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Across The Hoop Scene: Xeyrius Williams commits to Dayton, James Manns transfers to rival school

Archie Miller and Dayton picked up a steal of a commitment in the form of 6-foot-8 forward Xeyrius Williams on Sunday.

By Zach Fleer
Huber Heights Wayne forward Xeyrius Williams became the first member of Dayton's 2015 class on Sunday.
Huber Heights Wayne forward Xeyrius Williams became the first member of Dayton's 2015 class on Sunday.
WKEF

Could things get any better for Dayton's basketball program? After received its first commitment in the 2015 class on Sunday, coach Archie Miller and the Flyers look to stay on top.

On his second unofficial visit to the Dayton campus, 6'8 Huber Heights Wayne small forward Xeyrius Williams committed to the Flyers on Sunday night. Fresh off a strong month of May in the AAU season, Williams, who stars for All-Ohio Black, becomes Dayton's first commitment in the incoming senior class.

Williams is a lengthy and versatile wing who can play either forward position, while vastly improving his perimeter scoring in the last year. Helping lead Wayne to a regional semifinal finish in 2013-14, Williams averaged 11.9 points and 9.8 rebounds, while shooting 50.9 percent from the field and 48 percent from behind-the-arc.

Manns leaves Marion-Franklin for Walnut Ridge

On the Central Ohio scene, a major transfer in the Columbus City League South might just shake up the division in 2013-14. Skilled Marion-Franklin forward James Manns made headlines by transferring to rival Walnut Ridge, adding to an already-talented 2016 class for the Scots.

After a fairly successful sophomore season with Marion-Franklin, one in which Manns averaged 12.7 points per game, scoring in double-figures in 15 of the Red Devils' 20 games, the talented junior will join a Walnut Ridge team under a lot of change.

As tenured head coach Jason Bates leaves the program for Pickerington North after leading the Scots to two City League South titles in three years, former Upper Arlington junior varsity coach Brian Shininger takes over. Inheriting a great deal of talent including 2016 standouts Malik Harrison and Tarik Wright, Shininger benefits even more with the addition of Manns, who can play up to three positions on the floor. Talented guards Azende Johnson and Kalib Younger look to man a Walnut Ridge backcourt that lost its majority of scoring last season to graduation.

I got a chance to check out the new-look Scots on Monday night in a summer league scrimmage against Reynoldsburg. Manns and Harrison have already formed a formidable combo in the front court that should pay dividends in a City League South that features very few legitimate big men. Under Bates, Walnut Ridge turned up the pressure on the defensive end for 32 minutes a night, something that doesn't look to change under the new regime. The athletic Scots forced an array of turnovers on the defensive end, leading to points in transition on Monday.

Notable Transfers around Central Ohio

  • 2016 Athens combo-guard Ibi Watson moves on to Pickerington Central. Watson was named Tri-Valley Conference Ohio Division MVP in 2013-14 after averaging 18.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists, while being named Third Team All-Ohio in Division II. Watson picked up offers from Ohio and Akron earlier in May.

  • 2016 Pickerington Central point guard DJ Tyree moves on to Columbus Northland. Tyree was a two-year starter at Pickerington Central, facilitating offense for Jae'Sean Tate and Connor Kern before moving on to Northland. Tyree has had a successful AAU season playing for the Louisville Magic so far.
  • 2015 Gahanna Lincoln shooting guard Dez Wright moves on to Columbus Northland. Cracking the Gahanna starting lineup for the majority of the 2013-14 season, Wright takes his volume scoring over to area rival Northland.
  • Not exactly a transfer, but former 2015 Columbus Brookhaven standouts Shadrick Kimble, J-Saun Davis, Curt Armstrong, and Robert Banks are each reportedly moving to Columbus Mifflin. As the forced closure of Brookhaven had the school's top basketball talent scrambling for options, the four aforementioned players should help Mifflin tremendously in 2014-15.

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