Here’s a closer look at what’s been going on this week:
WNBA draft showcased local talent
Credit: Marcus Hartman
Credit: Marcus Hartman
Three players from one high school conference being drafted seems good. Is that good?
I think so — especially considering just how few players actually get drafted from across the world each year by WNBA teams.
That was one of the talking points at Maddy Westbeld’s draft party Monday night at the Buffalo Wild Wings in Kettering.
The league has 12 teams — 13 this season with the creation of the Golden State Valkyries — so both draft slots and roster spots are at a premium compared to the NBA, which has 30 teams.
Nobody knows that better than the Westbelds.
Maddy’s older sister, Kathryn, was like her a standout player at Fairmont and Notre Dame. But she was unable to secure a roster spot after going to preseason camp with the L.A. Sparks in 2018, so she has been playing overseas ever since.
In an ironic twist, Kathryn will get another shot at the WNBA this spring thanks to a training camp invitation from the Phoenix Mercury, news that provided a cherry on top of her younger sister’s draft night.
That gives Dayton-area girls basketball fans four teams to keep an eye on this preseason as Wayne grad Bree Hall will be trying to earn a spot with the Indiana Fever, and Springboro’s Jordan Hobbs is headed to Seattle with the Storm.
READ MORE: ’Something in the air in Dayton’ fuels girls basketball success
Next up is the NFL draft
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
The Cincinnati Bengals have a lot of needs and not many picks, so they are under the microscope perhaps more than usual going into next week’s NFL Draft in Green Bay.
Specifically they could really use another starter (or two) on the offensive line, and every level of the defense could use significant reinforcements.
If they go the latter route, there’s likely still opportunities to find value in a deep defensive line class in the second or third round.
Trading down also would seem to have some appeal, but that is not something the team has done frequently in the past.
Dayton basketball is still rebuilding its roster
Credit: David Jablonski
Credit: David Jablonski
Jordan Derkack, a 6-foot-5 guard who played last season at Rutgers after two seasons at Merrimack, committed to the Dayton Flyers on Tuesday.
Derkack made his decision two days after Georgia transfer De’Shayne Montgomery, another 6-5 guard, picked Dayton. They join incoming freshmen Damon Friery and Jaron McKie on the list of newcomers on Dayton’s 2025-26 roster.
Derkack was a role player on a disappointing Rutgers team while Montgomery averaged 15.5 minutes for a Georgia team that made the NCAA Tournament but didn’t hang around too long.
Anthony Grant still has seven more spots he can fill if he chooses, though most seem to not want to carry too many players nowadays because keeping them all happy can be a major chore.
READ MORE: De’Shayne Montgomery: What to know about Dayton’s newest recruit
Reds get reinforcements
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
The Mariners might have snapped their four-game winning streak Wednesday night, but the Reds have reason to think they can sustain some of that success with the lineup bolstered by the return of Matt McClain and season debut of Austin Hays.
With Hunter Greene showing why he was such a highly regarded prospect when he arrived in Dayton in 2018, they already have one of the league’s best starting rotations despite having to waste a turn on Nick Martinez every five days.
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