By Ken Graham
The Times
Senior-Heavy Dayton Boys' Team Looks Toward Playoff Berth
Second-year coach Will Hutchens is joined by new assistant, Tamira Culley
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Dayton's Ben Kleck and a fellow teammate played tight defense against Prescott's Reshaun Crockett during a game between the two teams last year.
DAYTON – The Dayton boys' basketball team will field four returning senior starters this year: Tanner Bren, Zech Bryan, Ben Kleck, and Cal Martin. Second-year coach Will Hutchens says that those players' experience will bring the Bulldogs their first playoff appearance in many years.
Martin will be the primary point guard, and Kleck will join him in the backcourt, Hutchens said. Senior Lane Wilkening will likely join Bren and Bryan in the wing and post positions.
Hutchens says that senior Tristan Willis and juniors Jeff Dieu and Junior Helm will see considerable action off the bench.
The Bulldogs will play in the newly-created Eastern Washington Athletic Conference this year. They are joined in the conference by previous Southeast 2B teams DeSales, Walla Walla Valley Academy, and Tri-Cities Prep. The conference also includes Liberty Christian, Mabton, White Swan, and Kittitas.
"I don't know too much about those teams," Hutchens said. "I'm hoping to talk to the coaches soon and learn more."
Last year, the Bulldogs were 5-14 in Hutchens' first year. They were winless in 2014-2015.
Hutchens is joined this year by new assistant Coach Tamira Culley. Culley is a 1994 Dayton High graduate and played basketball and volleyball at Walla Walla Community College. She will also coach the Dayton boys' JV team.
The Bulldogs travel to Oaksdale on Friday and then host Pomeroy Saturday night.
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