INTERNATIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE Wildcats back at home tonight

One-loss Mahoning Valley plays Dayton.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
The Mahoning Valley Wildcats entered last week's road trip with a 3-1 record and several big questions.
How would they perform on the road? How would they do under new coach Andre Smith? How would they play short-handed?
Three wins later, the answer was clear: just fine.
"It was a very positive road trip," said Smith, an assistant for the first four games before being promoted last week when Rob Spon was fired. "The team played with a lot of character and a lot of confidence.
"If you're going to be a championship team, you've got to win on the road."
Heavy road slate
They'll get that chance this month as the Wildcats (6-1) play just one home game in May -- tonight against Dayton. Dayton (4-0) also happens to be the only team to beat Mahoning Valley this season.
"They're one of the stronger teams in the league," Smith, who missed the first game. "Top to bottom, they're solid and they do the things they have to do to win games."
Carl Edwards scored 20 points in the first meeting for the Jets, who won 127-109 on April 23 at Struthers Fieldhouse. Rick McFadden the Wildcats' leading scorer through the first seven games, had 23 points but Mahoning Valley was outscored 43-26 in the fourth quarter.
"Their guards are very aggressive and they're a very physical team," Smith said. "Our guards are going to have to do a better job with their decision making and we're going to have to limit them to one shot. They're a very good shooting team."
Tough on defense
Mahoning Valley, however, is a very good defensive team. The Wildcats held Detroit to just 7 of 50 shooting from behind the 3-point arc in a 117-81 blowout win on Saturday.
"We may be one of the best teams in the league," Wildcats co-owner Craig Mangie said. "I can't believe the chemistry and camaraderie the team has. I've been involved with sports a long time and I've never seen a team get along as well as this team does."
The Wildcats played to small crowds on last weekend's road trip -- Macomb County had 47 fans and Detroit had 33 -- and they're hoping for a big home crowd against the Jets.
Seek fan support
"Dayton is a very good team and it's a very competitive matchup for us," Smith said. "We appreciate the support we've been getting and we hope people keep coming."
Mangie agreed.
"We're happy with the people we're bringing in -- we're probably drawing more than any other team," he said. "We hope to see a bunch of people on Friday. The last game was pretty much a war. I've never seen a game that intense. It was just phenomenal and they had a good fan base that followed them.
"It should be a heckuva game."
scalzo@vindy.com