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Former Pepperdine Waves men’s basketball player Stacy Davis played the best ball of his professional career in Turkey last season.
The 26-year-old forward averaged 17.8 points and 6.6 rebounds as he led Alba Fehervar, a Hungarian A Division squad, to an 18-13 record and the quarter-finals of the playoffs.
“Last season was my most successful,” Davis said during a phone call on September 3rd. “Personally, I did very well and we finished fourth in the league. We had a really good group. It was a great experience. “
Earning lots of points or gobbling up rebounds isn’t what makes Davis successful on hardwood. Instead, his four-year-old daughter Saniyah revs up his basketball engine.
“I want to build something for them to have a stable budget,” he said. “I want to maximize the money I make. That is the driving force for me. “
Davis, now with the Polish team King Szczecin, has got off to a good start this season. In the team’s first competition, Davis, who finished his Pepperdine Waves career in 2016 as the program’s all-time scorer and rebounder, scored 16 points and took eight rebounds. He had 16 points and four rebounds in the team’s second game.
Saniyah will visit Davis in Szczecin, the northwestern Polish city where Davis’ team is based, shortly before the end of the season in spring.
The main reason Davis signed a contract with King Szczecin rather than teams in Japan, Hungary or Ukraine was that international travel from the US to Central Europe would be easier for his only daughter and mother, Chantel Christie.
“I want the trip to be as manageable as possible, but going to Japan – it’s a really long journey,” he said.
Davis believes Saniyah in Poland, a nation known for quaint towns and castles, would have a better experience.
“So that my daughter can visit me for a few weeks,” he said, “I want her to go out.” [of] the house and have fun. I don’t want her just here and in the apartment. I want her to have a good experience. I want her to be able to acclimate pretty quickly. “
Saniyah visited her basketball dad in the country where he played. The exception was last year. The youngster did not visit Davis in Hungary due to restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The last season was tough for the father.
“It’s a grind,” said Davis. “I’ve missed time with my family that I can’t get back – missed time with my daughter.”
He said he got through the months without seeing Saniyah in person and playing at a fan-free gym by building strong bonds with his teammates. Davis befriended members of Alba Fehervar’s women’s team. They all spent Thanksgiving together.
Davis excelled on the basketball court for the Hungarian squad. He was the team’s top scorer and rebounder and was elected to the 2nd team of the All-Hungarian League and the All-Imports team of Eurobasket.com. In Alba’s 100:97 victory over Kaposvari last February, he lost 33 points. In Alba’s last game of the 31-game season, an 88-85 loss to DEAC in April, Davis scored 22 points and jailed nine boards.
A YouTube video of Davis’s highlights from last season shows he’s still wearing the number 5, the same number he used on Pepperdine, knocking down threesomes, midrange jumpers, and layups.
Davis, who hit 34.6 percent of three and hit 47 long shots, is a much better shot than he was in college. His ability to put down shots from a distance and defend various players is key to a successful career.
“The older you get, the less athletic you get – you’re not that fast, you are not that fast – I should be able to count on a solid jump shot,” said Davis.
The game with King Szczecin, said the Arizona-native, has positive effects, including a financially strong contract with good terms and conditions and high-level competition in the league his team plays in, Polska Liga Koszykówki.
“It’s going to be pretty good exposure for me,” said Davis.
Davis strengthened the team in Szczecin in the second week of August. The city is located in the north-west of Poland and is close to the Baltic Sea. The German border is not far either.
Davis has played in several countries since graduating from Pepperdine. At first he was reluctant to explore his surroundings, but that has changed in recent years. He wants to visit Berlin, the German capital, because it is only two hours away from Szczecin.
“I live in these countries, not only to visit, but I will probably also live here [only] once, â€said Davis. “So I want to take in as much as possible instead of just staying in my apartment.”
King Szczecin defeated PGE Spójnia Stargard, a rival squad (81-75), on September 3. The fans filled the stadium and the game was intense. Davis didn’t play his best, but he made three key shots down the line, including one that put the game into overtime and two more that gave King Szczecin a solid lead in overtime.
“I took pictures when it mattered,” Davis recalled.
The team’s next game is on September 19th against Start Lublin.
One of the season’s goals for the former Pepperdine star is to be an outstanding team player.
“I saw last season the importance of good relationships and the best teammate you can be,” said Davis. “It really got me through the season and is something I strive for.”
The other goal is for his daughter to enjoy his games.
“I am able to give her a life that she will enjoy,” said Davis.
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