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Davis steps up to be Metea Valley coach

Anyone who played basketball for legendary Aurora Christian boys basketball coach Don Davidson, and then served as one of his assistants, has his priorities in order.

Isaiah Davis, hired Monday and announced Wednesday as Metea Valley's new boys basketball coach, is about more than basketball.

"I believe that working in a high school, our No. 1 job is to make sure these young men are prepared to be successful beyond the doors of Metea Valley," he said.

"I'm going to encourage great work ethic, great attitude. I will try to get them involved in the community, in the grade schools, the middle schools. That's going to be really important in our program."

A three-year varsity assistant at Metea Valley and a 2000 graduate of Aurora Christian, Davis takes over the Mustangs coaching position from Matt Walpole, who was 38-49 in three seasons.

Walpole "had a newborn baby and decided he wanted to be a full-time dad and husband," Davis said.

A North Aurora resident, Davis has 3- and 7-year-old boys himself with his wife, Katie.

Averaging 12.5 points at forward for Aurora Christian's 2000 supersectional squad and a 2003-04 team co-captain at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois, since then Davis has been an assistant coach for Davidson, for Steve Weemer and Chaz Taft at Waubonsie Valley, and then for Walpole. Davis joined Davidson's staff straight out of college.

"I've had the opportunity to coach under a lot of really good high school basketball coaches," he said. "One of my goals has always been to be a varsity head coach. I've been in the program three years now so I know all our student-athletes here, so I'm really excited about our opportunity."

Of course, he preaches tough defense that will translate into an up-tempo offense.

"One thing you'll hopefully see from us - getting after it, playing as hard as we possibly can," Davis said.

Among his tasks last season was coordinating game substitutions and working with Mustangs big men in practice.

"High school for me was such a great experience," he said. "Back in the time when I played we were one of the best programs in the state. So high school, for me, has always been a special place. I just had such a great experience, I look forward to getting to that level as a coach of my team."

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