To rejoice SLAM’s thirtieth anniversary, we’re spotlighting the 30 most influential males’s faculty groups from our previous 30 years. Stats, information and chips aren’t the primary issue right here, it’s all about their contribution to the sport’s cultural material.
For the following 30 days—Monday by way of Friday— we’ll be unveiling the full record right here. We’ve additionally acquired an unique retro collegiate assortment, out now, that pays homage to every squad’s threads. Store right here.
It’s arduous to win a convention championship whenever you solely have two gamers who common in double figures, not to mention entering into the NCAA Event and making a deep run. Nicely, something is feasible when a kind of gamers is on his option to changing into the perfect shooter in basketball historical past.
Except you have been a school hoops junkie and somebody who adopted the mid-majors, there’s a superb probability you by no means even heard of Davidson Faculty earlier than March of ‘08–a liberal arts faculty with an enrollment of lower than 2,000 college students. A Cinderella story was being crafted all season lengthy in Davidson, North Carolina, a small city outdoors of Charlotte.
Davidson was contemporary off a profitable season wherein they received the SoCon (Southern Convention) common season and the SoCon Event. Regardless of a disappointing loss within the first spherical of the NCAA Event, they have been onto one thing particular. With just a bit extra time and synergy, possibly they may shock the world.
Any success they’d dream about having for the ‘08 marketing campaign was depending on Stephen Curry, the baby-faced murderer, their returning level guard, a thin 6-2 sophomore who’d been ignored his whole life as much as that time. He had simply come off a season the place he earned SoCon Freshman of the 12 months however was hardly talked about when individuals mentioned the highest gamers in faculty basketball. As a small mid-major within the shadows of their fellow Carolina foes like Duke, UNC, NC State and others, Davidson and their gamers confronted an uphill battle to earn their warranted respect.
Their teaching employees figured taking part in a virtually inconceivable non-conference schedule was one of the simplest ways to earn that respect. Not solely would this put the nation and NCAA committee on discover, but when all went effectively, making it by way of their non-conference schedule alive could be simply the self-assurance Davidson wanted to know they may compete with anybody within the area.
They have been very aggressive towards the high-majors on their schedule however struggled to drag out wins towards them. They misplaced shut video games to No. 1 UNC, No. 7 Duke, No. 7 UCLA and NC State. Losses like these usually shake the arrogance of younger groups, however that Davidson squad noticed the silver lining. They have been knocking on the door.
Since Davidson didn’t have any signature wins on their resume, they’d need to run by way of the SoCon and win the convention event to earn a spot within the Large Dance. They did precisely that, going a formidable 20-0 within the convention and securing a 10-seed. For many mid-major packages, this alone would represent the season a hit.
Their famous person, Stephen, had a spectacular season that included a few 40-point performances, a bunch of 30 items and too many 20-point outbursts to rely. He was named SoCon Participant of the 12 months, First-team All-SoCon and AP second-team All-American, amongst many different accolades. However he nonetheless had larger fish to fry; he wasn’t completed but. By some means, he was nonetheless flying below the radar. May he do it towards stronger and longer athletes? May his model of play translate within the NCAA Event?
No person outdoors of that program may have envisioned what would occur subsequent. Heck, most individuals inside this system in all probability couldn’t have envisioned it.
In three NCAA Event wins, Stephen scorched Gonzaga for 40 factors, erupted for 30 towards Georgetown and blazed Wisconsin for 33. And these weren’t quiet performances; his capturing prowess was like nothing we’d seen earlier than, and undoubtedly not on the faculty stage. The truth that he did all of this whereas sporting a purple Davidson jersey and never certainly one of blueblood’s makes it rather more vital. They’d ultimately lose a heartbreaker by two factors within the Elite Eight to Kansas, who in the end received the entire thing.
Stephen was clearly the primary ingredient to Davidson’s success that yr; let’s be clear, although–no person, and I imply no person, makes it to the Elite Eight accidentally. There could not have been one other family title on that roster, however Stephen’s supporting forged confirmed up when it mattered most. Particularly, their senior level guard Jason Richards was the one participant to common extra minutes per recreation than Stephen and completed as the highest help man in faculty basketball that season. They have been a balanced group; everybody purchased into no matter it took to get the job completed. No egos, no selfishness, no ulterior motives. Add a future hall-of-famer to the combo, and it’s a no brainer that they have been capable of obtain greatness.
At present, Stephen is acknowledged as one of many best basketball gamers within the historical past of the sport. His ‘08 season at Davidson was the start of the way forward for basketball. Inevitably, the ‘08 Davidson Wildcats go down as probably the most impactful faculty basketball groups ever.
