AURORA — The rallying cry, a three-word mantra sewn across their shirts, was born from defeat.
Last season a young Overland squad, led by a superlative sophomore named De’Ron Davis, powered into the Class 5A semifinals before losing to eventual state champion Denver East.
With Davis and the rest of a core group of players returning, expectations would be huge for this season, perhaps even daunting.
So everywhere the Trailblazers went this season, all the way into Saturday night’s championship game against ThunderRidge in Boulder, they carried the same message: #RTP. Respect the process.
“It’s meant everything for us this year,” Overland coach Danny Fisher said. “We really wanted to embody not worrying so much about expectations, but about improving every single day. Every day is part of the process.”
This creed, soothing in its simplicity, has perhaps meant more to Davis than to any other player. The 6-foot-9 forward, who completed his junior season Saturday, embraces here-and-now details while swirling forces around him regularly attempt to pry his eyes toward the future.
Such is the territory when coaches from Indiana, Arkansas, Arizona, UCLA and about a dozen other high-profile schools are regularly texting or calling your phone. When strangers are stopping you to give their two cents about where you should go to college. When nearly anybody who watches Colorado’s top high school basketball prospect since Chauncey Billups feels compelled to offer their own evaluation.
That pressure can weigh heavy.
“It’s really about taking it day by day, hour by hour,” said Davis, who entered Saturday’s championship game averaging 16.3 points, 11.1 rebounds and 5.0 blocked shots per game, all increases from his stellar sophomore season. “I just try to stay humble and keep my circle tight. That’s the main thing.”
Davis lost one member of his circle as a fifth-grader when his father, Ronald Davis, passed away. Since, De’Ron has been raised by a hardworking single mother, Terri Latson, while helping watch out for his younger brother. Responsibility had to be learned fast.
“He always said, You have to be strong, you have to hold it down,’ ” Davis told The Denver Post last summer of his father’s lessons. “He prepared me for this. He always pushed me to another level.”
Fisher, who was Davis’ club coach before directing him at Overland, has marveled at his star pupil’s ability to compartmentalize all that has been thrown his way during a high school career under a microscope.
“He continues to handle it well,” Fisher said. “It does weigh on him sometimes, the pressure of playing well and the pressure of carrying his team. … His biggest maturity step is realizing he doesn’t have to do everything. He can just play now.”
Fisher gave Davis an important message before this season: “You don’t have to be Superman. You only have to be the best player on the court.” For Davis, that meant he only had to be himself. So he trusted his teammates during Overland’s dream season, and they rewarded him.
During Friday’s semifinal game against Denver East, Overland had a narrow first-half lead when Davis went to the bench with three fouls. Within minutes, the Trailblazers extended their lead to double digits. All Davis did when he got back was apply pressure to the gas pedal, finishing with 16 points, 17 rebounds and six blocked shots in the 20-point rout of the Angels.
“If they’re doubling me, we’ve got other weapons,” Davis said. “It’s really a team thing for us.”
The star player embracing the team concept is far from lip service with Davis. His status as one of the country’s top prospects sends him to tournaments and showcase events across the country. He often passes out the extra new gear he collects on the trips to his teammates.
“With all the stuff he’s done, he’s so humble about it,” Overland teammate Ryan Swan said. “If he has an extra pair of shoes, he gives them to us. We come first for him. He doesn’t care about the other stuff.”
The future is no doubt bright for Colorado’s top basketball prospect, but even amid the noise, Davis is reveling in the process.
Nick Kosmider: 303-954-1516, nkosmider@denverpost.com or
