Buffalo State junior Perry Davis, Jr. (Buffalo/Seneca Vocational) is making the most of his chance to play basketball and attend college. After growing up in a single-parent, low-income family in the inner city, Davis has used basketball and the values instilled by his mother to pursue his goal of becoming the first in his family to earn a bachelor's degree.

Growing up in the city of Buffalo with his sister Marquita, Davis was raised by his mother Annette Thompson. Thompson, who often needed to work two jobs to support the family, was instrumental in encouraging Perry to further his education. His mother continues to serve as one of his biggest fans in the basketball arena, along with his three-year-old daughter Kiara.

Although Davis' father, Perry Sr., was not around during Perry's childhood, the two have begun to make up for lost time during the past few years. "He wasn't around as much as I would have liked when I was younger," said Davis, Jr. "The special thing about families, though, is that your father will always be your father, and the love a son has for his father is always there."

Davis, Sr., who played one season at Buffalo State in 1980-81, has taken an interest in his son's education. The two have played basketball together at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park during the summer, and have shared time together on the holidays. Now, Davis Sr., lives his dreams of earning a college degree through his son.

After graduating from Seneca Vocational High School in 1998, Perry decided to attend Medaille College and continue his education and basketball career, but was unable to afford tuition. After spending a year working with children at the Pratt-Willard Community Center on Genesee and Pratt on the City's East Side, Davis returned to Medaille in the fall of 1999 and spent one season with the Mavericks basketball team. Again, unable to afford the high tuition costs, Davis decided to transfer to Buffalo State in the spring semester of 2001. Perry had to comply with NCAA rules and sit out for one-year, but joined the team in the spring of 2002, and has been electrifying fans ever since.

Davis currently leads the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) in rebounding (10.5 rpg) and steals (2.8 spg), and is second on the Bengals in scoring with 13.3 points-per-game. The 6'3" forward is one of the major reasons Buffalo State finds itself 12-4 overall and in a first place tie in the SUNYAC at 7-1 midway through the conference schedule. As for the classroom, Perry is majoring in business and is carrying a grade-point-average of just below 3.0 and is on pace to graduate in May, 2004.