"Best decision of my life, just coming, just making that decision," says Brooks, who played his high school basketball at Hopewell. "I'm just glad I'm here."

So are those at Davidson College.

A 6-foot-7, 227-pound sophomore forward, Brooks is leading a balanced Wildcats team in scoring with an average of 15.9 points per game, and he is tied with junior Jake Cohen for the team lead in rebounds with 6.1 per game. His emergence this year has helped Davidson win its first four Southern Conference games entering Thursday's home game with Western Carolina.

De’Mon Brooks is averaging 15.9 points and 6.1 rebounds for Bob McKillop’s Davidson Wildcats. (Photo by AlexRosato.com)

"His maturation, his progress, his willingness to play with poise, to see the game has been something that has been a work in progress," Davidson coach Bob McKillop said after Brooks scored a career-high 24 against Vanderbilt on Dec. 7. "It's typical of the quarterback who gets into the pocket as an NFL quarterback. The first time he gets into the pocket, he's lucky if he sees one receiver and avoids the rush. De'Mon is starting to see two and three options when he has the ball. He's got a very high level of energy, he plays with terrific passion, and he's a got a group of teammates who adore him."

But Brooks' college story could have been much different.

He originally signed with Howard University during his senior year at Hopewell, but when Howard underwent a coaching change in the off-season, the school released its recruits from their commitments, providing them an opportunity to transfer, if they wished, without penalty. Brooks reconsidered his options, and immediately drew interest from multiple SoCon schools. Ultimately, he decided to join Titan teammate Jordan Downing just up the road at Davidson (Downing played for the Wildcats last year, but then transferred to Presbyterian).

"He kinda fell in our lap, but being a local guy, and (us) having also recruited (Downing), we were at his games," says McKillop. "So we saw his growth, his development as he went through his senior year."

Brooks played in 31 games last year as a reserve, seeing 18.6 minutes of action per contest. He averaged nine points and 5.1 rebounds per game, the latter which was second on the team to Cohen.

"For De'Mon to step in as a freshman and play the minutes he did was a real plus for our program," says McKillop. "But now he's not just playing minutes, but he's really understanding our system at both the offensive and defensive end. And I think that has given him a comfort level and a confidence level that has allowed him to be as successful as he's been to date."

Brooks has started all 14 games this season, and is playing 22.9 minutes per game. His field goal percentage is up from .528 last year to .541 this season. And he's already hit as many three-pointers (nine) as he did as a freshman, while also shooting a respectable percentage for a big man (.346).

Junior guard JP Kuhlman says Brooks' progress has manifested itself in his assertiveness when he has the ball.

"He's a tough match-up because he can pop out and hit the three," says Kuhlman. "He's pretty unstoppable in the post. It's just a tough match-up for teams to guard him because he's so athletic and so quick."

Brooks showed what he can do during last Saturday's dominating 96-74 win over Georgia Southern. He scored 21 of his 24 points in the second half, including 16 of Davidson's 18 in a span of just more than seven minutes. He spun on the baseline for a reverse lay-up, pivoted around a defender for a dunk and hit a three from the top of the key.

Brooks also scored 24 — his jersey number — against Guilford in the season opener.

"The game's slowing down a lot for me this year, and plus my teammates just give me the ball," says Brooks. "They trust me enough to put the ball in the basket, and they just give me the opportunities."

Though there is still work to be done, Brooks is showing signs of being a star in the SoCon.

"It's going to be determined by his own investment of himself," says McKillop. "The more he invests, not just on the court, but in all aspects, be it in the weight room, his diet, his sleep. I think he has a chance to be a very special player."

'Cats play their best

Brooks' second-half performance against Georgia Southern mirrored that of Cohen, who scored 24 of his career-high 29 in the first half and earned SoCon Player of the Week honors for the second time this year.

Cohen converted 8-of-9 field goals and was 11-of-12 at the foul line. He also matched his career high for rebounds with 12.

The duo of Brooks and Cohen helped Davidson eclipse the 90-point mark for the second straight game and score the most it had since the 111-64 season-opening win over Guilford.

"I think it's a great statement about our team because you never know who is going to step up on any given night," said Cohen, who along with Kuhlman and Nik Cochran is averaging just more than 12 points per game. "I had opportunities in the first half, and I was able to take them. Then they started focusing on me, and then other guys started stepping up. That's the luxury of playing with really good players around you. You know they're going to make you play better, and then if you play well, you're going to make them play better. It's a cycle, and it really showed tonight."

Davidson (10-4 overall) showed its offensive range and really tested the Eagles' defense by also hitting shots from deep, dropping in six of its first eight threes, 7-of-10 in the first half, and finishing with a season-best 57.9 percent night from beyond the arc (11-of-19). Six Wildcats — including Brooks and Cohen — hit three-point shots.

"The shot distribution is very impressive, and I think what thrills me so much today is 21 assists on 33 baskets," said McKillop.

The victory followed a 92-63 win at UNC-Greensboro last Thursday. Cochran led Davidson with 22 points against the Spartans, while Chris Czerapowicz (15 points), Tyler Kalinoski and Brooks (11 each) and Clint Mann (10) also scored in double figures.

McKillop said that night that the Wildcats had played their best game of the season. He said it again after Davidson drilled Georgia Southern.

"When you can say that in the same week, in back-to-back games, it's a joy for a coach," he said.