READING, Pa. — Shaquille Davis was very much like the other 700 kids at Albright College for last week’s Hoop Group’s Elite Session 1. He was looking to catch the eye of a few college basketball coaches, gain Division I interest or a scholarship offer.
But unlike virtually all the other hopefuls, he had a slightly different perspective. For three nights in mid-May, he sat behind bars.
Davis was arrested for alleged gun possession along with teammate Ethan Telfair, the younger brother of NBA player and Coney Island legend Sebastian Telfair. Police spotted two guns inside an open backpack in a courtyard behind the O’Dwyer Gardens Houses on West 33rd Street near Surf Avenue, authorities said then.
Police searched the bag and found a third gun inside, police sources said. All three were loaded, sources said, though it was not clear who owned the backpack.
Davis was later released and not charged.
“It was the worst feeling in my life,” the hard-nosed, 6-foot-1 junior recalled. “It was an experience I never want to go through again.”
Davis has done well to put the incident behind him. Lincoln coach Dwayne (Tiny) Morton has seen a newfound maturity in Davis. He earned his best grades yet in high school over the last marking period and has emerged in workouts and open gyms, as much for his leadership qualities as his skill set.
“He’s seen the other side of things,” Morton said, later adding, “We all see his potential. He’s key for us. I hope he can earn a starting spot.”
Davis played well last week, running the point for the first time since middle school and earning an invite to the underclassmen all-star game. He showed the ability to get into the lane at will, to get teammates involved while also scoring himself, a delicate mix many young guards struggle with.
“He’s a good distributor, a good leader and he finishes well in the lane,” one Division I college assistant coach said of Davis, speaking on condition of anonymity since college coaches are not allowed to publicly comment on prospective prospects.
Davis’ Lincoln career has been filled with peaks and valleys. He enjoyed a standout freshman year before missing the tail end of the season due to academic ineligibility. He started slow as a sophomore, possibly due to the presence of freshman sensation Isaiah Whitehead, but became a vital defensive piece in the playoffs as the Railsplitters reached the PSAL Class AA final at Madison Square Garden.
That, however, was followed by the arrest, which shocked Lincoln teammates and coaches. Teammate Reuben King said he never heard of the soft-spoken Davis getting in trouble in school or even arriving late.
Since the arrest, he has noticed an even more focused young man, Davis “trying the best to be the best he can on and off the court,” he said.
Davis declined to talk about the conditions of the case or arrest, only that he was grateful how it worked out and thankful for the opportunity at Albright College. He has really enjoyed his transition to the point-guard spot, which gives him more control and confidence, and hopes he can earn the starting nod in the winter for Lincoln.
That doesn’t mean he’s forgotten about those three nights in May, as much as he would like to put them in the past.
“It definitely was a lesson,” Davis said. “When there’s nothing to do as far as school or playing basketball, you should be doing something positive.”