Promising freshmen typically provide moments. Brief flashes of brilliance in the game, enough to tantalize fans about what the next four years could bring.
Warren’s Jaxson Davis and Bolingbrook’s Davion Thompson are unique. Both young players are already far more advanced.
Saturday at the Chicago Elite Classic the two freshmen completely lived up to the initial barrage of hype that surrounded them the first few weeks of the season.
Davis, 6-1, and Thompson, 6-3, have played some club basketball together and are friends.
“We were on the phone talking about the game this week,” Thompson said. “We were definitely really looking forward to it a lot. But we said we weren’t going to be friends on the court.”
Davis, who finished with 17 points and nine assists, has immediately made the Blue Devils a much stronger team than anticipated. They knocked off Bolingbrook 77-64 at UIC’s Credit Union 1 Arena.
“I was just trying to outwork my opponents and I feel like I did that,” Davis said. “The older guys on the team have more experience but I’ve come in and feel like I fit right in.”
Davis is a playmaker, good in transition and on defense. He would fit in well on any team.
“[Davis] is special,” Warren coach Zack Ryan said. “He sees the game unlike anyone I’ve ever coached or really seen before. He’s a nice kid and the other guys know he’s going to help us win.”
The Blue Devils (5-1) out-rebounded Bolingbrook 39-28. Alex Daniels had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Immanuel Brown scored 17 and grabbed 11 rebounds and Javerion Banks scored 18 and had four assists. Warren had assists on 15 of its 30 field goals.
“Bolingbrook plays a similar style to us and that kind of played to our strength,” Ryan said. “Our guys took advantage of the pace of the game.
Thompson led the Raiders (4-1) with 19 points and five rebounds. Davis is more aggressive right now. Thompson’s game is smooth and natural.
Kenwood’s Devin Cleveland and Young’s Howard Williams are the other highly-regarded freshmen in the area.
“We all know each other and are close,” Thompson said. “We want to see each other succeed but it is nice to have that friendly competition too.”
JT Pettigrew had 18 points DJ Strong added 12 for Bolingbrook.
“We started off kind of slow and overlooked [Warren’s] other players,” Thompson said.
