Hubert Davis had to pause for 12 seconds. He leaned back in his seat, and looked straight ahead at the reporter who dared to ask this emotionally-charged question. How was it that, following a thorough 99-51 routing of East Carolina, tears welled in the head coach’s eyes? “Y’all tryna make me cry!” Davis said just a while later, after he collected himself enough to describe his son’s first career basket in a Tar Heel uniform and what it meant to him as a head coach, yes, but also as a dad. With 30 seconds left Monday night at the Dean E. Smith Center, Elijah Davis caught the ball on the wing. He was, at that point, the only Tar Heel who hadn’t scored that season. He hadn’t scored last season, either, when he joined UNC as a walk-on from the University of Lynchburg. But Elijah rose up anyway, and the long 3-pointer splashed through — the final basket in No. 12 North Carolina’s win over East Carolina and the first point of his Tar Heel career.
“I kinda blacked out,” Elijah said afterward. The crowd erupted as if it were March, not December. Teammates poured off the bench, having to be restrained by an official so they didn’t run further onto the court. “I was ecstatic, honestly,” Caleb Wilson said with a laugh. “We told him, when he makes a three, we gon’ go crazy. I didn’t even know that was his first career points. But, man, that was ridiculous. I was hype.”
Water later flew in the locker room — dousing Elijah as well as High Point transfer Ivan Matlekovic, who also scored his first points as a Tar Heel on Monday. After their celebrations ceased, Henri Veesaar insisted Elijah join him in the postgame interview session. He wouldn’t talk to reporters unless Elijah could have his moment, too. “It just speaks to the chemistry of this team,” Hubert Davis said. “For them to adopt him as their teammate and not the head coach’s son has been something that I can’t put into words, [just] how special it’s been.” Somewhere in the stands, Elijah’s little brother ripped off his shirt and waved it wildly after his big brother sank the big shot. Elijah laughed about it later, telling reporters how excited he was for the family dinner conversation Tuesday night. After interviews had concluded, Elijah made sure to leave with a printout of Monday night’s box score as a keepsake. Elijah rarely, if ever, shows up in the box score despite being one of UNC’s three captains alongside Trimble and Veesaar. But Elijah has a clear vision for his role among the trio: Trimble is Batman. Veesaar is Robin. Elijah is Alfred — Bruce Wayne’s butler.
“I kind of do all the dirty work and everything so Seth and Henri can go out and hoop,” Elijah said. “That’s my job. And I’m super happy and blessed to be a part of it.” His father put it more simply, without the comic book comparison. “He is the best encourager I’ve ever been around,” Hubert Davis said. “In practice, in shootaround, his encouragement in the huddle just lights up the team. His personality is needed for us to be the team that we can become.” It wasn’t always easy for Elijah to keep spirits high last season. UNC struggled to finish 23-14 and he felt the disappointment personally. After a loss at Wake Forest on Jan. 21, in particular, Elijah reached a breaking point. He cried in the hallway outside the visitors’ locker room — frustrated because he “knew what we had.”
Elijah also knew, entering this season, it would be “a pivotal year” for his dad’s coaching career. And now? “We’re 12–1,” Elijah said on Monday night. “I’ve never been 12–1 before.” Elijah’s teammates agree he’s part of that hot start for the Tar Heels.
“Elijah gives us a great look when we’re doing scout and things like that,” Wilson said. “He might not play as much in the game, but in practice, every day, he’s giving his all.”
Still, Elijah didn’t know if the shot was good when it left his hands. He doesn’t remember too much afterwards, either. He just heard the roar. He just felt his teammates swarm him after the final buzzer. He just lived it. “I really hope I didn’t do anything too crazy,” Elijah said. “I hope the pictures come out cool because, you know, I could frame them, give it to my mom. That would be a good Christmas gift.”
Late Monday night, Elijah was still trying to recall what exactly happened when the shot went in — how he celebrated the moment, and if it was (hopefully) something tasteful and photogenic. His father didn’t need to see the replay. For UNC’s head coach — who tries to be just that to Elijah once he walks into the Smith Center — it was a moment that blurred every line in the best way. After the game, a reporter asked Hubert Davis if he had a tear in his eye after his son made the basket. “Yeah,” was all he could offer in response. He shook his head before adding, after another pause, one more thing, “Unbelievable.”
