Basketball
Panthers Sign Trinidadian Guard
31 August 2007
The Team Birmingham Panthers have completed the signing of 27-year-old Trinidadian guard Mario Davis ahead of the 2007/08 BBL Championship season.
The 6'4" shooting guard impressed the club's coaching team as he joined up with them at some of their summer workouts. Head Coach Nigel Lloyd explains,
"This is a great story. Mario flew over from Trinidad to work out with us on a Saturday morning, he trained with us and then in the evening he played in the Nike Midnight Madness tournament. He impressed everyone that saw him with his great attitude and his work ethic. He was hungry, he wanted to work hard, and he really wanted to show us that he wanted to be here in Birmingham.
"He worked out with us again on the Sunday, took a little rest on Monday, and then jumped on a plane and went home on Tuesday. He is just the kind of guy we are looking for, he just showed up and wanted to show us that he can play and to prove to us that he belonged at this level.
"Everyone that saw him when he worked out with us said, 'you're going to keep him, right?"
Lloyd, himself a former Barbadian international having been born on the island just to the north of Trinidad, went on to discuss some of the player's attributes,
"We will likely play him as a two-guard, he likes to shoot the ball and has a great jump shot. He plays defence, he runs the floor well, and he finishes well around the basket. He's one of those guys that is very coachable, he works hard the whole time."
Davis learnt much of his basketball in the USA, where he featured for Lincoln University in NCAA II between 2002-04 and attended junior college at Connors State. Since that time he has been plying his trade in his home country, Trinidad, turning out for the Straker Nets and Maloney Pacers.
In 2006 he averaged 20.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game for the Pacers, was voted as the East League MVP, and featured in the All-Star Game. He shot an amazing 44.9% from three-point range during that season and has also gained a reputation for his athleticism, dunking ability, and hard-nosed defence. With the Nets in 2007, he averaged 21.7 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, whilst connecting on 43% of long-range attempts.
Some high-calibre players of Trinidadian heritage have graced the BBL in the recent past, including Shawn Myers and Michael Payne. Between them that pair have won three BBL Championship medals and two BBL Playoff championships.
At Lincoln University, Davis averaged 13.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, whilst shooting 41.3% from downtown, over the two years.
The Panthers commence their BBL Championship campaign on Saturday 22nd September as they face-off with the DMU Leicester Riders in the West vs. East Midlands derby.
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