"I knew we'd be missing some guys, and that I'd have to step up," Davis said. "I'm usually a pretty good shooter, but I've been off a little lately. I was working on my midrange jumper.
"I was there from 9 to midnight. First, I did my homework, then I told my mom what I was going to do over at Simpson. She understood."
Thursday, MC&S traveled to Prep Charter for a Public A game. Thirteen Mighty Elephants were present, but four were in street clothes because of a combination of missed practices and what coach Danny Jackson called "a lack of leadership and chemistry."
Three were starters. The other, mostly, alternates with Davis as the sixth man.
So, what happened?
MC&S triumphed, 64-56. Showing a feathery touch, even from beyond the foul line, Davis shot 8-for-11 (one dunk) for 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds and notched three rejections. And that was with playing time restricted because of foul trouble. He missed the last 3:42 of the first half and fouled out with 2:48 remaining.
Another forward, soph Basil Thompson, fouled out with 1:18 left, so the Mighty Elephants finished with a two-man bench.
"It was rough fouling out with the game still on the line," Davis said. "I still had faith in my teammates, and I made sure to cheer them on. I came in here knowing we would win. Actually, I thought we'd win by more.
"I'm disappointed in [the four disciplined players]. Coach did the right thing. I don't know why you would just not show up for a workout. Makes no sense. I hope we all come together from this."
Davis said his personal session was a solo act.
"I didn't mind," he insisted. "When I missed the shots, I'd just go get the rebound and concentrate on the put-backs. Situational stuff. Like I would in a game."
If the other Mighty Elephants felt even partial trepidation early, Davis helped to make it go away by scoring eight points in a 15-15 first quarter.
By going 3-for-3, he posted six more in the third, won by MC&S, 18-12. Junior point guard Abraham Massaley, a transfer from Prep Charter, scored nine of his 15 points in the fourth, mostly by going hard to the hole and drawing fouls. PC edged no closer than four down the stretch.
Thompson posted 14 points and nine rebounds. Maurice Stevens had 10 boards. Massaley mixed three assists and the same number of steals.
Laquan Stephens (19) and Raheem Liggins (15) led the Huskies in scoring, while Malik Smith rang up eight assists and four steals.
Davis, who wants to major in sports administration or athletic training, is hearing from Boston University and many of Pennsy's Division II state schools.
By the way, Davis' original plan Wednesday night was for a much shorter workout.
"But I didn't want to go home," Quentin Davis said, "until my jumper was looking the way I wanted it to."
