Raiders' Davis makes foes pay with outside shot

Three Rivers sophomore guard almost left TRCC for Missouri State. After deciding to stay, she is back and draining 3-pointers for the Lady Raiders. (Alex Abate/DAR)

By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer

Three Rivers sophomore Morgan Davis is glad she had a change of heart.

Davis was ready to transfer to Missouri State after last season and give up basketball but after talking with her family, she changed her mind. She is now starting for the Lady Raiders and averaging 10.4 points per game.

"I just decided I wasn't ready to give it up," Davis said. "I didn't want to quit. I wanted to finish out the two years."

The Doniphan native was a starter on the 2007-08 team and averaged 10.2 points per game. However, the season wore down, she started questioning her enthusiasm for the game.

"It got to be at the end where I just really didn't have the heart for it," Davis said. "I guess, over the summer, I just started working again and really got back into it."

Davis lifted two days a week over the summer and practiced to improve her game. This year, her release has improved.

"I had a slow shot," Davis said. "But I worked on it this summer and I think it has gotten a little bit quicker."

Davis shot 38.5 percent from 3-point land last season and this year, she is hitting at a 43.6 percent clip. She had attempted 117 threes on the season and made 51.

"Still shooting the ball well, I think she is shooting the ball like she did back in high school," Three Rivers coach Jeff Walk said. "It is just a pleasure to watch her shoot when I am on the same side she is."

The Lady Raiders want Davis' long range success to continue.

"We just hope to keep getting her open," Walk said. "She works hard every day in practice and has a great attitude. When her shot is not falling, she knows she has to get it to the person who is making the shot and that is what makes a good player."

Last season, Davis set the 3-point record for Three Rivers when she made nine in a game against Florissant Valley.

That performance and others from last year dictated how teams have tried to contain her this season.

"It seems like every game, they are always like, 'that's the shooter, that's the shooter'," Davis said. "They are in my face so I have to work a lot harder to get open."

Davis had a different role at Doniphan than she has now.

In high school, she put the ball on the floor more and created more shots for herself and her teammates. Her role has changed since she arrived at Three Rivers.

"I did at first (had to adjust)," Davis said. "Now I know my role is mostly to shoot the three."

Davis isn't as much of a team leader that she was in high school.

"As far as a leader out there, I don't know if we have one that you can say is a leader," Walk said. "Meredith probably would be more of that role but each one leads is their specific areas."

Davis and the coaching staff are always trying different things to keep their opponents one step behind.

"I want to prepare her for what the other teams are going to do," Walk said. "We do a lot of other things than just her standing out there behind the line. She takes the ball and puts it on the floor a little bit. That is not her primary weapon but it keep (the opponents) off stride."