Last season Issaquah Eagles post player Tanner Davis played a pivotal factor in the Issaquah Eagles boys basketball team’s sixth place finish at the 2016 Class 4A state tournament.

Davis, who poured in the points in the paint while gobbling up rebounds, will be the only returner from the starting lineup during the 2016-17 season on the Issaquah roster. Davis relishes the opportunity to be the focal point of his team for his senior season. Davis said first-year head coach Chris Lyle is going to allow him freedom on the court to showcase his skills. Davis has played in the post since the eighth grade, but expects that to change a tad this winter.

“I’m beyond stoked for it. I just developed my post game because that is what the team needed so that is what I did. My game has always been so much more than that and I haven’t really been able to show it the past two years. I’m really excited to show people what I can do out there,” Davis said. “Coach (Chris) Lyle is going to allow me to play on the wing more and give me more of a green light to play with more freedom. I’m really excited about the opportunity.”

Lyle, who is in his first season as the Eagles varsity head coach after being an assistant for the past six seasons, said the varsity experience Davis has is a valuable commodity.

“You look around at our roster from last year and there only a few guys that even saw the floor that are returning. Obviously Tanner was a big minutes guy, so my goal for him this year is to lead by example and just continue to grow day by day. We want him to be that coach on the floor,” Lyle said.

Lyle said having Davis on the wing creates a matchup headache and nightmare for Eagles opponents on both sides of the court.

“He can shoot it out there. The good thing with him out on the wing is there is going to be mismatches every single time. Typical high school teams don’t have a lot of height. We’re lucky to have three or four guys who are 6 feet, 4 inches or taller on the floor. That is going to be hard to guard,” he said.

Despite the Eagles inexperience on the varsity roster, Davis expects his team to be in the playoff hunt when February of 2017 rolls around. He pointed to the Eagles success in summer league play as a foreshadowing of things to come in the future.

“The good thing is everyone knows each other and has grown up around each other our whole lives. We have that team chemistry,” Davis said. “It quickly came together in summer league and grew rapidly in every game. Our overall team goal is to win KingCo or at least get to the KingCo championship game. We have been there the past two or three years.”

Davis was thrilled when he learned Lyle landed the head coaching job in late May. Davis played for Lyle as a freshman on the Eagles JV squad.

“That is what I wanted and that was what I was pulling for,” Davis said. “I didn’t want any other coach than him. I’m happy and blessed that he is our coach.”

Recently the Issaquah/Sammamish Reporter had an opportunity to ask Davis a few questions about his life away from the basketball court.

Issaquah Reporter: What is your favorite movie of all time?

Tanner Davis: I don’t know if I have a favorite movie, my favorite movie series is Harry Potter. I love Harry Potter. I can’t pick a favorite all-time movie. That is way too hard.

IR: Who is your pick to win the Super Bowl in February of 2017 in Houston, Texas?

TD: The Seattle Seahawks.

IR: What is something unique about you that nobody would know?

TD: I like to meditate and find myself through that. I do that two hours every day. I also love reading a lot of books and gaining knowledge.

IR: How many text messages do you send per day?

TD: Not that many actually, I only text people if I’m going to hang out with them or if I need to talk to coach. I don’t text for no reason. I try to stay off my phone and build relationships personally and connect with people.

IR: What is your favorite eatery in Issaquah?

TD: I’m going to have to go with Red Robin. I like it. My mom and I go there all the time and we have lunch together. It is kind of me and my mom’s tradition.

IR: What is the last movie you saw in the theater?

TD: The last Jason Bourne movie. I don’t go to the theaters very much. It is too much money.