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Dayton Basketball: Pitt transfer Nate Santos will be an impactful newcomer

By Tristan Freeman

Jan 25, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers forward Nate Santos (5) shoots on the court before the game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 25, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers forward Nate Santos (5) shoots on the court before the game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dayton Basketball gets another roster addition in Nate Santos. What does the former Pittsburgh wing provide to the Flyers next season?

A couple of weeks ago, Dayton Basketball got the best possible news for next season. They brought back their best player, DaRon Holmes. The 6’10 center led the team with 18.4 ppg and 8.1 rpg and is a two-time All-Atlantic 10 overall player and defender.

However, the Flyers did lose key forward Toumani Camara to the pro ranks. And while they did bring back all of their key guards and added a couple of transfers (Enock Cheeks and Javon Bennett), there still was a lack of depth inside, particularly at the four-spot.

Enter Nate Santos. He’s a 6’7 forward and former three-star prospect from Geneva, Illinois. He was part of the 2021 recruiting class and committed to Pittsburgh. Though he was expected to develop over time into a role, Santos was thrust into the starting lineup as a true freshman due to injuries. He started six games and had a career-high 14 points and eight rebounds in a win over Towson. But he shot just 32% from the field and was relegated to the bench.

This past season, the emergence of forward Blake Hinson along with the bevy of senior guards had Santos ride the bench for most of this past season. However, he proved to be an above-average defender and more than his reputation as a pure shooter. Ultimately, the ACC was above his level but this is a player that showed he can play and defend both forward positions.

The addition of Santos allows Dayton to still use versatile and undersized lineups, having either the former Panther or one of the many guards on the roster next to Holmes. But whenever Buffalo transfer Isaac Jack in for Holmes at the center position, they still have to have Santos in there to still have size.

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Nate Santos isn’t going to be a double-digit scorer with the Flyers next season but he doesn’t have to be in order to be impactful. if his shooting numbers climb up and he remains a good defender, the program will be a legit contender to win the A-10 next season. After a rough start to the offseason, the pieces are slowly coming together for the program.