Hubert Davis’ North Carolina Tar Heels are off to a blazing 12–1 start and look ready to battle Duke for ACC honors and make a deep Big Dance run. But against the East Carolina Pirates, none of that mattered for Davis. That night was about something far more precious. He had just watched his son score his first points as a Tar Heel, and the emotions were too big to hide.

In the postgame presser, when Hubert Davis was asked how it felt to see Elijah Davis get on the board for UNC, he had to pause and collect himself, clearly overwhelmed by everything that had just happened before finding the words to speak.

“I’m the head coach, so I try to be head coach, not dad,” Hubert Davis said.

“It was a really awesome, cool moment. I heard his little brother took off his shirt and started waving it, and then Elijah hit the three. Mom was really happy. You know, their sister was really happy.”

With 30 seconds left on the clock, Elijah knocked down a 25-foot three-pointer to score his first points as a Tar Heel, and fittingly, they turned out to be UNC’s final points of the night against East Carolina.

The Davis name has been woven into UNC basketball history for decades. Elijah’s great-uncle, Walter Davis, a North Carolina Sports Hall of Famer, led the Tar Heels to an ACC title and an NCAA championship game in 1977. And Hubert Davis has etched his own legacy too, still holding UNC’s career three-point percentage record from his playing days between 1988 and 1992, before later guiding the program to a national title game and earning ACC Coach of the Year as a coach.

Elijah spent three years competing at the Division III level with the University of Lynchburg before deciding it was time to make the move to Chapel Hill last season. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to suit up then as it was his redshirt year, but this season we’ve finally started to see him get a few moments on the floor.

Davis has seen the floor in four games this season, logging just seven minutes in total. He may not be a regular in the rotation, but for the Davis family, it means everything. Once again, one of their own is out there in Carolina blue, adding another chapter to a legacy that’s been tied to making the Tar Heels great for generations.

And with the way things are going, this is shaping up to be another special season, as the Tar Heels just refuse to lose.

Winning Ways Continue for Hubert Davis and UNC

Ever since their blowout loss to Michigan State, the Tar Heels have refused to lose, going on a six-game winning streak that has pushed their record to 12-1 on the season. The No. 12 team in the country added East Carolina as its latest victim, cruising to another blowout win before heading into the holiday break.

Caleb Wilson led the way with 21 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks, and three steals, while Henri Veesaar added a double-double of his own with 16 points and 10 boards as Hubert Davis and co. cruised to a dominant 99–51 win. The win also stretched UNC’s streak to 52 straight against in-state, non-ACC opponents.

It’s been a terrific start to the season for Hubert Davis and co., but they know the job is far from done. ACC play tips off on December 30, and this is no time for complacency. After sneaking into the field as a First Four team last year, the Tar Heels will be determined to make sure they’re nowhere near that line this time around.

Where do you see the Tar Heels ending up this season? Can Hubert Davis lead them back to the championship game as he did in Year 1? Let us know in the comments below!

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