UB Leading Scorer leads by support and compassion

Some college athletes struggle to find their niche balancing both their personal and athletic life. The case can be made for men's basketball player Darian David and his journey to be a successful student athlete.

David, who grew up in the Bronx, N.Y, started playing basketball at the age of three. He is currently in his first year at UB and has already made a name for himself leading the Purple Knights in scoring averaging 20 points per game and steals.

Before arriving at UB last fall, his life had been a rough one as he encountered several individual problems, both academically, while attending four different colleges in almost seven years, and personally.

"In early 2009, my mom Kim [Humphries] had two emergency surgeries and my daughter Lauren was born right around that same time period," David said. "My head wasn't focused into it [basketball and academics] as it should have been."

Upon graduating from James Monroe High School in 2005, David planned on playing Division I basketball at St. John's University, but things fell through. So he decided to attend Jamestown Community College near Buffalo, N.Y later that fall, where he averaged 19 points per game for the Jayhawks, but said it was a difficult transition for him.

"It was different and it had a lot of snow," David said. "It took some time for me to adjust being away from home."

After one year at JCC, David transferred to nearby Erie Community College and enjoyed a nice campaign for the Kats leading the nation in scoring with 27 points per game along seven rebounds and seven assists. His team ended up losing in the conference tournament.

As summer 2008 approached, he was looking to play Division I basketball for the first time as schools such as South Alabama, Norfolk State and Hampton were interested in having him play for their programs. David ended up choosing Delaware State University in Dover, DE since he thought that their schedule was going to be a competitive one with games against UConn, Louisville and Ohio State but ended up playing in only a handful of them before a downward spiral occurred.

"I played the first two games and that was it since I felt like I didn't fit there [as a student and athlete]," he said. "I ended up getting on academic probation, wanted to quit basketball and quit everything. Everything was turning downhill and I couldn't take it."

His mother Kim and aunt Regina Keith helped him get through this tough time as they encouraged him to return to school, get his education and play the game he loved while raising Lauren. It wasn't until last summer where David decided to tour and attend UB. Right off the bat, he noticed a lot of positives about the basketball program.

"I knew they had a good program but I also knew I had to focus in class," David said. "Being that my grades slipped when I went Division I, I saw that they took their academics very seriously here."

Men's Basketball head coach Mike Ruane has nothing but high remarks for David.

"He has been a great kid and I think he really provided scoring and confidence for the team," Ruane said. "I thought he did terrific academically. He is a solid student and guy in the community."

David has a lot of goals both on the court and in the classroom.

"This past semester I got a 3.0 and I am working hard in the classroom", he said. "Personally I just want to stay on top of my grades, grow as a person and go to the NCAA tournament."