Davis becomes new B-A scoring king
Devils most to 7-1 with a win over Everett
Nathan Davis now holds the scoring record at Bellwood-Antis.
January 7, 2016
Bellwood-Antis senior Nathan Davis had a slow first half against Everett, but the seven points he scored with 1:27 left in the third quarter allowed him to break the Bellwood-Antis basketball boys record for most career points.
Davis entered the game needing 11 to hit the mark. Averaging about 21 points per game, he seemed like a lock to do it before halftime.
It took a little longer than that, but the results and emotions were what one might expect once he hit the mark with a step-back three off the dribble.
“Nathan is a very hard worker that deserves the accolades that he receives. He has worked to improve his game over the past four years and this record is a testament to his hard work,” said Coach Brent Gerwert.
“I really like playing for Bellwood and being a part of the program since I was very young,” said Davis. “It means a lot to be able to make an imprint on it for that reason.”
Davis led the team in scoring with 19 points after only scoring 4 in the first half, as the Blue Devils won 65-48 against Everett at home.
Davis surpassed Gerwert, who held the record of 1,647 points that was set 19 years ago.
“All records are made to be broken, and Nathan will set the bar very high for younger generations of Blue Devil’s to aspire to beat,” added Coach Gerwert.
Along with now holding the school record for most career points, Davis also holds the record for most career assists, which he set earlier this season.
He said a lot of the his scoring accolades are simply a result of staying healthy, something his older brother Noah, also a thousand-point scorer and currently a starter at Seton Hill University, could never quite do.
“I knew if I was going to reach it I would have to stay healthy,” Davis said. “Thankfully, I have never missed a game in my four years on varsity. My brother missed 22, which is basically an entire season, or else he might have broken this record before me.”
The Blue Devils ICC non-divisional win was set up with balanced scoring. The Warriors played a box-and-1 to slow Davis the first half, which meant other players needed to step up. And they did. Davis was one of four Devils to reach double figures.
Joey Padula continued his strong play with 17 points, while Jake Burch added 14. Jarrett Taneyhill netted 10.
The kind of scoring reflects a team approach, Davis said.
“We have our priorities straight,” he said. “Playing as a team we have accomplished a lot – records like this and winning basketball games.”
Now 7-1, the Blue Devils head to West Branch for their most important game to date against the once-beaten Warriors. The matchup with West Branch has blossomed into a rivalry for B-A over the last three seasons.
Last year, the Devils defeated West Branch twice in the regular season before falling to the Warriors in the District 6-A semifinals.
