Florida State University Athletics
Saturday, January 4
Tallahassee, Fla.
6:00 p.m.
Florida State
vs
Syracuse University
Seminoles' Davis Knows Only One Speed
1/3/2025 9:07:00 AM | Men's Basketball
TALLAHASSEE – The fastest gear in a finely tuned car is the highest gear. It's the gear which allows an engine to run faster and provide the greatest range of speed.
One way to describe Seminole freshman Daquan Davis is that he does everything in the highest gear -- the gear which provides the greatest ability for speed -- in this case, to a finely tuned college basketball player.
Davis, who started playing the game of basketball in the third grade when he was handed a basketball by his uncle, Mookie Dobbins, knows only one speed on the basketball court – fast.
He'll need to utilize his speed and quickness as the Seminoles welcome Syracuse to the Donald L. Tucker Center on Saturday night for a 6:00 p.m. tip-off in an important conference game for both teams. Florida State has darted out to a 9-4 start while the Orange makes its first of two trips to the Sunshine State with six wins in their first 13 games.
With Florida State's spring academic semester beginning on January 6, Nole Zone wristbands will be distributed to the first 750 students who check into the Spear-It Rewards table (above section 120), and foam fingers will be presented to the first 200 fans in attendance at the game.
The meeting of the two conference teams is the only regular season game scheduled between the two teams during the 2024-25 season. The Seminoles enter their game against the Orange, having won two of their last three and six of their last nine games since a 79-61 win over Hofstra at the Tucker Center on November 19.
Davis, who has played in each of the first 13 games of his collegiate career, is third on the team in scoring (8.3 ppg), tied for the team lead in assists (2.2 apg) and is one of four Seminoles averaging over 23 minutes played per game. He's earned an assist:turnover ratio of 3:1 in the first two ACC games of his career and is the only Seminole who has made at least one free throw in each of Florida State's first 13 games of the season.
He appeared in his first 10 games as a Seminole in head coach Leonard Hamilton's rotation and started his first collegiate game in Florida State's victory over Tulane in the Orange Bowl Classic on December 14.
Davis has increased his output as a member of the Seminoles' starting lineup. He averages 8.3 points, 2.2 assists, and has an assist:turnover ratio of 2:1 (eight assists and four turnovers in 89 total minutes) in his last three games as a starter.
"I have always wanted to play fast," said Davis, who began his career as a shooting guard. "I feel like I'm fast and strong, and I enjoy contact. It's the way I was taught to play the game in my hometown of West Baltimore."
Known as an elite athlete who scores at a high level and who is an outstanding playmaker, Davis has always utilized every bit of his solid 6-1 frame to guard the opponents' top offensive player, play quickly in transition, and finish through contact at the rim which has become one of his trademarks as a Seminole.
He enters his third career ACC game ranked ninth in the conference in free throw shooting percentage (.767) and second among his teammates in free throws made (33) and attempted (43).
Davis's efforts through the first two months of play have been recognized on a game-by-game basis by Hamilton.
"Daquan has only one speed," said Hamilton after the guard scored his career-high of 19 points in the Seminoles' victory over Western Carolina on November 26. "He only has one gear with all of his heart and all of his soul. He has an unselfish spirit, he is extremely confident, and he's a tremendous addition to our program. He's given us a tremendous lift from our point guard position."
Davis has always been an elite player.
He is one of the top freshman guards in the nation this season who arrived at Florida State during the summer of 2024 as a top 100 recruit and a top-10 point guard nationally. He is a player with a high basketball IQ and outstanding leadership qualities.
Davis has illustrated on quite a few occasions already this season his incredible speed that allows him to be an athletic finisher at the rim.
Davis credits his skill and toughness to the coaches he played for and the players he played with and against during his decorated high school career. He earned All-Baltimore Catholic League honors at the famed St. Francis Academy in Baltimore and was an All-American at St. John's College High School in Washington, D.C. He finished his prep career at the Overtime Elite Academy in Atlanta.
"The competition and the development during my year at Overtime Elite improved my game in so many ways," said Davis. "Playing at OTE has allowed me to play at Florida State for a legendary coach in the best basketball conference in the country."
In addition to Hamilton realizing Davis's incredibly high ceiling, Seminole assistant coach Kevin Nickelberry knew Davis was special when he first scouted him in high school.
When asked to describe Davis in one word, he quickly chose the word - resilient.
"Sometimes, if you just look at Daquan's size, you forget how much he gets done on the court," said Nickelberry. "He defends, he rebounds, he makes shots, and he will even speak up, though he is only a freshman. You can't really shake his confidence. He just keeps coming at you."
Entering the third ACC game of his career, Davis already knows conference games are quite a bit different from the non-conference games on the Seminoles' schedule.
"There's way more energy and focus required in conference games," said Davis.
Fortunately for Davis, he can elevate his game with his extra gear – one that allows him to accelerate into a different speed limit.
One way to describe Seminole freshman Daquan Davis is that he does everything in the highest gear -- the gear which provides the greatest ability for speed -- in this case, to a finely tuned college basketball player.
Davis, who started playing the game of basketball in the third grade when he was handed a basketball by his uncle, Mookie Dobbins, knows only one speed on the basketball court – fast.
He'll need to utilize his speed and quickness as the Seminoles welcome Syracuse to the Donald L. Tucker Center on Saturday night for a 6:00 p.m. tip-off in an important conference game for both teams. Florida State has darted out to a 9-4 start while the Orange makes its first of two trips to the Sunshine State with six wins in their first 13 games.
With Florida State's spring academic semester beginning on January 6, Nole Zone wristbands will be distributed to the first 750 students who check into the Spear-It Rewards table (above section 120), and foam fingers will be presented to the first 200 fans in attendance at the game.
The meeting of the two conference teams is the only regular season game scheduled between the two teams during the 2024-25 season. The Seminoles enter their game against the Orange, having won two of their last three and six of their last nine games since a 79-61 win over Hofstra at the Tucker Center on November 19.
Davis, who has played in each of the first 13 games of his collegiate career, is third on the team in scoring (8.3 ppg), tied for the team lead in assists (2.2 apg) and is one of four Seminoles averaging over 23 minutes played per game. He's earned an assist:turnover ratio of 3:1 in the first two ACC games of his career and is the only Seminole who has made at least one free throw in each of Florida State's first 13 games of the season.
He appeared in his first 10 games as a Seminole in head coach Leonard Hamilton's rotation and started his first collegiate game in Florida State's victory over Tulane in the Orange Bowl Classic on December 14.
Davis has increased his output as a member of the Seminoles' starting lineup. He averages 8.3 points, 2.2 assists, and has an assist:turnover ratio of 2:1 (eight assists and four turnovers in 89 total minutes) in his last three games as a starter.
"I have always wanted to play fast," said Davis, who began his career as a shooting guard. "I feel like I'm fast and strong, and I enjoy contact. It's the way I was taught to play the game in my hometown of West Baltimore."
Known as an elite athlete who scores at a high level and who is an outstanding playmaker, Davis has always utilized every bit of his solid 6-1 frame to guard the opponents' top offensive player, play quickly in transition, and finish through contact at the rim which has become one of his trademarks as a Seminole.
He enters his third career ACC game ranked ninth in the conference in free throw shooting percentage (.767) and second among his teammates in free throws made (33) and attempted (43).
Davis's efforts through the first two months of play have been recognized on a game-by-game basis by Hamilton.
"Daquan has only one speed," said Hamilton after the guard scored his career-high of 19 points in the Seminoles' victory over Western Carolina on November 26. "He only has one gear with all of his heart and all of his soul. He has an unselfish spirit, he is extremely confident, and he's a tremendous addition to our program. He's given us a tremendous lift from our point guard position."
Davis has always been an elite player.
He is one of the top freshman guards in the nation this season who arrived at Florida State during the summer of 2024 as a top 100 recruit and a top-10 point guard nationally. He is a player with a high basketball IQ and outstanding leadership qualities.
Davis has illustrated on quite a few occasions already this season his incredible speed that allows him to be an athletic finisher at the rim.
Davis credits his skill and toughness to the coaches he played for and the players he played with and against during his decorated high school career. He earned All-Baltimore Catholic League honors at the famed St. Francis Academy in Baltimore and was an All-American at St. John's College High School in Washington, D.C. He finished his prep career at the Overtime Elite Academy in Atlanta.
"The competition and the development during my year at Overtime Elite improved my game in so many ways," said Davis. "Playing at OTE has allowed me to play at Florida State for a legendary coach in the best basketball conference in the country."
In addition to Hamilton realizing Davis's incredibly high ceiling, Seminole assistant coach Kevin Nickelberry knew Davis was special when he first scouted him in high school.
When asked to describe Davis in one word, he quickly chose the word - resilient.
"Sometimes, if you just look at Daquan's size, you forget how much he gets done on the court," said Nickelberry. "He defends, he rebounds, he makes shots, and he will even speak up, though he is only a freshman. You can't really shake his confidence. He just keeps coming at you."
Entering the third ACC game of his career, Davis already knows conference games are quite a bit different from the non-conference games on the Seminoles' schedule.
"There's way more energy and focus required in conference games," said Davis.
Fortunately for Davis, he can elevate his game with his extra gear – one that allows him to accelerate into a different speed limit.
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's BasketballWR Jayvan Boggs: "He works like a pro"
Wednesday, September 17
DL Mandrell Desir: "He's that guy"
Wednesday, September 17
HC Mike Norvell: "He is a remarkable person"
Wednesday, September 17
OL Richie Leonard IV: "Find ways to get better"
Tuesday, September 16