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tributions. He followed up his first new team, Move Your Feet, out of Hight- University of Miami. He helped the Hur- and seventh in three-point field goals
performance with 11 points and eight stown before finishing his AAU time ricanes to back-to-back NCAA Tourna- made with 202. Reed was the 2017 Skip
rebounds in an 88-77 loss to Dallas and with Team Final out of Philadelphia. ment appearances, and as a senior was Prosser Award winner, honoring the
then 11 points, four rebounds and two “I’ve had a lot of influences in my life named All-ACC Third Team and All- Atlantic Coast Conference’s top men’s
steals in a 99-95 loss to Houston. and people that helped me get to this Defensive Team. Length is a big plus in basketball scholar-athlete.
“I’ve been labeled as a 3-and-D guy,” point,” Reed said. “My dad definitely put the NBA, and Reed has a 70-inch wing- “He’s a blue-collar player,” said Suns
Reed said, meaning someone who spe- the ball in my hands and got me inter- span that bolsters his defense. GM Ryan McDonough after choosing
cializes in three-pointers and defense. ested in the game from Reed ranks 16th on Reed. “We needed somebody that could
“Those are two things I do well, so I’m my earliest memories. the Hurricanes’ all-time defend their position, make open spot-up
willing to embrace that role, but I know I’m definitely thankful ‘I go out and scoring list with 1,343 shots and brought some toughness and
I’m much more complex than that. I for him.” points, and brings a lot grit and reliability. We feel Davon checks
know that I can do a lot of different things Reed’s father was no bring energy, of playing experience all those boxes.”
in the pick and roll, and I can make plays Lavar Ball, the outspo- bring that grit to the NBA, something Reed’s playing future could have been
for my teammates. I’m just a hooper. I go ken and loud-spoken that helped his stock. jeopardized by a significant leg injury
out and bring energy, bring that grit and father of No. 2 overall and toughness, He started 99 games his sophomore year, but he showed
toughness, that griminess, and I think pick Lonzo Ball, but he that griminess, at Miami and aver- toughness and resolve in coming back
the rest of my game will show.” helped to drive Davon to aged 10.3 points, 3.6 to play for Miami that same season.
Reed has offered hope that he can improve throughout his and I think the rebounds, 1.6 assists, “I still ended up finishing up the
help the Suns in his first year. Draft anal- scholastic career. rest of my game 0.9 steals, 0.4 blocks in year and had a pretty good year,” Reed
ysis was mixed on Reed. He was taken “He coached for some 28.1 minutes. said. “After this year, there was a lot of
earlier than projections by CBS Sports, stuff, but not every- will show.’ “My biggest thing in talk of me going anywhere from 40 to
DraftExpress, ESPN.com, NBA.com thing,” Reed said. “If Miami was I just wanted undrafted, but I knew my worth.
and NBADraft.net. he wasn’t coaching, he to play the right way,” “I just attacked every workout and
“A lot of people have different opin- was definitely sideline Reed said. “A lot of peo- treated it like it was my last. I took it
ions, whether good, bad or indifferent,” coaching. He always had an opinion. He ple, critics, would have liked to see me do one day at a time and I think that really
Reed said. “It really doesn’t matter. I’m definitely was on me and pushing me more, but I feel like I sacrificed a lot for helped me. At the end of the day, I felt
blessed that I’m picked at 32. I feel like and telling me what I needed to hear, not the team and I was on some pretty good like whether I was drafted or not, I’d end
I deserve it. I’m going to go out and necessarily what I wanted to hear.” teams. We had some really good success. up making a spot on somebody’s team.”
prove it, more or less to my team, every After honing his game in Ewing, Reed My biggest thing was I wanted to bring Phoenix worked him out twice and
time I step on the floor with how hard I took his skills to Princeton Day School something new to the table every year, liked what they saw. Now Reed is tak-
play, and how early I feel I’ll be able to where he starred for four years and add something to my game and continue ing the next steps to proving he can play
contribute.” scored 2,102 points. to polish my game every season.” with the biggest boys of them all in the
Reed has been a star and major con- “I kind of established a name for For his career, Reed did a couple of NBA.
tributor at every level so far. He took myself in the county and Ewing Town- things that showed NBA-readiness. In “I’m excited,” Reed said. “I don’t really
different things from each of his stops ship itself,” Reed said. “I had expecta- addition to being able to defend well, he get nervous. I get anxious maybe a little
growing up. He moved AAU teams in a tions going into high school. I knew proved his shot-making ability. He made bit, but I’m just glad to get out and finally
steady climb that mirrored his ascen- I wanted to take my game to the next 43 percent from the field, 39.5 percent get back to playing some real basketball.
sion as a player. He started playing with level. With constant work, I was able to from three-point range and 77.7 percent It’s just been a lot of workouts and a lot
the CJ Hornets before playing for the do so.” from the foul line. He ranks fifth all- of traveling. I’m looking forward to get-
KBR Flyers out of Neptune. He found a Reed played the last four years at the time in three-point field goal percentage ting up and down again.”

ATTENTION EWING RESIDENTS!

PATRIOTS WANTED—EWING TO HONOR NATIVE SON

On the 19th of February, 1968, at the ture entirely, to answer their country’s this end, the Mayor, Town Council and
height of the TET Offensive during the call. They believe that every resident Patriotic Committee respectfully re-
Vietnam War, Ewing’s own Sergeant of Ewing Township should know the quest your presence at the Municipal
First Class Fred Zabitosky earned his name and the story of SFC Zabitosky. Building at 11:00 AM on Saturday, Oc-
nation’s highest award for valor, the In an effort to address this issue many tober 28, 2017, to help dedicate the
only person from Ewing to ever be so resources have been focused on cre- new memorial to our hometown hero,
honored. For decades, there has been ating a more fitting memorial to SFC SFC Fred Zabitosky.
a framed photograph of SFC Zabi- Zabitosky, and through him all of Ew- As of this writing, certain events re-
tosky, along with a photograph of an ing’s veterans. Sadly, SFC Zabitosky garding the dedication ceremony are
Army Medal of Honor, in the vestibule passed away in January of 1996, at the still in the planning stage. Details will
of the Township Municipal Building. age of 53. This coming October 27th, be made public as they are finalized.
Mayor Bert Steinmann and township a Friday, would have been his 75th However, all parties involved are de-
officials have long felt that more need- birthday and township officials, deter- sirous of getting the word out as early
ed to be done to show the respect and mined to ensure that his service, his as possible so that everyone can plan
gratitude owed to SFC Zabitosky and valor, and his sacrifice are never for- to attend. In conclusion, mark your
to all the brave men and women of gotten, have chosen this occasion to calendars now and set aside this date
Ewing who have selflessly put their fu- hold the dedication ceremony for SFC to honor SFC Zabitosky and all of Ew-
tures on hold, some sacrificing their fu- Zabitosky’s new memorial display. To ing’s veterans.

August 2017 | Ewing Observer7