New UD guard known as 'great defender' and 'big-time leader'

May 13—Shandue McNeill has coached Posh Alexander. He's a mentor to Alexander. He's been described as an advisor. The relationship goes deeper than those descriptions.

Alexander, the 6-foot guard who announced his commitment to the Dayton Flyers earlier this month, is more like a nephew, McNeill said. Alexander hasn't made any decisions about his basketball career without getting the input of McNeill. They've known each other since Alexander was in the seventh grade.

All that makes McNeill the best person to talk to when it comes to the former St. John's and Butler guard who will finish his college career at UD in the same conference where McNeill played with St. Bonaventure from 1993-97.

"He's a big-time leader," McNeill said Wednesday, "and he plays selflessly."

Alexander is one of three transfers UD has picked up so far this spring, along with Zed Key, a 6-8 forward who played the last four seasons at Ohio State, and 6-10 forward Jacob Conner, who played the last two seasons at Marshall.

The Dayton Daily News talked to coaches who know those three players well this week and featured their comments in three separate stories. The first story focused on Key. The second story focused on Conner. This story focuses on Alexander.

McNeill coached Alexander with the New York Lightning, which plays on the Nike EYBL Circuit. Former Dayton stars Obi Toppin and Scoochie Smith are listed among the famous alums of the Lightning.

Dayton associate head coach Ricardo Greer's connections to New York City helped Dayton land Toppin in 2017. UD has had a strong connection to the area ever since. Malachi Smith, of the Bronx, is entering his fourth season at Dayton. Koby Brea, of Washington Heights, Greer's neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, played the last four seasons with the Flyers and will finish his career at Kentucky.

Zed Key, who announced in April he's transferring from Ohio State to Dayton, is from Long Island. Alexander attended Our Saviour Lutheran School in the Bronx. That's where Dayton first recruited him, offering him a scholarship in July 2017, just four months into Anthony Grant's tenture as Dayton head coach.

Alexander visited Dayton in February 2019 and sat behind the bench during a game against Duquesne. He put Dayton on his list of final five choices in July 2019 along with St. John's, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall and Illinois.

"He really enjoyed Dayton," McNeill said. "It was a tough decision for him choosing St. John's."

Alexander spent three seasons at St. John's, where he played 12 miles from his high school, but then transferred to Butler. When he entered the portal for a second time this spring, he started to look at Dayton and asked McNeill to do the same so he could get his thoughts.

"I think he wanted a chance to play in the (NCAA) tournament," McNeill said, "and he looked around and saw the roster and saw opportunity and thought they have a good enough core that he could be a piece to help them get to the tournament. He didn't leave because of any other reason that he thought it was a better chance to get to the tournament at Dayton versus when he was."

If Alexander had joined the Flyers in the 2020-21 season, he would have played behind Jalen Crutcher, who was then in his fourth season as the starting point guard.

"He would have had to wait his turn," McNeill said, "and this time around, he has the opportunity to play right away."

McNeill also said Dayton made the most sense for Alexander in part because of its strong non-conference schedule. At the Maui Invitational in November, Dayton's possible opponents include two-time defending national champion Connecticut, plus North Carolina, Michigan State, Auburn, Colorado, Iowa State and Memphis.

"You get to play against some brands," McNeill said. "Dayton's in a mid-major conference, but they function like a high-major program."

Alexander will compete for the job with Javon Bennett, the returning starter at point guard, and Malachi Smith, who missed all of last season after suffering a knee injury in the first half of the season opener.

Alexander could be one of three fifth-year players in the starting lineup. He has 1,340 points in 116 games at St. John's and Butler. Key scored 895 points and appeared in 121 games at Ohio State in the last four seasons. Guard Enoch Cheeks, who started last season at Dayton after three seasons at Robert Morris, has 1,112 points in 111 games.

The extra year of college will help Alexander's game, McNeill said.

"I think he just understands the game," McNeill said. "They're getting a really mature player. His style fits. Great defender. Plays up tempo. Shares the ball. Pushes the rock."