Charlotte Christian player proves he can shoot

Correspondent

Matthew Fisher-Davis has proved he can shoot the basketball, making nearly 40 percent of his 3-point shots over the past two seasons at Charlotte Christian. He even scored 32 points – including eight 3-pointers – in a 93-77 win against Victory Christian earlier this month.

But the 6-foot-4, 180-pound Knights junior says he still hasn’t proven he is the best shooter in his own family.

His sister, Jaymee Fisher-Davis, starred for Butler High, averaging 20 points per game and making 80 3-pointers as a senior last year. She is now a freshman guard at Liberty University.

“All of our lives there’s been a debate over who is the better shooter, and there has definitely been a lot of contests,” said Matthew, whose parents, James and Carolyn, earned basketball scholarships to UNC Wilmington. “Of course, I think I am definitely the better shooter, but my sister would tell she is the best. Either way, it keeps us motivated.”

Matthew, 16, wasted no time making an impact at the varsity level. He earned a spot in a talented starting lineup at Butler High with guards Anthony Stitt (College of Charleston), Marcus Burton (Wagner University) and Jalen White (a senior guard at Kennedy Charter).

“All of those guys really nurtured me and my game to be able to step in and just play basketball my freshman year,” Fisher-Davis said. “I learned a lot about myself and what it took to play basketball at a higher level.”

After a solid freshman year, Fisher-Davis transferred to Charlotte Christian, where he would be taught by Knights coach Shonn Brown – who has more than 300 career wins in 12 years – and join another talented backcourt with Clemson recruit Patrick Rooks and sophomore point guard Trey Phills, son of the late Bobby Phills, a former Charlotte Hornet star.

While he had to go through some growing pains last year, Fisher-Davis made the most of the opportunity, averaging 12 points per game while shooting 38 percent from beyond the arc, earning all-CISAA honors as a sophomore. Fisher-Davis says he was more excited about helping his team to a 24-8 record, including 8-0 in league play to win the CISAA title.

“We hold our players to a very high standard at Charlotte Christian,” said Brown, who also has coached guards Seth Curry and Stephen Curry, now playing for Duke and the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, respectively. “God has blessed Matthew and many of our players with a tremendous amount of talent. So there is no day where you can take that lightly. We remind our players of that all the time.”

Fisher-Davis says former Charlotte Christian players like the Currys and former N.C. State and NBA standout Todd Fuller also have given him good advice about staying on top of his game.

“Todd told me that ‘You only have four years of high school, so don’t waste one minute of that opportunity,’” Fisher-Davis said. “That really stuck with me.”

While Fisher-Davis is always working on his shot, he also has to grow physically to maximize his potential.

He can often be found in the gym and the weight room, and he watches his diet, with the guidance of his father.

He averages 18 points, three rebounds and a steal per game so far this season while playing mostly at the three and four spot for a younger, smaller Knights squad.

“I think Matthew has come along nicely and developed as a key player for us,” Brown said. “He does have to get bigger and stronger, but no one does that overnight.”

Fisher-Davis says he just wants to keep playing winning basketball for his team, whether that means shooting, playing defense or mentoring the younger players.

With Phills, Rooks and players like Dalen Dotson, Adam Durden, Chandler Goodson, Jean Luc Cerza-Lanuaz and Spencer Scott, Fisher-Davis said, he believes the Knights (7-4 through Dec. 26) have the talent to contend with anyone in the state.

Fisher-Davis said he hopes that kind of success in the next two years can help him expand his college offers. He has offers from Gardner-Webb and Mercer right now, according to Brown.

“My main goal is win games and play well,” Fisher-Davis said. “But my main motivation is to get as many college offers as possible. I want to be a major, (Division I) player.”

This story went to print before Clover Optimist tournament and Piggly Wiggly Roundball Classic.