The play of Davis has become pivotal The play of Davis has become pivotal (December 26, 2003)

Stanford senior proving to be a presence this season as the undefeated Cardinal rise to No. 6 in the nation

by Rick Eymer

Stanford senior forward Justin Davis became a big-time player for the Cardinal last year when he recorded 11 of his first 12 career double-doubles, including a series of games over the Christmas holidays in which he combined for 57 points and 32 rebounds over three games on 22-of-33 shooting.

He hasn't slowed down since. Davis combined for 37 points and 19 rebounds in recent victories over UNLV and Gonzaga, and will likely be a force when sixth-ranked Stanford takes on Harvard on Sunday at 5 p.m.

In Monday's 67-37 victory over visiting Southern Utah, Davis scored eight points in 15 minutes as Stanford coach Mike Montgomery turned the game over to the bench.

Stanford sophomores Dan Grunfeld and Matt Haryasz presented Cardinal men's basketball fans with a glimpse of the future, and the future looks promising.

Grunfeld and Haryasz, who each reached career highs in scoring, also gave an indication that they can help this year.

Grunfeld scored 21 points and Haryasz added 15 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots as the Cardinal (8-0) remained undefeated heading into their final nonconference game on Sunday against visiting Harvard (0-10) at 5 p.m.

"We got a lot of energy off the bench," said Montgomery. "The starters were a little tired from the game on Saturday. Try as they might, it was hard for them to get geared up."

Enter Grunfeld and Haryasz, who helped turn an early 5-5 tie into a 31-7 wipeout in the span of 10 minutes. The sophomores combined for 19 of Stanford's 26 points during the run.

Davis' collegiate career, meanwhile, took a big step forward during last year's Pete Newell Challenge when he scored his career high of 24 points in helping lead Stanford to an 81-71 victory over Gonzaga. Davis' family and friends made up a good portion of the 15,734 in attendance.

"It was like playing at home," said Davis, who recalled getting off to a good start against the Bulldogs and getting into an early rhythm. He was 9-of-13 from the field, had five rebounds, three assists and three steals to make it one of his best games overall.

"I remember he was killing," recalled his Stanford teammate Josh Childress, a preseason All-American who hopes to return to practice soon after recovering from a stress reaction in his left foot. "He was dominating. If he can have that kind of consistency we'll be tough to beat."

Davis was dominant in the first half against Gonzaga, setting the tone for Stanford's wire-to-wire victory.

"Being able to play up to the level of the top team in the nation is motivating," Davis said. "We played a steady game, and we weren't being dominated. It shows we can play with any team in the nation."

Davis has been a big reason that Stanford's success continues despite the loss of Childress.

Last year, the Cardinal had to deal with the early departure to the NBA of Casey Jacobsen and Curtis Borchardt, the departure of Teyo Johnson to the NFL and the loss of Chris Hernandez to a season-ending injury. Davis missed five games with a knee injury.

"The one thing we've proved over the years is regardless of who's hurt and who's not there, we've found ways to win with the players available," said Davis. "Every team faces adversity. You just have to keep going. Our team does a great job of playing with who we have."

It also helps that Davis has continually improved since coming to Stanford in the fall of 1999. He was a redshirt the year the Cardinal attained their first ever No. 1 ranking, on Dec. 20. The next day Stanford beat Mississippi State, 76-56, in the Pete Newell Challenge in its first game as the top-ranked team.

"He's a little more polished with his skills and he's a great offensive rebounder," said Montgomery. "Plus he's more of a presence this year."

Childress has also noticed Davis' improvement.

"He has developed a lot," the junior forward said. "When I'm on the court with him I don't notice it, but now, when I step back, I can see how much better he's gotten. He's developed a consistent post game and he has go-to moves. Not that he wasn't good before, but he didn't have the same type of presence he has now."

Davis just wants his team to remain focused the rest of the season as they try to reach the NCAA tournament for a 10th consecutive year. A win over Harvard would send the Cardinal into Pac-10 play as the only undefeated team.

With the Cardinal making significant strides in the polls the past few weeks without preseason All-American forward Josh Childress, Stanford can only look ahead to the rest of the season brimming with confidence. Not only are the starters playing well, even the bench guys are making a splash when they get a chance. Imagine what a healthy Childress, who could return to practice next week after recovering from a stress reaction in his left foot, will do for the team's confidence.

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