DOZY DAVIS CAN BE OPPONENTS' NIGHTMARE.Byline: ERIC SONDHEIMER As a young boy, Aaron Davis Aaron Davis (born April 8, 1967 in Bronx,NY, United States) was a professional boxer in the welterweight (147lb) division. Professional career Davis, known as "Superman", turned pro in 1986 and won his first 29 fights, including a 9th round KO upset over Mark Breland to would rush home, eat dinner, take a bath, fix his bed, then park in front of the TV to watch his favorite show, ``The A-Team.'' As soon as the theme music came on, a tired Davis would fall asleep. To this day, his cousins, uncles and aunts tease tease (tez) to pull apart gently with fine needles to permit microscopic examination. tease v. him by humming ``The A-Team'' music whenever they see him. ``I'm always one to fall asleep,'' Davis said. ``I went with my girlfriend to a movie last week and fell asleep.'' Opposing basketball coaches might want to start playing ``The A-Team'' theme song on the P.A. system in warmups as a ploy ploy n. An action calculated to frustrate an opponent or gain an advantage indirectly or deviously; a maneuver: "A typical ploy is to feign illness, procure medicine, then sell it on the black market" to get Davis to doze off because he has been anything but sleeping during games this season for fourth-ranked L.A. Baptist High School (17-1). At 6-foot-1 with powerful legs, Davis is averaging 18 points and eight rebounds per game. He was the 100-meter champion during the Alpha League track season with a best time of 10.9 seconds. He uses his speed, quickness and fearless attitude to make life miserable for taller, less athletic players. Most of all, he just keeps playing hard from the moment he steps onto the court, drawing upon an endless reserve of energy. It's no wonder he likes sleeping so much. ``He'll play 32 minutes and I won't realize it until afterwards af·ter·ward also af·ter·wards adv. At a later time; subsequently. afterwards or afterward Adverb later [Old English æfterweard] Adv. 1. ,'' coach Bob Chevalier said. ``He never says anything. He just keeps going. He never stops.'' But it's not just Davis' basketball contributions that have gained him attention around the North Hills campus. ``He has a mischievous mis·chie·vous adj. 1. Causing mischief. 2. Playful in a naughty or teasing way. 3. Troublesome; irritating: a mischievous prank. 4. personality,'' Chevalier said. Oops - there's the warning. ``Everybody thinks I'm an angel the first time they meet me,'' Davis said. He's the son of a pastor, but Chevalier advises, ``He's all boy.'' When Davis went golfing with his father and was driving the golf cart down the 18th fairway, his father spotted his ball, causing Davis to make a sudden turn without warning. His father ended up rolling down rolling down The liquidation of an option position by an investor at the same time that he or she takes an essentially identical position with a lower strike price. the hill. ``I haven't been golfing with him since,'' Davis said. Chevalier is always on the lookout for in search of; looking for. See also: Lookout Davis. When the team went to Arizona for a basketball camp, just before the first game was about to begin, someone noticed that Davis was missing. ``I went all the way back to the dorm and he's sound asleep,'' Chevalier said. ``I was banging on the door.'' ``I took a nap,'' Davis said. ``He's always looking real sleepy, but when the game starts, he's all over the place,'' Chevalier said. ``I think he saves his energy.'' Davis is a little hyper A Greek work meaning "above" or "more than." It is used as a prefix to technical concepts and products to convey a more advanced or more automatic capability. and isn't afraid to show his emotions, whether he's playing in a park pickup game or facing his teammates in an L.A. Baptist practice. ``I figure, why hide it?'' he said. ``If I feel something, let everybody know it.'' Davis is a people person. Whether he runs into a friend or stranger, there's usually a smile on his face. And it's real. ``When I meet people, I don't start out having a grudge grudge tr.v. grudged, grudg·ing, grudg·es 1. To be reluctant to give or admit: even grudged the tuition money. 2. ,'' he said. ``I look for the good in people.'' Davis is only 17 and sometimes can act a lot younger, but a look back at his past also reveals signs of maturity. When he was 5 and living in Chicago, one of his friends had Down syndrome Down syndrome, congenital disorder characterized by mild to severe mental retardation, slow physical development, and characteristic physical features. Down syndrome affects about 1 in every 730 live births and occurs in all populations equally. . He did not appreciate the other kids in the neighborhood making fun of his friend. ``It always hurt me,'' he said. ``I still have a special place in my heart for David.'' There are many who see Davis play basketball and wonder how he can be successful when he's only 6-1 and frequently guarding or trying to score against taller players. But the answer is simple. He accepts no excuses and finds a way to compete. ``If there's no position for you, make your own,'' he said. ``If they want you to play guard, play guard. If they want you to bang on bang on - (Or "pound on"). To stress-test a piece of hardware or software: "I banged on the new version of the simulator all day yesterday and it didn't crash once. I guess it is ready for release." the boards, bang.'' The bottom line about Davis is he's having fun and everybody enjoys being around him. ``My mom and dad always say God blessed me having a good heart toward people,'' he said. Now, if only everyone will stop humming the ``A-Team'' theme song, Davis can stay awake for a while and lead L.A. Baptist to basketball prominence. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: (color) L.A. Baptist's Aaron Davis is a mischievous, high-scoring basketball star. Phil McCarten / Daily News |
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