DAYTON, Ohio — The University of Dayton Flyers always have high expectations come basketball season.
What You Need To Know
- DaRon Holmes II is helping lead the Dayton Flyers on and off the court
- The sophomore said there was no question that he would return this year
- Holmes says Obi Toppin was a part of the reason he wanted to come to Dayton
- Holmes is the highest-ranked recruit to play at UD
In an empty University of Dayton gym- you’ll find DaRon Holmes II. But he didn’t find his love for the game until he got to high school.
“That’s when I found I had a passion for the game," Holmes said. "Ever since then I was like, okay, I think I can take it to the next level.”
The Goodyear, Arizona native, was highly sought after in high school. A four-star and top 50 recruit- he’s the highest-rated recruit to play for the Flyers, something Holmes says he didn’t even know until he got here. He said Dayton stood out amongst his top schools of Cal Berkley, Arizona and Marquette.
“I would say the people here, the culture, the coaching staff as well," Holmes said. "When I was choosing my final four schools, Dayton had the most fans reach out, and then when I would call some of the coaches and talk, the coaches that stood out the most to me were the ones from here.”
But what got him intrigued to make the cross-country move to Ohio? Holmes said part of it was seeing Obi Toppin’s success- the two both play the same position.
“It definitely played a part in it because I was actually going over the film with some of my trainers and we would see how Dayton would play and that’s when we first reached out to Dayton," Holmes said. "We watched a lot of Obi, the way he played, running up and down the floor, we don’t play identical or too similar. I like his style and that definitely played a part."
Holmes hit the ground running when he got to campus- starting all 35 games and eventually winning A-10 Rookie of the year and several other awards.
“It meant a lot to me," he said. "Just the fact that the coaches trusted me, especially at the beginning of the season. You don’t see that that often where coach will play his freshmen. Coach Grant, he did it. So just having that trust from him is a big deal at first. I’m glad that they let me learn, especially through a little bit of my mistakes as time went on. It was just great to be able to have that opportunity.”
Now, the 6-foot-10 sophomore is back for his second season, something he said wasn’t a question. With goals to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2017- Holmes has worked hard to get his team in position to get there, including making big plays.
“It gets you going," he said. "When that happens and the crowd’s all going, it just makes me even more energetic. So it brings energy in and I like to play off of my energy.”
Now, no matter if Holmes returns next year or not, he wants to be remembered as a player that worked hard and who Flyer fans are proud of.
“I’m proud to be here," he said. "Like you were saying, it’s hard because not all fans will understand what actually goes on and all the work you put in. They see the outside- are you winning? Are you doing this and that? So it’s hard, I get it. But overall it’s about the love for the game and the process for me. So if that’s what’s remembered, that’s what would make me happy.”
The Flyers take on Alcorn State Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. and all the action can be watched right on Spectrum News 1 or on SpectrumNews.1.com.