2019-20 Team Preview: Davis Boys Basketball

Key Players

G Earl Lee - Lee earned Big Nine league MVP last season, after averaging 26.4 Points Per Game. He’s a total playmaker who can drain long 3s and also throw down dunks. This 6-foot-2 senior will be looking to help lead Davis to state.  

G Jose Reyes - Reyes is now going into his third year starting, and has really established himself as a team leader. He gets the job done in every single category, and is coming off a First Team All League season. 

PF Dhantaye Bennet-Joe - Highly intriguing 6-foot-5 sophomore who made a big impact as a freshman last year. Bennet-Joe can be counted on to be a stout defensive presence, and also rack up rebounds. 

Overview

When it comes to Davis Athletics, the school is perhaps best known for their basketball prowess.

Up until this past season, they had qualified for state five straight seasons. During the past decade, they’ve played in the postseason eight times, including a state title in 2012.

This past season ended in heartbreak however, as they fell to Wenatchee 51-50 in the League Championship.

Qualifying for state is where Davis sets their expectations every single year. With nearly all varsity contributors from last year back, including three All League talents, Davis has a tremendous opportunity to make a run at a title this season.

The term ‘Big 3’ isn’t always great to use for high school players, but Davis really does have a clear cut big 3 with Earl Lee, Jose Reyes, and Dhantaye Bennet-Joe.

They all bring unique skills to the table, and they’ve been working hard this off-season to help bring the best out of each other.

A rising star to look out for would be 6-foot senior guard Marcus Cook. He also had a great off-season, and is a candidate to be a top scorer on the team.

Also featured in the starting lineup is 5-foot-9 junior Xavier Guerrero. He’s a reliable defender and is actually one of the best rebounders on the team.

5-10 Sophomore guard Robert Gallindo is looking to establish himself as a consistent performer off the bench. Davis head coach Eli Juarez has a lot of trust in him, and Gallindo will be looking to live up to those expectations.

Rotating in at the guard spot is another returner in 5-foot-8 senior Braxton Brown. The strength of his game lies his ball-handling and always being in the right spots.

Continuing to be a key player in the rotation is 6-foot-1 senior forward Lincoln Holland-Boone. He’s certainly not the biggest guy, but he more than holds his own playing in the low post.

One of the biggest differences between this year's team and last years team is they chemistry is much higher now. All these players know each other very well, and that translates into sound play on gameday.

That chemistry should help them get off to a much faster start. Last year they started the season 1-6, and even though they finished strong, it was simply too big of a hole to get out of.

Projection

On paper this is the most talented team in the Big Nine. The Seattle Times recognized that when they placed them at number eight in the 4A rankings. These Davis players are very confident in their ability, and they have a great coach in Eli Juarez to get the best out of them. They are certainly a pre-season favorite to win the Big Nine, and it'll be interesting to see if they can fulfill their potential.

Key Games 

@ Wenatchee 12/20

Eastmont 1/11

@ Eisenhower 1/17

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