The three seniors who will take the CFE Arena floor for the final time Wednesday night are very much a reflection of where the UCF basketball program is at.
Uncertain. Still full of promise. Needing just a bit more time.
Certainly the Knights expected to have a better year than the 11-16 year they have put together so far. That mark includes no really major win — the best win came against UMass in non-conference play and the team is currently on a seven-game losing streak, the last win against tonight’s opponent, Tulane — and a disappointing conference season. Donnie Jones’ seat is about as red hot as it can be with a new athletic director who is admittedly a basketball guy.
There seems to be change afoot for UCF with basketball. And that will begin with the three players who will get their final moments at home Wednesday.
Daiquan Walker was cast in a role this year he was probably not perfectly fit for.
With star sophomore B.J. Taylor out for the year with a foot injury, the diminutive shooting guard was platooned into the point guard rotation. He took over the role and struggled some to adjust until he found his aggression. He scored 21 points Saturday against Temple and 35 in the previous win over Tulane.
Walker has been up and down his entire career. He never quite found his shot, never shooting better than 50 percent effective field goal percentage, showing how he struggled to make 3-pointers.
Yet when he emerges and is able to push the tempo and score, he can be a truly dangerous player.
The same could be said for Shaheed Davis.
The Eastern Florida State transfer played only two years at UCF and was just a bundle of length when he arrived. He emerged early on this year as a viable option at the power forward position. He was capable of scoring points on putbacks and quick plays, but his scoring fell off a cliff in conference play. Davis has scored just 14 total points in the last seven games. Hardly what UCF needs from a starter.
Davis was hard to figure out entering the year in what he could provide. He started strong and faded as the competition got tougher, although he still provides some defense on the perimeter.
And then there is Staphon Blair.
He was expected to take a step up and be more of a double double machine even with Tacko Fall on the roster. Instead he got passed up in the rotation by Justin McBride and struggled, as he had before, finishing around the basket and playing defense consistently. Blair never took that step up.
And neither did UCF largely. Each of these senior players had their moments throughout the year. They had their chances to leave a legacy and make an impact for sure. They have done so.
But they have also shown just how far UCF has to go as it climbs out of sanctions and tries to figure out what it will be as a program — and that goes from top to bottom.
Donnie Jones at various times in the year has asked his upperclassmen publicly to step up and lead this young group and show them the way. The problem is these are not UCF’s most talented players. They are not even their most consistent from game to game. They have experience but maybe not experience in action.
The struggles of this season have to feed UCF forward because what is leaving is merely inconsistent and and untapped potential. Potential the Knights needed to succeed this season.
UCF will be able to replace their production largely. Blair was already in a bit role. Walker’s minutes will go to B.J. Taylor when he returns. Incoming forward Brachen Hazen should help fill some gaps at the forward position as should another year of A.J. Davis and the slow emergence of Chad Brown and Tanklsey Efianayi.
The Knights will miss these players, but will be able to replace. if guys step up. That is not what happened in light of Taylor’s injury this year. Players did not continue to make progress and peak as seniors as the team needed.
And so the final home game for these seniors is about as much of what could have been as it is what was. Just like UCF’s season has been. Just like the program has largely been for much of the past few years.
