For senior guard Will Davis and his classmate forward Mareiga Clarke last season seemed to never really get started.
For Davis, it was a severe knee injury which caused him to not only miss significant playing time but forced him to play with a bulky brace which left him not only with diminished quickness but a bit tentative with respect to how much he could do physically when he returned to action.
For Clarke, the problem was one not typically associated with young athletes; high blood pressure. He too missed significant time and was a diminished player when he returned as doctors tried to find the best way to get it under control. And for both young men it meant taking a step backward from promising sophomore campaigns
Last night as they helped coach Paul Gilvary and their teammates to a convincing 58-38 win over Campus Magnet the two players demonstrated that they were healthy again and ready for a great season.
Statistically, that meant 20 points for Davis and 19 and 10 rebounds for Clarke. But to see what it really means one must look beyond those numbers. Together they helped the Knights put together a terrific defensive effort and rebound against a taller and more physical Panthers' squad. Ten of Davis' points came in a first period that saw Holy Cross sprint to a 16-9 advantage. They took a 26-13 lead at the half with the help of senior guard Anthony Libroia who showed his usually reliable shooting touch and improved ball handling and passing as he scored 9 points and added 11 assists. All four of Holy Cross' seniors (including talented but injured guard Marquise Moore) have drawn college interest. Davis reportedly received his first offer from Fairfield while Libroia is reportedly being evaluated by local D-II programs. If Clarke continues to play well he will likely draw interest from many programs during the late signing period. And when the team adds Moore, who is recovering from a broken big toe, a deep playoff run may spark even greater interest in all of Holy Cross' class of 2012 players.
Legendary coach Chuck Granby's squad clearly has some talent in senior wings Sam Durodola, Justin Harvey and Tarik Raynor as evidenced by surprising wins over Bayside and Cardozo earlier this season. Yesterday several of the Panthers arrived late, and were clearly not ready to play. Given Coach Granby's long winning history, this will be a lesson for his team and may in the long run help propel them to continued success in the PSAL
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