By Arlie Rahn
Arizona Daily Wildcat
As the Arizona men's basketball team started its second semester of performance, several questions were raised about its chemistry.
Several of those questions centered around Arizona's situation in the post and the emergence of junior college transfer Ben Davis. Several were skeptical about whether or not Davis could come in and effectively fit into a rotation with fellow Wildcat big men Ray Owes and Joseph Blair.
If there were any skeptics left, they were silenced Saturday in the Wildcats' 91-65 win over Washington. Davis had his second consecutive game with more than 10 points and five rebounds. But more importantly, it seems that Davis is starting to jell with Owes and Blair.
"I am starting to feel more comfortable in the post," said Davis after Saturday's game. "I am shooting the ball a little better with more confidence."
By scoring 13 points in just 20 minutes of action, Davis is starting to display his scoring touch that earned him second-team JC All-American honors last season. But scoring is not all that Davis brings to the court.
"It was great to see Ben have another good game. We really need him to regain some of his confidence," said UA coach Lute Olson. "He's had two really solid performances in a row, and I'm not just talking about scoring. I'm talking about running the court, working hard defensively and filling up the middle."
Now that Davis is establishing himself as a force inside, the rest of his teammates are reaping the benefits.
"Ben is playing well, he's catching the ball well in the post," senior guard Damon Stoudamire said. "He makes it a lot easier for us because his play opens up the perimeter."