By PAUL GOTHAM
Archie Miller couldn’t think of a better guy than Darrell Davis to take the winning shot. So when the 6-4 sophomore, with his team trailing by two and less than 30 seconds remaining in the game, let it fly from the left corner Friday night, the fifth-year coach had no doubts.
“When that ball went up, I knew it was going in just because of the fact of how hard he’s worked,” Miller said during the Atlantic 10’s weekly tele-conference. “I told the team after the game that ‘I’m not sure as a coach that you get to bring out an example of how to stay with it through the course of a season.'”
Last year as a freshman, Davis torched the nets and led the A-10 hitting 45.2 percent (47-of-104) from behind the arc. The Flyers were 10-2 when the Detroit, Michigan native connected at least twice from long range. He looked like he was just scratching the surface when he 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting from 3-point range in the third round of the NCAA Tournament game against Oklahoma.
“Yes, he hasn’t shot the ball particularly well,” Miller stated. “People are just focusing in on that. It’s been hard for him.”
At the same time, Davis is playing more minutes (20.1 this season as compared to 18.7 in 2014-15) and as noted on KenPom, the lanky guard’s offensive usage has increased from 13.7 to 18.2 percent. He also has improved his offensive and defensive rebounding percentages.
“So much of the other things have gone unnoticed with him,” Miller added. “How much better of a defender he is this season. How much better of a rebounder he is. In general, his practice habits have been outstanding.
“He’s been a guy the last three and half, four weeks that has spent at least 10 to 15 minutes a day with me after practice on certain elements of his game that don’t happen to be shooting. Lo and behold the guys who stay with it they give themselves a chance when their number is called , when their opportunity is called.”
Davis has recorded 10 steals this season and has already surpassed his output from a year ago with 32 assists (23 in 2014-15).
“I just hope he continues with a great attitude. I hope he just continues to work in practice. In general he has done a really nice job of just staying with it through a season where he’s been a little disappointed in the way he’s shot the ball.”
No. 15/13 Dayton (21-3/11-1) sits atop the Atlantic 10. The Flyers will do battle with Saint Joseph’s (21-4/10-2), Wednesday night. Dayton leads the all-time series 20-16. The schools have split the last 16 meetings. Dayton won at home last year, 68-64, but the Hawks have taken the last seven in the City of Brotherly Love – a streak that stretches back to the 2000 season.
The Hawks are a half game behind second-place VCU in the standings.
UD is 18-0 this season when three or more players score in double figures.
A 6 p.m. tip off is scheduled from Philadelphia. The game will be televised on the CBS Sports Network.
Leave a Reply