Morgan State University Athletics

This is the second in a series of interviews with Morgan State senior student-athletes to celebrate their accomplishments and honor their service and dedication with a Senior Spotlight.
  
The NCAA canceled all winter and spring sports for the remainder of the academic calendar year. In response to the cancellation of the annual athletics banquet, this would give our senior student-athletes a sense of accomplishment and closure.
 
The second student-athlete is senior guard Stanley Davis. A native of Chester, Pa., Davis played all four years for the Bears and finished his collegiate career ranked No. 24 on the school's all-time scoring leaderboard with 1,044 points and and ranks 15th on the all-time rebounding list. He's just the 13^th player in school history to have over 1,000 points and over 500 rebounds.
 

In his final season, he was a 2020 All-MEAC Third Team selection and ranked among the league leaders in a number of statistical categories: No. 8 in rebounding (6.0), No. 9 in scoring (13.7), No. 12 in assists (2.5), No. 6 in free throw percentage (.784) and No. 13 in field goal percentage (.465).



"Stanley was the heart and soul of our team this year," said MSU head coach Kevin Broadus. "As he went, we went."

"Stanley practiced hard, played hard, and he will be missed for his leadership skills and dedication," said Broadus. "He exemplified how we competed and I look forward to what the future holds for him."
 
Davis discussed his athletic and academic career at Morgan State and his plans for the future.
 
Questions are in bold, and are followed by Davis' responses. 

Q: What was the emotion of having your season cut short due to the coronavirus?

A: There was never a doubt that we weren't going to play, but during pregame meal when our coach walked out, I just had a feeling like this might be the end. So, I basically prepared myself for the worst news I was going to hear. So once [Coach Broadus] told us that we weren't going to play the game and they canceled the tournament, I was highly upset, but it didn't really click at the moment. I just went blank... I didn't know what to think. I didn't know what to say. I just left the conference room and went walking outside. I remember like three other coaches coming out there to check on me and David Syfax to see how we were doing.
 
Q: What was it like getting the news from Coach Kevin Broadus?

A: I felt as though it was more of a direct message, because sometimes once you see things on social media... you don't really think it's true. You think it's a rumor. So, once he got the phone call, he got off the phone, he sat us down and told us it was just like, okay, so it's a direct message. So, we knew for sure.


 
Q: On his relationship with Coach Broadus...

A: He came in and said to me I don't know your game.  I've never really seen you play like in person or anything like that. But from word of mouth, you are a leader. You are very talented and you're a hardworking person and stuff like that. He kept it real. He said he wasn't going to give me a title or anything right now.  He just wanted me to work harder like everybody else. So, I just went in and proved myself.
 
Q: How would you describe this season?

A: This season had a lot of ups and downs. A lot of adversity. We went through a lot of things during the offseason. For us to come in this season and almost have the team's first winning record since the 2010-11 season... I guess the season ended well for us.
 
 
Q: You guys were picked 8^th in the preseason polls and finished 5^th … How should this team be remembered?

A: This team needs to be remembered as a team that never quit. I don't remember a time in a game where we ever quit.  A statement game for us where we never quit was when we played Norfolk State down in Norfolk (Va.). We were down at least 18 points with three or four minutes left and we ended up coming back. We cut the lead down to three in the last minute and we ended up having to foul down the stretch, so we lost by five. That's definitely a game where I can say we never gave up and there are many other games like that. This team should be remembered as a team that never laid down for anybody. 
 
Q: What do you see in this team for the future?

A: If the guys from last year come back with the same mindset they had this year, I'm pretty sure they'll definitely go all the way. I have much faith in the young guys like the sophomores Isaiah Burke, Sherwyn Devonish-Prince and Malik Miller. They should definitely return with a leadership mentality for next year. I've been with them for two years and they've grown a lot during those two years. I know next year they're going to push their teammates.



 
Q: As a departing senior, how would you like to be remembered?


A: I just want to be remembered as a great person. When I came in as a freshman, I was a hot-head coming from Chester (Pa.). I always had that mentality, but as I grew in my four years at Morgan; I grew into a man. I learned how to change and grew to respect myself.  But on the court, I want to be remembered as a bucket! A hardworking player, great defensive player, great teammate and a great leader.


 
Q: If your collegiate career has to come to an end this way, how much has your Morgan State University experience molded you off the court? 

A: It definitely humbled me and helped me grow. It helped me make certain decisions in my lifetime right now. It most definitely helped nurture my maturity. There's not a lot of people that see the age of 21... Morgan gave me the opportunity to make it out and become a way better person.
 
Q: How do you feel the coronavirus will affect the team heading into the 2020-21 season?

A:  I feel the only thing that will affect the team is the opportunity to build chemistry. Off the court chemistry and on the court chemistry will definitely be affected. A team has to be a family… I feel like it will affect the learning process for new players who come into the team. But I don't think it will affect the recruiting process because people are still looking for schools to join, and coaches are still looking for good players.
 
Q: Outside of the disappointment of not playing in the MEAC Tournament, is there one game that stood out to you that you can share regarding the season?

A:  I remember we played at Howard and I was sick.  I didn't feel like myself. I felt at an all-time low, my energy was low. But my teammates kept saying just do what you have to do to play. So, in my mind, I felt like my teammates cared for me. They would always check on me. During the game, I was thinking how can I overcome this? How can I continue to play this game while I'm sick? At a timeout I asked my coach, 'Can you take me out the game?'  And he looked at my teammates and he said, 'Do y'all want him to come out the game?' And they said no, and I'm like I need to, but it was like my team was pushing me to continue to play. We ended up winning that game and we all had a big part to play in that game. That game really stood out to me because of the awareness of my teammates and the care that they showed for me. 
 
 
Q: Is there a moment that stands out to you in regard to your collegiate career?

A:  This year when I got my 1,000 points, that was definitely a great moment for me, but I didn't really realize it until after the season. Growing up, I wasn't always the player I am now.  In high school, I only played two years of varsity, so I never got a chance to get 1,000 points in high school. So, for me to come to a D-I school and play against some of the best [players] and get 1,000 points... that's a big accomplishment for me. I'm in the record books now.

 
Q: How has the online/virtual learning experience been going so far? Any advantages or challenges?
 


A: Most professors have assignments online where you can just go complete them yourself. That's definitely an advantage where you can just complete the assignment whenever you want. The biggest challenge is to basically remember that you have class online and complete the work on time. That's a challenge to wake up to in your home, you're comfortable and you want to relax. Most people come home [from school] and relax.
 
Q: What will you do in the meantime?

A:  I've been doing push-ups, sit-ups and other exercised during my home workouts. Dribbling in my basement is getting on my parent's nerves. I've been watching movies and maintaining my weight.  I've been listening to music like Lil Baby, PartyNextDoor, Lil Uzi Vert, Jhene Aiko. I've been reading books like Two Chairs, Coach Tiny's (Corin Adams) book, and books on how to become a better man and gain wisdom.
 

 
Q: What's your message for fellow Morganites while they're away from campus during this pandemic?
 


A: Respect the rules that they have and stay in the house. There's no need to go outside. There's nothing to do to go outside. If you go outside, I hope you're going to the market or to the bank or to get something for yourself. Not just to just go outside and be around people.  So be safe, be smart and never give up on what you want just because the semester is over. Stay focused on your main goal. 
 
Q: What's next for Stanley Davis?

A: I'm going to take this opportunity to go overseas and do what I love and play basketball. I'm going to take that next step. I'm going to make sure my future is bright. But as of right now that's my plan. I love Morgan State. They helped me grow into a great man and my next step is basically to go overseas and make money doing what I love.

Previous Senior Spotlights
Roi Wallace
 

FOLLOW US IN CYBERSPACE 
There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go:
• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official web site of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more. 
• Follow us on social media:

            Facebook: /MorganStateBears
            Twitter: @MorganStBears
            Instagram: /MorganStateBears

ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution offering more than 100 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.