close

Chartiers Valley sophomore surpasses 1,000 point plateau

By Eleanor Bailey almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.Net 7 min read
1 / 2

Photos: Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Jayden Davis drives to the basket. The Chartiers Valley sophomore recently topped 1,000 points in his career. He ranks 14th in the WPIAL with a 24.3 scoring average.

2 / 2

Jayden Davis

Jayden Davis scored his 1,000th career point in Chartiers Valley’s 79-65 loss to Lincoln Park during the PBC Hall of Fame Classic held Jan. 29 at Montour High School.

The milestone came off a post-up move to the basket late in the third quarter rather than a long-range shot. That method came as no surprise even though Davis is a 5-foot, 10-inch point guard.

“Jayden has the ability to finish in traffic multiple ways,” said CV coach Brandon Sensor.

Sensor continued that’s just one of Davis’ strengths. “Speed, athleticism, rebounding, defense, his pull-up jumper and ability to shoot from deep,” he added are others.

Those abilities have enabled Davis to reach 1,000 points in only 41 varsity starts.

“I’m not surprised he reached 1,000 as a sophomore,” Sensor said. “It just shows how dynamic of a player he is. He’s special. He’s one of the best players in the area.”

Davis ranks No. 14 in the WPIAL with a 24.5 points per game scoring average but fourth among teams in Class 5A and 6A . Additionally, he averages 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.5 steals per game for the Colts, who fell to 14-5 after losing to South Fayette, 56-34, on Jan. 31.

“Everyone acknowledges the points that Jayden scores but there’s a lot of other things he does that helps us win games,” Sensor said. “He’s an all-around player who creates opportunities and makes the teammates around him better.”

Sensor predicted, “Jayden is only going to continue to get better and round out his game.”

Davis anticipates he’ll make similar strides. He hopes he is on a collision course with history. He is chasing unreal standards set by CV’s most renowned graduate.

T.J. McConnell, who is in his eighth NBA season and playing for the Indiana Pacers, is the all-time scoring leader in CV basketball history with 2,404 points. He ranks No. 9 in the WPIAL after Vinnie Cugini from Aquinas Academy shattered the 30-year old record of 2,838 points held by Tom Pipkins. Cugini scored 33 points in a 68-62 loss to Neighborhood Academy on Jan. 31 and stands at 2,841 for his career.

McConnell, who is one of only two players (not including Cugini who has 763 points so far this winter) to have scored 1,000 points in one season and ranks No. 2 in the WPIAL in 3-point field goals with 334, averaged 34.3 points per game in his career to go along with 8.2 rebounds and 9.1 assists.

Davis admitted surpassing the school record would be the “ultimate point goal” but his aspiration is to emulate McConnell.

“Absolutely,” he said about wanting to compete in the NBA some day. To achieve that though would require elements that McConnell possesses.

“A lot of hard work and being coachable,” said Davis. “I’m going to try my hardest but right now the most important thing is the team and winning. We want to win the rest of our section games and make a long playoff run.”

The Colts opened the 2022-23 campaign with 12 straight victories before hitting a rough patch. They dropped three consecutive confrontations with the section leaders –North Hills, 78-74 on Jan. 17; at Mars, 71-34, on Jan. 13; and at Moon, 54-46, on Jan. 10.

The Colts close out section action with those foes before the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs commence. After facing the Tigers on Feb. 3, the Colts host the Tigers at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7 and visit North Hills for a 7:30 p.m. tip on Feb. 10. The top four teams in the division qualify for postseason play.

Davis admits the team hit a lull during that stretch of defeats.

“They outplayed us the first time around. I feel like we have been playing harder. Communication and hustle will be keys the next time we play them.”

As a leader on the club, Davis believes it is his duty to do more than just set the example on the scoreboard.

“It’s not just in points,” he said. “As leader, you have to have the ability to communicate. We have to up our game a little bit more because these games are that more important.”

In preparation for each season, Davis develops a solid foundation by playing with and against some of the best players while on the AAU circuit.

For example, he and Meleek Thomas are former teammates. Thomas, who is a sophomore, too, tossed in 37 points in Lincoln Place’s win against CV. He is averaging 23.3 points per game this year.

Additionally, Thomas’s brother plays guard at NH with 6-foot-8 junior forward Parham Royce, who is averaging 29.2 points per game.

Davis also has played with Jerry Easter. The 6-5 point guard from Ohio already has multiple stars and offers although he is just a freshman.

“He draws a lot of attention and has offers from any where you can imagine. It helps a lot when you play alongside him and against competition like him. Playing with and against players like that only makes me better,” Davis said.

Davis admits that he has a ‘ways to go’ but he notes the attributes that make him major college material.

“Seeing the open man, court vision and awareness are my assets but there are areas to improve like defense and my basketball IQ. I want to get stronger and learn the game better.”

Davis has big plans beyond basketball at CV. He is already drawing interest from colleges such as Robert Morris, Marquette, Rhode Island and Dayton. As he develops, Davis anticipates receiving more interest from major NCAA Division I clubs.

His priority, however, is the Colts.

“I want us to qualify for the playoffs and have a long run. Long range, the goal for the team is to win a WPIAL championship. Maybe a state title too. We are a young team and we all hang out together. We are coming together more as a team and that makes us stronger and better. We have a long career ahead.”

There will likely be more achievements. Already Davis has garnered many accolades from all-section to Almanac MVP but 1,000 points is special.

“It’s a lot of points when you think about it. A great moment,” he said. “A lot went into it. It was a process. Until coach said something, I didn’t think about it. So there was a little pressure. It’s better not knowing but thrilling when it does happen.”

Jayden Davis is a huge fan of basketball but he’s a much bigger admirer of his younger brother.

A fourth-grade student, Jackson Davis, 10, was also a hoop enthusiast until he was diagnosed with leukemia.

“I encouraged him to play,” Jayden said proudly. “Jackson was always energetic but now seeing him sitting around is rough.”

Jackson, however, is improving thanks to weekly treatments and his doting brother. Jayden helps administer medications and facilitates Jackson’s exercise routine.

“I crush up his medicine because the pills are hard to swallow and mix it up with chocolate for him.

“We talk a lot, too, and go outside or go to the gym. Me, Jackson and my dad all go out and play and walk.

“He’s getting better and a lot more energy,” Jayden noted. “He even comes to my games.”

Basketball makes Jayden happy. “It’s fast and there’s a lot of freedom,” he noted. “I love it because there is a lot to juggle and a narrow window of time between school, practice, games and homework.”

There is, however, always time for family.

“That’s the most important thing,” Jayden said.

In addition to Jackson, Jayden has a 20-year-old brother. Quinton is a freshman at Pittsburgh Technical College in Oakdale. His parents are Nicole and Donald.

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $/week.

Subscribe Today