At the beginning of each new year, Phenom Hoops works to assemble a series of articles centered around unsigned senior prospects. Last season, over a hundred players from North Carolina went on to play at the Division I, II, III, or NAIA levels, and that number looks likely to continue increasing with the current senior class. Typically, we take a closer look at guys who are overlooked and under-recruited, and today’s edition will highlight Jared Davis of Seventy-First.
We’ve seen Davis numerous times this season, recently stating, “It’s genuinely difficult to try and make sense of Jared Davis’ lack of recruitment, especially since his production has only taken another leap this season. At 6-foot-6, he sports a strong, physical frame and knows how to utilize it properly on both ends of the floor. Davis is an excellent rebounder who carves out space well, controls the glass, and consistently outworks his assignment. He possesses feel, footwork, and soft touch around the basket, allowing him to finish above the rim, over either shoulder, or with various different counters. Unlike most high school players, Davis uses the rim incredibly well to protect himself as a reverse finisher—especially against opposing big men. He defends the post well and does a great job of walling-up without fouling. Davis can also attack off the bounce or knock down jumpers as needed, but usually prefers to assert himself around the basket. He also displays toughness and plays well through contact. Regardless, scholarship-level schools should already be involved.”
Since then, Davis has only continued to produce and set the tone as a leader for the (13-2) Falcons. He’s posting robust nightly averages of 17.9 PPG, 11.6 RPG, and 1.9 SPG while being the primary focus of every opponent they’ve faced. Davis is smart, strong, and physically overwhelming with a sturdy frame and team-oriented mentality on both ends of the floor. He’s a phenomenal two-way rebounder who understands how to carve out space and properly position himself around the basket. Davis runs the floor well in transition, finishes with both hands, and does the little things on either side of the ball. He’s been an exceptional leader for this group, both in terms of raw production and overall tone-setting. Davis has all the tools to be a useful contributor at a variety of scholarship-level programs, so college coaches would be wise to get involved sooner than later.
