Scoochie Smith comes back to Dayton these days, it’s not only a chance to revisit his glory days with the Dayton Flyers but to see his younger brother, Mala- chi Smith, the starting point guard for his old team.
The Smith brothers saw each other this week when Scoochie returned to town for a press conference at UD Arena on Wednesday for The Basketball Tournament. They will reunite again July 16-17 as they host a basketball camp for kids, the Smith Camp, at the UD RecPlex.
It’s a chance for Malachi to profit off his name, image and likeness as he did when he signed an endorsement deal with Hunny Bee’s Crispy Fried last year — something that wasn’t possible for col- lege athletes when Scoochie played with the Flyers from 2013-17 — but it’s also a way to give back to the community.
“I want the kids to have a good experience,” Scoochie said. “When I went to camps, it’s something you never forget.
Scoochie said Wednesday
The Dayton Dragons dropped a 3-0 decision in the second game of a doubleheader to the Lake County Captains on Wednesday night at Day Air Ballpark and were eliminated from first-half playoff contention. they have 50 kids signed up but want 100. The camp runs from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each day. It costs $75 for one day or $125 for both. It’s open to kids in grades first through eighth. Campers can register online and get more information by contacting former Flyer Joey Gruden, who’s coaching Scoochie and the Red Scare in the TBT and helping with this camp, at Joey.Gruden@gmail.com.
The Smith camp will take place two weeks before the CareSource Obi Toppin Basketball ProCamp. Scoochie and Obi are two of the most popular players in Dayton basketball history. Malachi, who shared the team MVP award with DaRon Holmes II and Toumani Camara last season, is on a path to join them.
Malac h i averaged 9.3 points and 5.3 assists in 33 games, making 29 starts as a freshman. Debuting for a much more experienced team that would reach the Elite Eight in his freshman season, Scoochie didn’t have the same opportunity to play. He averaged 3.6 points and 2.0 assists in the 2013-14 season, backing up start
Great Lakes beat Fort Wayne to clinch the firsthalf title in the Midwest League East Division. The Loons lead the Dragons by one game with one to play in the first half of the season, but own the tiebreaker vs. Dayton, which fell out of first place Tuesday night for
ing point guard Khari Price.
The brothers will always be compared, just as Scooch- ie’s successor at point guard, Jalen Crutcher, who started the four seasons between the end of Scoochie’s career and the beginning of Malachi’s, always found himself compared to Scoochie.
When he sees his brother player, Scoochie said it’s “like looking in the mirror a lit- tle bit.”
“He’s doing a good job the first time since April 15. The Dragons are 3-11 in their last 14 games.
Dayton defeated Lake County 4-3 in the first game Wednesday.
The Dragons and Loons went to extra innings in the first game, tied 3-3. In the top of the eighth, Dragons
for himself,” Scoochie said. “It’s not what I ever thought would happen with him being in my footsteps so much. I’m happy for him and his success. Right now he’s on a pace to be better than me.”
Malachi’s freshman season ended when he sprained his ankle in the final seconds of the first half of a game against Richmond in the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament. Dayton had reliever Donovan Benoit (2-2) worked around the free runner at second base to toss a scoreless frame. In the bottom half, Nick Quintana lined a two-out single to left field to drive in Allan Cerda from third to end the game.
Quintana was 3 for 3 with two runs batted in and a run the lead when Smith suffered the injury and added to the lead early in the second half but lost steam late in the game without its starting point guard. The loss kept Dayton out of the NCAA tournament, though no one knew that until the bracket announcement the next day.
Scoochie was in Serbia, where he played last season, when his brother got hurt.
“I spoke to him, and he was devastated,” Scoochie said. “There was not much you could do.”
The 6-foot Malachi measured 170 pounds as a freshman. It appears he’s added muscle since the end of last season as any fan who saw him at Dr. Stephen Levitt’s 80th birthday party on Wednesday night at the Steam Plant in Dayton would say. Dayton’s entire roster attended the event, which also saw UD announce Levitt had donated money to endow the head men’s basketball coaching position.
“He’s looking bigger,” Scoochie said. “He’s taking care of his body, trying to get that right. You don’t want to be too muscular. You want to be more flexible. I think scored.
The Dragons (39-26) were limited to three hits in the nightcap.
Starting pitcher Connor Phillips (4-3) was charged with the loss. He allowed one run in four innings on five hits with three walks and six strikeouts. that’s what his body needs right now.”
Another camp opportunity: Scoochie’s former teammate, Ryan Mikesell, who will also play for the Red Scare, in the TBT, will hold his own camp for the third straight year Aug. 6 at the St. Henry Community Center. Camp 33 is open to kids in grades three through eight.
“CAMP 33 will be focused on passing, shooting, dribbling, and defense,” the camp’s website reads. “Drills will be differentiated to meet the basketball needs of campers at their specific level. There will be several competitions and prizes for winners. All campers will leave with their very own ‘CAMP 33’ T-shirt!”
There will be a session for kids in grades three through five from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and then a session from 1 to 4 p.m. for kids in grades six through eighth. Cost is $55 per kid, and payment can be made by check on the day of the camp. More information is available on the camp’s website.