Floor Generals: Davis looking to become conductor for offense
Published 12:04 am Monday, December 8, 2014
FERRIDAY — Bunched up in a team huddle before the Ferriday Trojans take the floor, it can be fairly easy to miss 5-foot-7 Ronald Davis.
Dwarfed by multiple 6-foot teammates, Davis, the Trojans junior point guard, is one of the shortest members of the largest team in the Miss-Lou. Once the team breaks, and Davis emerges, his high-top hairstyle gives him an immediate presence. With his hair standing tall and the ball dribbling beneath his legs in a contest against Natchez High School Tuesday night, Davis pushed the ball ahead and passed the ball to shooting guard Kerry Brookes.
![Ferriday High School’s Ronald Davis leads a fast break offense down the court against the Natchez High School Bulldogs Tuesday night. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)](https:https://www.natchezdemocrat.com//wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2014/12/120814FloorGenerals2_bh-177x300.jpg)
Ferriday High School’s Ronald Davis leads a fast break offense down the court against the Natchez High School Bulldogs Tuesday night. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)
“Shoot that,” Davis emphatically shouted at Brooks.
This is Davis’ role on a team that is comprised of just as many new faces as there are familiar ones. Three of Ferriday’s four rotating big men are underclassmen, and while the frontcourt looks to be a strength with those three players being 6-foot-4 or taller, Davis considers his role as the floor general that more crucial.
“They’re still learning, so it’s my job to get them in position and let them know what to do,” Davis said.
Of course, it’s not easy calling out orders to players who are still trying to find their rhythm in a two-platoon offense. And if a turnover occurs, chances are Davis is the one left with the blame.
“It makes my job harder because I have to be the leader of the team, and when everything goes bad, coaches are looking at me,” Davis said.
Ferriday head coach K.G. Watkins said this is Davis’ first year playing point, and though he’s admittedly hard on his experienced player, he realizes Davis is still adjusting to the position.
“He’s still learning what he needs to do,” Watkins said. “He’s definitely in the learning phase right now. He gets a little excited against the press, but when he settles in, he operates the offense well. Right now, he’s the guy who runs it best.”
Watkins, who subs two separate units into the game, is looking to add a third unit, and find which players are best suited to see the floor alongside one another. Regardless of which lineup Watkins decides on, Davis will likely be leading the charge, distributing the ball in the Trojans’ halfcourt offensive set.