Steady Reed was one of the best for PDS
By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
It didn’t take long for Paris McLean to realize there was something special about Davon Reed.
”I can remember when he first came to us and was taking part in our summer league as an incoming freshman,” said McLean, the Princeton Day School boys basketball coach. “You knew right away he would be very good. He looked and played the part even as a youngster. He was a hard worker and dedicated to the game. That all paid off with him having one of the best high school careers in Mercer County and Princeton Day School history.”
Reed finished his four-year career with the Panthers with 2,102 points. He became the school’s all-time leading scorer and the third highest career scorer in Mercer County.
”It went by really fast,” Reed said of his four-year career with the Panthers. “It didn’t always go the way I wanted. We had some high points and some low points, but I feel like that made me overall better as a player. I had a chance to improve and develop as a player.
”The program in the last four years has come a long way and hopefully it continues on that path and they get some more players to bring that winning attitude.”
Reed’s senior season was the best of four excellent ones in his career with the Panthers. He averaged 23.2 points per game this season, helping the team to 19 wins and a second straight appearance in the state Prep B tournament final. As he was throughout his career, Reed was the picture of consistency for the Panthers.
”He scored over 2,000 points without ever scoring more than 35 in a game,” McLean said. “Usually you’ll hear about a guy scoring 40 or maybe 50 in a game during their career when they have that many points. But that wasn’t the case with Davon.
”The one word for him is consistent. He had not scored under double figures in a game the last three years until the Rutgers Prep game in the states this year. In that game they were double and triple teaming him and what was great about Davon was he trusted his teammates. Langston (Glaude) was on fire and Chris (Okorodudu) put up big numbers. Whatever it took to win, that was what mattered to Davon.”
Reed put up numbers that may never be rivaled at PDS. But through it all he maintained his top focus on winning and being part of the team.
”We spoke quite frequently about it when he first started to get a lot of attention that he needed to stay hungry and humble and never settle for just being a great player,” McLean said. “He had to strive to be the best student and best athlete he could be.
”I know he enjoyed his time here at PDS both on and off the court. He loved the basketball and even more than basketball the school life and what PDS has to offer with the school life.”
Next year Reed will take his records and memories from PDS to the next level at the University of Miami, which has emerged as a national power under second-year head coach Jim Larranaga.
”Thinking about scoring 2,000 points, I’ll always remember that it started with two points in my first game,” said Reed, a Ewing resident. “I spent a lot of time in the gym trying to improve in every area and I think I have done that well.
”Now I have the opportunity to play at the next level for the next four years and get a chance to prove myself at the Division I level. I knew from the first time I met Coach Larranaga that he was a great coach and would do a great job there. I think that is showing with the way they are playing now. They are playing hard and playing well and expect nothing less than when I get there.”
McLean feels like Reed found the right fit with the Hurricanes, who are currently at the top of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
”Coach L is fantastic,” McLean said. “I think you have to feel comfortable at a school and with the players you will play with. He feels real comfortable with Coach L. He is going to praise when he deserves it and say what you do well. But also he’ll watch with that critical eye that this is what you need to do better.”
There wasn’t a whole lot Reed could have done better in his four years with the Panthers. He would have liked a Prep B title, but did come away with plenty to be proud of.
”Scoring 1,000 and the 2,000 points and winning the ESCIT Prime Time Shootout this year stand out,” Reed said. “I enjoyed being with the team. During the season we came closer together than probably any other team. They are like my brothers and I was sad to see it be over. But we have a good enough relationship that we’ll still be friends.”
Reed helped the Panthers improve from an 11-win team his freshman year to 15 wins as a sophomore, 16 last year, and 19 this year. He also went from the new guy as a freshman to the leader as an upperclassman.
”He saw both ends of the spectrum,” McLean said. “This year we were a veteran squad with all the inexperienced sophomores from last year now being experienced juniors. That helped us go on such a great run. It feels good to see how far we have come. Now the mindset needs to continue to move forward and not settle.
”Davon helped to get us back to where we are, but we have players that can step up and let this continue. PDS is now an option to come play basketball and get all the school has to offer, do well, and position yourself to do well in the future.”