DEKALB — There’s no doubt freshman guard Jaxson Davis put an emphatic stamp on the Warren program this season.
But above all else, Davis’ penchant for making the players around him better may be the most telling attribute in an attention-grabbing first varsity season.
“He was the main factor that we had this type of success, and that’s pretty obvious,” Warren junior guard Jack Wolf said. “The way he works and impacted us as a leader is huge. He’s pushed us all to be better and pushed us all to maximize our strengths.”
The 6-foot-1 Davis nearly pushed the Blue Devils all the way to the state semifinals. In the Class 4A NIU Supersectional against Palatine on Monday, he scored a team-high 19 points, the last coming when he tied the game for the third time in the fourth quarter on a 3-point play with 46 seconds left. But Connor May scored on a layup with 1.4 seconds on the clock to give the Pirates a 55-53 victory.
Davis’ 60-foot heave at the buzzer fell short as Palatine (28-8) beat a North Suburban Conference team for the third game in a row, following wins against Lake Zurich and Stevenson, to advance.
“The stage is never too big for him, and that’s pretty rare for a freshman,” Warren coach Zack Ryan said. “He’s willed us to a lot of wins this year. We’re lucky to have him, and he’s just going to keep getting better.”
Junior guard Javerion Banks had eight points for the Blue Devils (31-5), who last played in the state semifinals in 2011. Wolf, senior forward Alex Daniels and sophomore guard Braylon Walker each had seven points.
“We had an amazing first year, but on a night like this, it just comes down to the seniors and not being able to play with these guys ever again,” Davis said. “We had a great senior group, and I loved playing with them. Knowing I won’t be around them every day, being able to practice, joke around with them, is a terrible feeling.”
Warren’s Alex Daniels (12) goes for a layup during the Class 4A NIU Supersectional against Palatine in DeKalb on Monday, March 4, 2024. (Troy Stolt / News-Sun)
Davis’ 3-point play in the final minute came after his sixth steal and a hard-charging drive to the basket. He pulled the same trick on two straight possessions to open the second quarter, quickly trimming Palatine’s 23-12 lead.
“We were struggling on the defensive end, so I knew I had to come up big, and that meant steals,” Davis said. “But it wasn’t enough.”
Davis’ point production helped keep the Blue Devils within reach, but his defense resonated throughout the team.
“With the steals, that boosts our energy,” Wolf said. “That’s not just tonight. That’s all season for him. That’s something we heavily rely on. The way he played tonight was the reason we were still in the game.”
Indeed, Davis has been an impact player all season. He averaged 18.5 points, 5.8 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 4.5 steals in the Grant-Mundelein Thanksgiving Tournament back in November.
Warren’s Jaxson Davis (1) drives to the basket during the Class 4A NIU Supersectional against Palatine in DeKalb on Monday, March 4, 2024. (Troy Stolt / News-Sun)
Davis’ accolades, like being the first freshman named MVP of the Proviso West Holiday Tournament, tell one story. His father, Brian, a Warren assistant, has another perspective.
“He’s come a long way, especially since this is really his first time playing organized basketball,” Brian Davis said. “It’s been all AAU, and he didn’t play middle school basketball. He’s grown and matured and has been very steady throughout.
“But he takes losses hard. He doesn’t like to lose.”
That didn’t happen often for the Blue Devils this season.
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
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