Against Miami, RJ Davis Puts On An All-American-Level Performance That Breaks Records
Chapel Hill, North Carolina — Just hours before North Carolina’s home game against Miami, RJ Davis was the last player to leave the team’s Monday shoot-around.
The leading scorer for UNC, Anthony Davis, finished the game with 12 points on 1-14 shooting, which is his second-lowest total of the year against Virginia in Charlottesville. However, the senior put on a record-breaking show in the Dean E. Smith Centre just two days later.
North Carolina won 75-71 thanks to a 42-point performance from Davis on 14-22 shooting. He became the 10th player from UNC to score 40 or more points in a game, and his 42 points were the most any person has ever scored in the 38-year history of the Smith Centre.
RJ Davis reached an All-American level of play when North Carolina most needed it. He was unstoppable on the perimeter, making seven of his 11 career 3-point attempts. He made driving layups and floaters to get to his spots inside as well.
“I felt like it was going in every time I shot,” Davis remarked.
Although Davis made a 3-pointer from a short distance behind the arc to bring UNC’s lead to 21, it was still only by five. He informed his teammates that he believed the team’s intensity needed to increase in order to defeat the Hurricanes.
“We have no energy,” I told the guys when we headed to the locker room in the first half, Davis recalled. “Life does not exist.” We seemed to be on the verge of death for a brief while before reviving in the second half.
Davis undoubtedly contributed to the effort to win. He scored the first two points of the second half after making the final shot of the first. Following the under-eight timeout, he started to
In a three-minute period, the White Plains guard made four straight 3-pointers. Using a stepback dribble, he got Kyshawn George to backpedal on the first, setting him up to shoot a 3-pointer from the edge of the North Carolina logo. He dribbled to his spot on the right and left wings for his 33rd and 36th points on the second and third shots in that sequence.
When he passed Matthew Cleveland in front of the Roy Williams Court logo, he laced the shot and celebrated with his hands, setting a new career high.
Not long after, supporters in the Smith Centre began chanting his name.
Regardless of where he shot from, Davis compared shooting the basketball on Monday to throwing a rock into the Pacific Ocean.
During the offseason, Davis focused on increasing his range and worked with Pat Sullivan to develop his consistency when making long shots. Frequently, he imagines himself handling the ball near the top of the key, hoisting up a shot as the clock is running out. In order to reach his spots from a distance, Davis spends his mornings honing his dribbling moves and distance.
Ingram remarked, “He can shoot from anywhere.” “He possesses NBA range and deep range.” I believe that every shot that RJ takes is a good shot.
On Monday, Davis recorded his third 30-point performance of the year, and he would have scored even more if he had the option.
“At 41, I wanted 50,” Davis remarked. “I had 50 hours of hunger.”
On Monday, Davis advanced his ACC Player of the Year campaign. Throughout the season, Davis has had his fair share of ACC POY and even All-American moments.
In the Battle 4 Atlantis, a UNC victory over Arkansas in the Bahamas, he scored thirty points. He set his previous career high against Wake Forest at home in the second half of the game. He scored twenty-five points and slowed down Nijel Pack for Coral Gables against Miami in the second half.
Davis has averaged 21.7 points per game through 28 games, and he has only once been held below double figures.
In addition to being North Carolina’s all-time leader in free throw percentage, Davis is currently tied with Brad Daugherty for 10th place on the all-time scoring list at UNC. He’s in a good position to build on his collegiate career by winning the ACC Player of the Year title and maybe earning a spot on an All-American squad with his performance this season.
Before the season even began, his teammates realised Davis had the potential to have a breakout year. And according to Ingram, Davis’ performance on Monday “wrapped up” his case for conference player of the year.
“I was aware of his potential,” Ingram remarked. “Obviously, I had no idea he was going to drop 42,
