What Daniel adds to deep Bartlett team
Javar Daniel scored his team’s first five points in overtime, including an and-one, to help Bartlett get an 84-74 win over Little Rock Central on the first night of the Memphis Hoopfest last week.
It was a glimpse of what Bartlett (6-0), the preseason No. 1 team in Tennessee according to Maxpreps, was missing last season: a true interior presence. That’s what Daniel wants to be this year, an offensive and defensive interior beast that can help the Panthers avenge a heartbreaking, semifinal loss to Dobyns-bennett in the Class 4A state tournament last season.
“I feel like coming into this season, I can bring the energy,” Daniel said.
That’s the one thing Daniel, a 6foot-10 forward, noticed about last season’s team as he watched from the sideline, recovering from an ACL injury and waiting to be eligible after a transfer from Arlington. He had a lot of time to watch his teammates play, evaluate the team and see what his role would be.
Early on, he’s showing just how important he can be. Against Little Rock Central, Daniel recorded a doubledouble with 21 points and 10 rebounds. As dominant as he was, Bartlett coach Dion Real said Daniel’s best performances are still ahead of him. He’s currently averaging 13 points and seven rebounds in six games.
“I think tonight is just a sprinkle of what could be,” Real said. “If he would fall in love with the daily grind. If he falls in love with the daily grind, this is nothing what you saw tonight.”
He finally has a chance to show how dangerous of a player he can be with Bartlett, but it won’t be easy. Because he missed his junior season, Daniel is behind in his recruiting. He said he currently has interest from Memphis, Illinois State and Western Kentucky, and an offer from Radford.
“I feel like I’m 100 percent now,” Daniel said, “and I’m just ready to play in front of a big stage where the college coaches are at and show them that I’m really back.”
So far, he’s showing why he’s ready to help Bartlett defend the pressure it has of returning to the state tournament. Daniel has a flexible game style. He can create his own shots, score inside, rebound and can stretch the floor.
He doesn’t have to do it by himself, either. Christian Alston can be a dominant scorer, Regale Moore is a deep threat and K.J. Neville can score as well. It’s another deep Bartlett team that will rely on each other to have dominant production.
With Amarr Knox and J.R. Jacobs no longer around, the Panthers need somebody to add more scoring. Daniel has the ability to do that and make his teammates better.
“He’s making everybody’s else’s game a whole lot easier,” Real said.
Reach Wilcox at wwilcox@gannett.com; Twitter @wynstonw__.