Victory Region- Dayton Metro Preview
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Coach Steve Hutchison is more than ready to kick things off this weekend in Chicago at the PGH Victory Region season opener. The longtime Dayton Metro director and coach is bringing multiple teams to Chicago and various other events this season
The Metro basketball club opened their play in 1996 with the boys program, and expanded to include girls in 2003. But after a good start trying to compete with some of the other big clubs in the region, the Metro has become one of the staple programs in the country.
“Our program has grown from year to year from when we started and we were behind the eight-ball with the girls with programs like the Dayton Lady Hoopstars and Cincinnati Finest who were strong, but we began to grow and become solid and the girls side is very stable and is growing every year.” Hutchison said. “We get new fresh talent every year and several girls have gone onto play at the next level.
“Another sign that our program helps prepare these young ladies is that several of our former players have gone into the coaching profession,” he added.
The Dayton Metro currently has 14 girls teams in the program and their main goal is to get these ladies to the next level, and they have been successful with that. Just recently, the Metro has seen Claudia Harrington Claudia Harrington 5'6" | CG Covington | 2022 OH sign at Muskingum, Serenity Castle Serenity Castle 5'8" | CG Springfield Catholic Central | 2022 OH is headed to Otterbein and Mara Briscoe Mara Briscoe 5'6" | CG Little Miami | 2022 OH is going to Wittenberg, with all of these girls playing their final year with the Metro last summer.
Hutchison also has several players who will suit up this spring who have very good potential to make it to the next level. Macy Miller is from Fairbanks High School and has already had some college contacts, a 5-11 who is a versatile player who can step out and knock it down and run the floor. She is very athletic and is long enough to get some steals. Also Keetyn Hupp from North Adams is 5-11 and can shoot the three and is anywhere on the floor. Lexi Deaver Lexi Deaver 5'5" | CG Portsmouth West | 2023 OH from Portsmouth West is another kid who is quick and has great court vision with handles. They will all play with the Metro 2023 team.
The Dayton 2024 team also has Samara Gibson Samara Gibson 5'8" | SF Dayton Thurgood Marshall | 2024 State OH from Dayton Thurgood Marshall is extremely fast and quick with great handles, playing good on-ball defense.
A couple of players who Hutchison feels could be very underrated but can make a name for themselves this spring includes Bean Jacobs from Miami Trace (Metro 2023) and Makayla Williams (Metro 2024).
From the 2024, Hutchison mentioned Carly Besecker (super athletic, runs and guards well and finishes well in the paint). From the 2023 team, Jonilyah Chambers Jonilyah Chambers 5'7" | SG Wayne | 2024 OH from Trotwood (very quick with great handles with multiple moves).
Hutchison summed up his program with a statement that “we want to have a family atmosphere with continuous growth to achieve their goals.”
The Dayton Metro is excited to be a part of the Circuit again this year and looks forward to what is ahead.
“This benefits our program to put them in the right places to get the exposure they need,” Hutchison said.