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Dayton Daily News, Ohio
Dayton basketball: Quinnipiac transfer Randall wants to bring energy to Flyers
- Story byDayton Daily News, Ohio
- Dayton basketball: Quinnipiac transfer Randall wants to bring energy to Flyers
Associate head coach James Kane connects the Dayton Flyers to many potential recruits. That's the case for Quinnipiac transfer Grant Randall, one of six players who committed to UD in six days in April.
"I've known coach Kane since I was in high school," Randall said. "He had eyes on me. He didn't really recruit me, but he and my uncle are really close."
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Randall's uncle and Kane are both from the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., area. That familiarity led to Dayton recruiting Randall when he entered the transfer portal after two seasons at Quinnipiac.
"It was definitely a crazy experience," Randall said. "Everything happened fast."
Randall visited Dayton, George Mason and Cincinnati.
"Ultimately, I feel like this was the place for me," Randall said. "I like how family-oriented the team and the coaching staff are. I loved the arena and the fan base."
Randall talked about his decision on July 27 in an interview with the Dayton Daily News at the Cronin Center, UD's practice facility. All nine Dayton newcomers talked that day. The five returning players conducted interviews three days earlier.
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Like many of his teammates, Randall is a new face for the Flyer Faithful to learn. He's the latest in a long line of Flyers with a connection to New York City. He lived in Queens, N.Y., until the seventh grade when he moved to McDonough, Ga., which is 30 miles south of Atlanta. He's still a fan of the New York Mets, though, from his days in the Big Apple.
Randall finished his high school basketball at the Mount Pisgah Christian School in Georgia in 2023. He didn't receive a Division I offer until December of that year while he playing a post-graduate season at the Mont Sports Academy in Florida and the Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut.
As a freshman at Quinnipiac, Randall averaged 1.9 points in 9.9 minutes per game in 32 appearances. Last season, he averaged 11.4 points and 6.6 rebounds in 31.6 minutes per game. He appeared in 32 games and started 31. He shot 32.3% (40 of 124) from 3-point range.
In February, Randall made a go-ahead 3-pointer with three seconds remaining to lift Quinnipiac to a 56-55 victory over Niagara.
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In the final game of the season, Randall scored a season-high 28 points against Marist in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament. He made 5 of 5 treys.
After two seasons, Randall said, "It was hard to leave, honestly, deep down, but I knew I had to make the best decision for myself."
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Randall said he's a quiet guy but grew as a leader in his sophomore season.
"I had to be vocal and play my game," Randall said.
What is that game? What should Dayton fans expect from him? He said he wants to do the things that don't show up on the stat sheet — diving on loose balls, for example — and bring urgency to the court when he enters the game. He wants to do the little things other players might not want to do.
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"I bring a lot of energy," Randall said. "I bring a lot of athleticism. I bring shot-making. Just an overall dog."
Redshirt junior forward Jaiun Simon described Randall as versatile and skilled.
"He can play almost any position except the five," Simon said. "He's really athletic. He can shoot it very well. I think he's a good player. He doesn't try to force the game. He lets it come to him. He's got a nice feel for the game. I really like his game."
Junior center Amaël L'Etang called Randall a fighter who always tries to make the right play.
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"He's a great player on defense," L'Etang said. "He can play a lot of different positions, and on offense, he just brings his game. He can do a lot of stuff on the court. He can shoot. He can drive. He's a great guy."
