Sinclair Pride Head Coach Jeff Price and Lady Pride Head Coach Jeff Dillon are quite similar. Both share identical four letter first names, both coach up-tempo styles of basketball and both said they would love to have bigger crowds at their home games this season.
“The crowd affects the team a lot,” said Price, who is also the assistant athletic director. “On a winter day, when it’s 10 degrees outside and it’s a Saturday, you’re like ‘Oh man.’ But, (when the stands are full) you can walk in and this place will be electric and now you’re like, ‘Let’s play some ball.”
“(The crowd) has a huge affect on my team,” Dillon said. “The crowd gives you energy. When you’re needing a basket and everybody’s cheering for you, it seems like you always get it’. ”
De’Angelo Gates, a freshman guard on the men’s team, played in the state title game for Thurgood Marshall last year and said the fans played an important role in getting the team there.
“At Thurgood (Marshall), it was sold out every night. People were standing around the court because there was no place to sit,” Gates said. “(The crowd) did a lot (for the team), especially in the fourth quarter when everybody’s tired and you hear them screaming ‘Come on!’ You can’t let them down so they pick you up for real.”
Price said anybody that comes to games this year will see good college basketball at floor level.
Tickets are free for current Sinclair students and for children under six years of age. For all others, tickets are $5.
Both Price and Dillon said their teams are grateful for all the support they receive.
“Both men’s and woman’s basketball teams appreciate the support we get. It’s exciting to walk in and actually see fans in here cheering because these guys work their butts off, getting up at 7:30 a.m for practice,” Price said. “If we could get these stands full, the team would really appreciate it. It would mean a lot to them.”
Three reasons to come see Sinclair basketball:
1) Crayons for Classrooms: Crayon donations will be collected and donated to Dayton Public School kids and teachers,
2) Sinclair has sent out invitations for local pep bands and dance teams to perform at half time,
3) The Sinclair cheerleaders will be at games after being re-formed this fall.