Pack's Davis filling his role

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Anyone trying to follow N.C. State's game online Saturday may not have known Josh Davis was ever in the game. He didn't score, so his appearance wasn't acknowledged until the official box score hit the Internet.

But he was on the floor early in N.C. State's 66-59 win over Austin Peay at the Glenn Wilkes Classic, his fourth appearance in four games for the Wolfpack this fall. And when Tracy Smith got into foul trouble in the second half, Davis again got the call to help out inside.

The lanky 6-foot-7 forward arrived at N.C. State this fall as the fifth member of a five-player recruiting class, but the Athens Drive High School product hasn't missed a box score yet. Even he wasn't expecting that.

"I didn't at first, but I've been working hard in practice, so I kind of had a feeling," Davis said. "It's been a good experience. It's what I was hoping for."

So far, the Wolfpack can say the same thing. They produced another swarming first-half defensive performance, holding the Governors to 7-for-20 shooting to take another double-digit halftime lead, then held on to secure a 3-0 start to the season.

Smith scored 16 points to lead the Pack, and Dennis Horner scored 10 of his 15 points in the second half. Davis had a quieter stat line: no points and no rebounds in 11 minutes. But really, that Davis is playing at all - this much, this early - is the surprising thing.

"He hasn't surprised me as much as one might expect," N.C. State coach Sidney Lowe said. "His game is, he plays hard. That's his game. That you can count on every night. I don't put him in the game worried, 'Is he going to make a shot? Is he going to make a free throw?' I put him in knowing he's going to defend, knowing he's going to rebound. That I know."

Over the summer, recruiting analyst Dave Telep offered this assessment of Davis: "A young man who wanted to wear the Red and White and will scrap. He's a program guy with super grades and is proud to play for the Pack."

That's shorthand for a guy who will help out in practice and keep the team GPA up, but is seen on the court only during first-half foul trouble and blowout mop-up duty.

In Davis' case, Farnold Degand's indefinite academic suspension and freshman Richard Howell's knee injury have deprived State of two key players during the early going. The other freshmen have filled the gaps, Davis included.

Scott Wood is in the starting lineup, chipping in from the 3-point line. DeShawn Painter has been a key component of N.C. State's frontcourt. Jordan Vandenberg has impressed early. But Davis so far has exceeded expectations the most.

In three games so far, Davis has scored four points and is averaging more than nine minutes per game. He also has four rebounds. Those may not be the most impressive numbers, but for a player in Davis' shoes, they're better than no numbers.

"He has given us energy," Horner said. "He goes so hard in practice, we were watching film the other day, and there was such an emphasis on Josh - he crashes the boards on offense, on defense, every time. No matter who's shooting the ball, he's going down to crash the boards."

Lowe isn't the only one pointing out Davis on the court. Davis' friends from home have noticed as well - which is one reason why he wanted so badly to stay in Raleigh and play for N.C. State.

"They call me all the time," Davis said. "They say, 'I saw you on TV,' 'I saw you in the newspaper.' "

They may not have been expecting to see Davis so soon, but the way things are going for him, they may end up seeing more of him before the season is over.

N.C. State 66, Austin Peay 59

Three-point goals: 2-7, .286 (Campbell 2-2, Blake 0-1, Channels 0-2, Roberson 0-2). Team rebounds: 4. Blocked shots: 1 (Williams). Turnovers: 16 (Blake 3, Channels 3, Roberson 2, Williams 2, Campbell 2, Fraley 2, Caldwell, Brown). Steals: 5 (Brown 2, Campbell, Williams, Channels).

Three-point goals: 6-18, .333 (Horner 2-4, Mays 2-4, Wood 2-6, Gonzalez 0-4). Team rebounds: 3. Blocked shots: 3 (Horner, Vandenberg, Painter). Turnovers: 11 (Gonzalez 5, T.Smith 2, Mays, Williams, Horner). Steals: 10 (Horner 3, Gonzalez 2, Mays 2, Painter, Wood, T.Smith).

Att.-457. Officials-Brian Shey, Tony Turner, John Hampton.

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