Brothers Dre, Tae Davis will feel the love in homecoming with Seton Hall's Hinkle visit

For Dre and Tae Davis, basketball is in their blood.

Their father, D'Andre Davis Sr., played college basketball and is head coach at Warren Central. Their mother, Carlonda, played basketball in college, as did their uncles and aunt. All the backyard pickup games, training sessions and workouts were designed to help the younger Davises reach their potential and become the next set of college basketball players.

Saturday when Seton Hall visits Hinkle Fieldhouse to face Butler, expect about 30 friends and family members to be in attendance cheering on the former Indy-area prep standouts.

"It's just how we were raised," Dre said. "We've got a tight family, tight support group and close friends who support us and want to see us do well.

"Honestly, it's everything," added Tae. "Not everybody has a lot of family that comes deep to the games like that. So it really means a lot and we appreciate them dearly for making a conscious effort."

More:Butler suffers another Big East blowout loss, falling 79-58 to Providence

Back together for the first time since their senior and sophomore years at Lawrence Central, This season has been a season of progress and growth for the brothers. Dre spent two seasons at Louisville before transferring to Seton Hall under first-year coach Shaheen Holloway. Tae originally committed to Louisville before re-opening his recruitment and joining his brother at Seton Hall.

Dre said it was important to find a school where they could play together, but the most important part of their recruitment was finding the ideal fit.

Dre has played in 17 games with one start for the Pirates. He's fourth on the team in points and rebounds averaging 8.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. Tae has played in 20 games with two starts, averaging 3.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.

Both players were proven scorers coming out of high school, but they've taken to more defensive-focused roles under Holloway. Holloway is a former McDonald's All American and all-time assists leader at Seton Hall. The Queens, N.Y. native runs a pressure defense and a diverse offense that puts every player on the court in position to score. Watching Dre and Tae on the court together, their chemistry shines through immediately.

In the Jan. 7 game against Butler, the brothers spearheaded a full-court press in the second half. Dre communicated with guard Jamir Harris, directing him to the corner to trap Butler guard Eric Hunter Jr. They knocked the ball away from Hunter and Tae instinctively saved the ball before it went out of bounds, passing it ahead to Dre who drew a foul and sank both free throws. Dre and Tae combined for eight points, seven rebounds and five steals in their first game against the Bulldogs.

"They play really well together," D'Andre Davis Sr. said. "If you ever watched them in the game at the same time, they've always played together so they just have a natural relationship. "They definitely anticipate what the other player is going to do. They know exactly where they're going to be on the floor, the moves that they're going to make, all of it."

Both players said they appreciate the support from family, but ultimately, getting the win is the most important part of the trip. The brothers will enjoy seeing friends and family postgame, but they've been able to embrace New Jersey as their new home since committing to Seton Hall.

Their mother, Carlonda, moved to New Jersey to provide stability for her sons, and Dre's daughter and girlfriend. Having that touch of home in Jersey made transferring from Louisville to Seton Hall a smooth transition.

"They're two people that are important to me. They're a part of my support system already," Dre said. "It's different when you can go directly home right after practice, right after the game instead of having to drive two-three hours.

"It's definitely a blessing to be able to have them out here. It's something that is very important to me."

With 10 regular season games remaining, the brothers take moments to cherish their time together. Tae said his sophomore year at Lawrence Central was still one of the highlights of his basketball career.

On the court they're different players — Tae is longer and more athletic, Dre is shorter and stronger — but Dre has provided a blueprint for Tae to follow their entire lives. Watching the way Dre trains and matching his work ethic helped shape Tae into the player he is today. The younger Davis said he never felt any pressure or burden to live up to the standard his brother set. Dre set the standard, and Tae knew he had to work hard to surpass the bar his brother set.

"In my opinion, if you're a real basketball player and you love basketball then you want that (pressure)," Tae said. "I'm my own player, I got my own accomplishments and I want to achieve his accomplishments too. He's setting up the bar — I want to go over it.

"It wasn't really a burden. It was times that I was like, 'man, I gotta pick my stuff up.' So if anything I would say he motivated me more than anything else."

Follow IndyStar Butler Insider Akeem Glaspie on Twitter at @THEAkeemGlaspie.

.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Butler basketball vs. Seton Hall: A homecoming for Tae, Dre Davis