BY BRIANNA ELLIS, STAFF WRITER
When junior forward Rusty Troutman met Al Davis, he knew the Knights had to have him.
“If we don’t recruit him, I’m transferring,” Troutman said.
Troutman was Davis’ host this past summer during his recruiting visit to Louisville. After spending one day with him, Troutman was ready to add another teammate to the roster.
“I knew how important he was to our team, and he was perfect for the job,” Troutman said. Troutman, along with other members of the basketball team, expressed immediate interest in Davis as a future teammate.
Coach Scotty Davenport said he knew he had to bring Davis to Bellarmine after a phone conversation he had with Troutman.
“I laughed and just knew the decision had to be made,” Davenport said about his phone conversation with Troutman, adding, “I knew Al was a special young man, and hearing how well he got along with the rest of the team was even better.”
Davis joins the Knights after playing two years at North Iowa Area Community College, averaging 15.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. The Colorado Springs, Colorado, native earned first-team all-National Junior College Athletic Assocation Region XI honors last season. Collectively, Davis contributed 762 points, 294 assists, 284 rebounds and 138 steals during his two season with the Trojans.
Davis’ past coaches at North Iowa Area C.C. all had positive things to say when it came to his time with them.
“He is everything any coach would ever want as a student, person and leader. Al always has a positive attitude that rubs off on his teammates in the best ways,” Trojan head coach Mark Mohl said.
Trojans assistant coach Kyle Cooper said Davis was a leader for his team. “Al was a very special kind of player and was undoubtedly the leader of our team. He led our conference in scoring and was third in rebounding,” Cooper said.
The coaches continued to praise Davis for his overall contribution to their program. They spoke highly of his dedication to his peers and his overall positive attitude. “He brought toughness, leadership, accountability and lots of heart” (to everything he did),” assistant coach Jeremy Winters said.
Davis said his teammates at North Iowa Area C.C. were like family.
“My teammates turned into my life long brothers. I was able to improve my basketball skills as well as earn my associate degree. Playing for North Iowa was great,” Davis said.
Bellarmine assistant coach Mike Scott remembers receiving an email with Davis’ recruitment information and being blown away with the amount of talent.
“Al was the third best rebounder in the whole league, and with this he’ll bring a whole new experience to our team,” Scott said.
Bellarmine coaches do their homework when they recruit. They interview past coaches, athletic directors and even teachers while also watching game tape and researching stats of players who could benefit to the program. Davenport and his staff dug deep into Davis’s athletic experience and were impressed to find that everyone spoke highly of him and his abilities.
Impressed by Davis and his talent, Davenport offered him a spot on the team during his visit and Davis, equally as pleased with Bellarmine, committed on the spot.
“I chose Bellarmine for two reasons. During my visit to Louisville, my teammates welcomed me as if I were family, and I want to be a part of the winning tradition here,” said Davis, adding, “I knew this was where I needed to be.”
With the Knights short one guard after Chris Whitehead graduated and went pro overseas, the addition of Davis comes at an opportune moment.
“He’s going to bring a new level of toughness to the game and his commitment to succeed is humbling. When I walk into Knights Hall on a Sunday and hear the dribble of a basketball, and I see Al practicing by himself, that is just more proof that he was the perfect fit for us,” Davenport said.
Davis’ past coaches want Knights Nation to know that he will be a valuable addition to the Bellarmine family in more ways than on the court.
“As great of a basketball player as Al is, he is an even better person. Al would stay in Mason City [North Iowa Area] over the summers so he could coach little kids basketball,” Cooper said.
Cooper also talked about Davis’s older brother, Chris, who also played at North Iowa before he transferred to a Division II team. The Davis family is packed with athletic talent and dedication. Davis’ twin brother, Anthony, plays football at the University of Northern Colorado.
“During the game atmosphere, Al conducted himself as all business, being the leader of our team in many different areas,” Winters said. “But he was also the NJACC’s Homecoming King, a campus resident assistant and a student ambassador for our school.”
Mohl said, “I am very proud of Al, and I know he will represent Bellarmine in a terrific way.”