Walking into the Marauder gym, the varsity basketball players were ready to come out with their first road victory of the season. But there was something bigger on the line for one individual player as he stood only 13 points shy of hitting an all-time high in his athletic career.

Senior Josh Davis, No. 11, hit the individual 1,000-point milestone as a varsity player in the Eagles win against Marcus High on Tuesday, Dec. 4. He will be honored with a plaque to recognize his accomplishment Dec. 14 at 7:20 p.m. when they play against Birdville at home.

“I honestly didn’t know I almost had 1,000 points going into the game,” Davis said. “I figured I was close. But, during that game, I was just trying to focus on getting the team a win. Scoring a thousand points, along with a win, was a big deal that night.”

After graduating 10 players last year, head coach Jonathan Ellis said the team relies on Davis more than ever to set an example for the rest of the boys.

“He’s the first player I’ve coached that has hit 1,000 points in his career,” Ellis said. “He’s been a great example to the rest of the players. It takes more than just your abilities on the floor to be great. Just seeing what he does in the hallways, in the school, in his classes, and his grades. He’s a well-rounded young man. He has definitely earned all his accomplishments.”

Basketball has taught Davis more than just the fundamentals of the game.

“The game has taught me leadership, and how to handle adversity in life,” Davis said. “I now know how to get through tough situations, like losses and injuries, but still keeping your head up high. My teammates and Coach Ellis always have the confidence in me to go out every night and play the best of my abilities. So I owe it to them to give 100-percent effort.”

Davis has played point guard and been a major contributor as a varsity member since his sophomore year.

“Josh moved here four years ago right before his freshman year,” Ellis said. “The first time I met him, he looked at me in the eyes and shook my hand strong. I knew right off the bat that he had a good character. The first day of freshman basketball tryouts rolled around, and within the first 10 minutes in, we realized he didn’t need to be in the freshman period anymore.”

Ellis said what makes a great captain is being a vocal player that can always communicate with his teammates – in addition to excelling at the activity they perform.

“Josh, to me, is a true captain,” Ellis said. “He exemplifies these qualities. You can always rely on and get the best from him. Anyone can see that he cares – not just about himself, but others around him. He’s a teacher and another coach on the court.”

To Davis’ teammates, he is seen as a motivated leader and hard worker.

“Josh is a great teammate,” Senior Jostein Clarke said. “He’s dedicated to what he does and always motivates on and off the court.”

While Davis is currently unsigned, he has received offers from several colleges. He plans to continue to play at the collegiate level.

“We’ll see what the future holds after the season ends,” Davis said. “Right now I’m just focusing on playing my best for the team. We’re hoping to go 2-0 every week so at the end of January we can be in playoffs.”

Davis has been playing the game for most of his life, and he doesn’t plan to give it up anytime soon.

“When I was younger, in my old house – when I lived in North Carolina, we used to have this circle in our backyard,” Davis said. “We would set up both goals on both ends, and we would just run back and forth playing basketball. It’s where I really started having a love for the game. I knew then that I wanted to play for more than just a hobby. And, now I am.”