Kevin Davis helped put the Todd Beamer High School boys basketball team on the map last season by leading the Titans to their first-ever Class 4A State Tournament berth.

The 6-foot-8 Davis will have another chance to take Beamer even further when basketball practice opens in November.

The West Central District approved Davis’ request for a fifth year of eligibility earlier this month, meaning the first-team, All-South Puget Sound League forward will make the Titans an instant contender for a return trip to the Tacoma Dome.

“We got a hearing before fall sports started and they approved his request,” said Beamer head coach Brent Brilhante.

Last year was a coming-out party for Davis. The forward established himself around the SPSL and the state as one of the best all-around big men in high school basketball.

Davis was a triple-double threat every time he stepped on the court for Beamer and finished the year with four of them.

Davis led the SPSL South in rebounding by averaging 15.3 a game and also was tops in the league in blocked shots (4.1 a game), all while scoring 16.3 points a night. Davis was also recognized around the state as one of the best dunkers.

The Titans finished the regular season in fifth place in the nine-team SPSL South before winning three loser-out games at West Central Districts to advance to the school’s first-ever state basketball tournament.

Davis is currently playing on the Beamer tennis team, which is coached by Brilhante.

“He’s not the best tennis player,” Brilhante said. “I just wanted to make sure that he’s staying on track. It’s nice for him to be with me. He was actually thinking about playing football.”

Davis’ hardship came during his third year of high school when he didn’t play any sports at Beamer. It was also the year his daughter, Kaylanie, was born. But, according to Brilhante, the birth of his daughter was not the actual hardship Davis cited during his hearing in front of the West Central District board.

“He really didn’t even bring that up,” Brilhante said. “He mentioned that the reason why he moved back here was to be with his daughter. He kind of bounced around and lived in a bunch of different places since the sixth grade because of a lack of stability.”

Davis is currently living with his father in Federal Way.

“He is in a stable environment and has been at school every day, on time this year,” Brilhante said. “He’s growing up.”

According to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) handbook, a hardship exists only when some unique circumstances concerning the student’s physical or emotional status exist and only when such circumstances are not the result of acts or actions by the student or family unit. Usual maturation problems or family situations that do not cause severe and abnormal emotional problems and academic or athletic deficiencies in a school’s curriculum or extracurricular activities do not constitute a hardship.

Davis is currently being courted by several Division I college basketball programs, most notably the University of Washington, Washington State, Idaho and Seton Hall. But as a non-qualifier academically, Davis would have to attend a junior college for two years before enrolling at a four-year school.

“He is a very intelligent kid and he will graduate this year, as long as he sticks with it,” Brilhante said.

Davis will be joined by a talented group of returners for the Titans, which includes guards Napa Mefi, Vlad Aficuic and Max Aficiuc. Mefi, a junior, was Beamer’s second-leading scorer a season ago at 15.1 points a game, including 28 in a state-clinching win over Bellarmine Prep at the West Central District Tournament.

The Titans are also expected to welcome transfer Terelle Loggins from Spanaway Lake to their lineup. Loggins is currently attending Truman High School in Federal Way and lives within Beamer’s boundaries. Loggins, a 6-foot guard, was a second-team, All-SPSL South selection last season, after leading the SPSL South in scoring at 20.9 points a game.

Loggins played the entire summer schedule with Beamer.

“He is exceptionally quick and a good ball handler,” Brilhante said. “He is a solid player and a good kid, too.”

Beamer is also hoping to get the services of Chase Hildebrandt back this season. The 6-foot-4 forward averaged 10.2 points a game last year for Beamer. Hildebrandt is also petitioning to have a fifth year of eligibility. He is currently enrolled at Beamer and will have his hardship case heard by the WIAA in the near future.