Long-time Coach Don Donoher will send out an experienced team with some talent, chemistry, and a desire to prove they belong with the elite of one of the best conferences n the country.  Donoher has the luxury of being at least two deep at every position and uses everyone on his roster.  With the ‘ongoing’ suspension of Roger Brown the Flyers will be without an extremely talented player who is the type of go to guy who can create a shot (or for a teammate) on his own that every team would love to have going into a new conference.  There are rumors the Flyers are working on trying to get the Raja active but after the years he has been waiting for redemption from the people who run this sport he is not holding his breath.  Brown showed how good he can be his freshman year by averaging over 25 a game but that was back when first year players were not eligible for varsity and he did all of this on the JV team which is kind of like playing in a forest with a tree if you know what I mean.  With amateurism going the way of the Woolly Mammoth this is the time for the Flyers to act to get Brown eligible and show that he is indeed as good as the reputation.  And with this senior laden team this is the year the Flyers show the basketball world they are more then just the host of the playin games at Dayton Arena for the Big Dance. 

Without Brown there are no superstars on this team but if there was a player who defined the hard work and intestinal fortitude this team was about, it is senior forward Don May.  May is the leader on and off the court for the Flyers. His all-out style and not afraid of anyone mentality is contagious.  Most of the year the undersized May will man the big or power forward position.  The Six foot four May will consistently go up against men much bigger and stronger players than him but will hold the fort.  His tenaciousness and a quick release are things that allow him to succeed.  He may not be a prototypical power forward but he takes big men outside with his great corner shot and when he gets hot watch out.  Fellow seniors Don ‘Monk’ Meineke and John ‘The Vertical Hyphen’ Horan are bigger (at least height wise) and gave ample support off the bench.  Meineke is about as physical as it gets and will not play a crazy amount of minutes only because he can’t stay on the floor long as he picks up a foul about every three minutes.  He gets the job done though and at six eight gives the team the size May lacks.  Horan is the opposite at 6’7 and about a buck 90 but he has skills and produces. VH can jump but he might not get much of a chance with these two ahead of him.  Garry Roggenburk is tough enough down low but the lefty has another calling as well on the diamond and might miss some games.  He is a better baseball player than hoopster and that is saying something for this gamer.  Speaking of baseball, senior Jim Palmer has not got to play much for the Flyers but this hard throwing righty might get more of a chance this year especially if Roggenburk leaves the team for spring training with the Twins who he signed with last summer.

Henry (Don’t call me Hank) Finkel mans the middle for the Flyers.  Finkel is the defensive presence that enables the Flyers to run their pressure defense.   Finkel plays more like an overgrown giraffe than a skilled ballplayer but his presence is as vital as anyone’s to the success of this team.  He also has a great nickname.  “Laces In” Finkel teams with another seven-footer, Bill ’the Greenfield Goliath” Uhl to give the Flyers the kind of size a team needs to compete in the tough A-10 (Temple could throw out about five seven footers this year).  These two behemoths are not only big but can play the game.  They may not be the most mobile but they sure eat up space and they can both score a little and are tough on the boards. Brown is not the only guy the Flyers want to return to playing for the Flyers.  Senior Bil Chmliewski might be the best big man who has ever played here but left town two years ago after leading the team to an NIT title.  The 6’10 240 pounder from Detroit has a great inside game and is not afraid to mix it up (ask Spencer Haywood about their showdowns in Motown) on both ends.  He left to go marry his girlfriend who was with child but there are rumors Donoher is willing to bring him back after an ugly breakup with the Flyers where the head strong kid said some things he shouldn’t have said on the way out the door.  The Flyers could use him back in town and as big as the centers are here, Chmliewski is a better player. 

Junior Johnny Davis is the quickest thing since microwave ovens were invented.  He is the motor to the Flyer engine.  Sometimes he looks out of control but he plays with such passion and speed that fans cannot help but love him.  He is a great defender and can get by anyone on the drive.  Senior Bobby Joe Hooper will challenge for some playing time behind JD with Sophomore Negele Knight also in the mix for playing time.  They both are better passers then Davis but are nowhere near the consistent offensive threat of the cat quick and tough Davis. 

Second generation Flyer Jim Paxson is the perfect complement to Davis in the backcourt.  Paxson is not quick and needs the help of teammates to get open but when he does, he fills up the hoop.  His constant motion of trying to run around screens and get open is like a whirlwind or tilt-a-whirl in this part of the country.  He has size for a wing at 6’6 but is another of the non-athletic Flyers who look like they are no match for the Blue Bloods of college basketball but somehow always seem to be up for the challenge (ask UCLA about that after their triple overtime classic last year).  He is popular in Dayton especially at the clubs with his wavy perm and porn mustache and supposedly has more moves on the dance floor then on the court.  Speaking of moves, fellow junior Don Smith is a scoring machine.  He loves the three-point line and is instant offense when he gets in but at only 6’1 has some issues guarding other two guards.  He does not miss from the charity strip and will get some minutes but Paxson is the starter at the two and a true go to player for Donoher.  . 

The fifth starting member for the Flyers will be the awesome Roosevelt Chapman.  ‘Velvet” is the hero of this team and as smooth as his moniker.  When things get tough, they call on Roosevelt.  He is only six four (that seems to be the magic number at forward for the Flyers) but can really get to the hoop with a great combination of quickness, strength and grace.  He is best posting up from the high post and using his moves to get to the hoop.  When someone needs to be shut down, Roosevelt gets the call.  When you need a tough shot or someone to scrap for a rebound, Roosevelt stands up.   Senior Bucky Bockhorn is a great wing coming off the bench who can defend, score a little, rebound and pass.  Every team needs a do everything guy like Bockhorn who truly can do it all.  He will backup both Paxson and Chapman and should get plenty of minutes as Bucky is the kind of gamer coaches (and fans) love.  Fellow senior Chuck Grigsby is similar to Bockhorn as he is a 6’5 wing who can defend and helps on the boards but most teams only carry one of these types of gamers.  Junior Mike Sylvester is the opposite end of the spectrum as he brings instant offense off the bench and can really get it going from mid-range.  He also goes 6’5 and loves to maneuver inside and on the break but needs to get a little more range on his jumper and play some defense once in a while.

The bench for the Flyers will be an integral part of the success of this team as Donoher likes to rotate and he has another solid group of freshmen ready to come in and challenge for minutes.  The Flyers need a little more muscle on the front line and could use another three-point shooter but besides that are ready to rumble in their new mailing address.  The Flyers will be playing an extremely difficult schedule as many of their old school rivals from their days as an Indy have continued and with the likes of Notre Dame, Louisville, DePaul, Cincinnati and Marquette all lined up the Flyers have the makings of another post season berth if they can win their fair share of games.  This program is notorious for making the NIT (back when it was relevant) but this year the Flyers want to go dancing and this new league will definitely not hurt their strength of schedule.  This team may not look like much on paper but Donoher can flat coach and they can and will play with anyone.  Their A-10 foes should realize this is not this is not your average team jumping into a fish tank hoping to survive.  The Flyers are the shark and the A-10 might want to get out of the water!     Ironically I am watching Jaws the revenge right now.  REALLY!