Former All-/
By RANDY PETT1TT
wironcw oports coior
A k>t of things have changed
since Charlie Davis was a high
school basketball player back in
the 1960's. But Davis says the
high school level has managed to
keep one of it's more favorable
assets over the years.
"High school is still one of
the few outlets where basketball
is played the way it ought to be for
fun," said Davis, a former AilAmerican
guard at Wake Forest
who spoke to players and coaches
of the/Frank -?
Spencer Holiday
Classic a
player breakfast
earlier this week.
"Unfortunately,
college
basketball has M
become more or A
less, a semi-pro BBB^
league," said
Davis, the first uav,s
black to be named Player of the
Year in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
"There is so much pressure
for college basketball programs to
win these days," he said. "College
basketball is a money-making
sport and the pressure for the
kids to perform is simply too
much. They are still unpredictable
and growing and it is
unfair to burden them with so
much pressure to win and excel al
the time.
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ketball is so refreshing. It is still
one of the few chances you have
to see the game played just for
* pure fun and enjoyment. That's
the way the game should be
played."
Davis, who as a guard in
1971 was the first black to make
ACC Player of the Year honors, is
also Wake's lone black member of
their Hall of Fame. He said high
school basketball has changed,
but it has suffered some setbacks
as well.
"The talent is much greater
today," said Davis, who returned
to Winston-Salem five years ago
and currently works as a financial
planner for New York Life.
kids are stronger, faster
er than they were in the
60's. But I believe a lot of the
kids today lack the great coaching
we had in my generation of high
school basketball.
"So much emphasis is placed
on winning, that the basics of the
game are being overlooked.
Things like passing, dribbling,
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body and many others.
"When I was a kid playing in
New York (Brooklyn Technical
High School), we had coaching"
year round. After the season was
over, we had four or five big tournaments
and played 40 or SO
games.
"There were a number of
coaches who coached the whole
year and we took advantage of it
Now a lot of coaches aren't too
fired up about letting their kids
play in summer tournaments and
get outside coaching.
"Most kids these days don't
get enough outside playing experience.
The ones that go to the
camps and play summer ball have
a tremendous advantage."
The hot-shooting guard still
holds several individual records at
Write Forest - including a school
record SI points against American
University, a career scoring,
average of 24.94 points per game
and a career free throw percentage
of 87.3% ? yet he realizes
someday they will fall.
"Records are made to be broken,"
he said. "Mine have stood
the test of time, though. But surely
someone will come along and
put me in the number two spot
Davis told the players and
coaches of the Frank Spencer
Classic, that no matter how good
yon are, there is someone out
there better.
"People saw Oscar Robinson
and went crazy," he said. "Then
when Julius Erving came along,
they said there would never be
another one like him.
"But along came 'Air' Jordan
and people are saying that about
him now. Surely, someone will
come along in a few years and
well say the same thing about
4
American says
them.
"So enjoy the game of bas- 2
ketball and keep that in mind," he 1
said. "It can teach you a lot about c
yourself, provide you with some , c
fond memories and give new
Mends. It is a game of character "
as much as it is ability."
Davis displayed his character <
when he opened the racial door in
the ACC and at Wake Forest.
"The ACC used to be the
Dixie Conference," he said. s
"Oscar Robinson actually got beat v
up trying to play in the league.
Even when the ACC finally *
allowed blacks to play in the s
league, it still took a long time to c
win acceptance. s
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s college he
"John Roach edged Charlie
>cott for Player of the Year in
1970. I thought Charlie was one
>f the greatest players in the
:ountry let alone the ACC. It was
No matter how greed
Dne out there better."
[ close vote, but I still think he
vas cheated."
Davis was not to be denied,
towever, as he put forth a season
o great that it would have been
tbvious racism had he not been
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"I had a great year and forced
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! their hand a little bit," he said.
i "Had I not been selected as Player
. of the Year, then it would've left a
tremendous black eye on the
ACC.
f you are, there's some
Charlie Davis
"I feel like I opened the door
for guys like Phil Ford, Michael
Jordan and Ralph Sampson. Once
the first step is made, the second
and third seem much easier."
Although Wake retired his
number 12 jersey and Davis went
on to a professional career in the
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arter than ever a
v
rhursday, December 31, 1987 Win
Dreeding groi
NBA, he is still a Deacon fan.
"Yeah, I still pull for the
home team," he said. "It's a very
fine school."
Davis said if Wake is patient,
the ingredients from this year's
mediocre team may be a force in
the near future.
"Wake has five or six good
athletes," he said. "A couple of
good recruiting years and they'll
really have something to look forward
to.
"I think Coach (Bob) Staak
was not left with the best of situations.
He was able to cover it
up for a year with a great player
like Tyrone Bogues, but the program
was really in poor shape
when he took over.
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Greensboro, Four S
ston-Salem Chronicle Page B5
und for pros
"I think Staak is starting from
scratch and I hope the school and
fans exercise patience with him. 1
think Staak and his staff realize
that they need a big man that can
play and they're going to go out
and get him.
"1 don't understand it Wake
has never been able to land the
big man. You have to have the
big horse in the middle to win
championships.
"Wake has always been
known for their forwards and
great guards/
Indeed, Charlie Davis is one
of the greatest guards to ever play
in the ACC ? but with guys like
Frank K Johnson and Muggsy
Boeues, how quickly they forget
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