The Dayton Christian varsity boys basketball team fell to Waynesville 67–48 in a hard-fought road matchup, moving to 10–7 overall and 5–5 in conference play. Despite facing a formidable opponent and losing senior big man Asa Crockett to a shoulder injury in the opening minutes, the Warriors showed grit and continued to compete through all four quarters.

Waynesville seized early momentum, using a pair of 7-point scoring runs to build a 22–7 lead after the first quarter. The Warriors pushed back in the second period, sparked by senior Reid Collins, who drilled two three-pointers, and sophomore Henry Meredith, who added a strong finish inside. Collins attempted to keep Dayton Christian within striking distance throughout the night, finishing as the team’s leading scorer with 14 points on 5-of-12 shooting, including an impressive 4-of-7 from beyond the arc.

Dayton Christian continued to battle after halftime, with multiple players stepping up offensively. Seniors Caden Shepherd and Brayden Kidd each contributed 10 points, with Shepherd shooting a steady 4-of-9 from the field and Kidd going a perfect 4-for-4 at the free-throw line. Collins stayed hot from deep in the third quarter, connecting on two more threes as the Warriors worked to keep pace.

Junior Rylan Slavens delivered a standout all-around performance, finishing with 3 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, a steal, and zero turnovers. Defensively, Slavens, Collins, and Kidd combined to hold Waynesville’s top two scorers well below their season averages. However, the Spartans received timely contributions from the rest of their lineup and maintained control of the scoreboard throughout the contest. The Warriors continued to show character and resilience down the stretch, with Meredith and senior Josh Hamlett providing valuable minutes off the bench and adding 5 and 4 points respectively.

Dayton Christian now turns its attention to Friday’s Senior Night matchup at home against conference opponent Brookville, where the Warriors will look to snap a two-game skid. Varsity is scheduled to tip at 7:15 p.m., preceded by JVB at 4:30 p.m. and JV at 6:00 p.m. Senior athletes and their parents from Dayton Christian’s winter sports programs will be recognized prior to the varsity game.