Davis Fogle credits Gonzaga veterans for fast growth ahead of March Madness

Mark Few intentionally built Gonzaga one of the oldest, most experienced rosters in college basketball this offseason, hoping to ride that maturity into one final WCC championship and another deep run in March.

So far so good, as the Zags went 28-3 in the regular season and earned the No. 1 seed in the WCC Tournament, where they await a semifinal matchup on Monday, March 9.

Gonzaga's age and experience have rubbed off on the handful of younger players on the roster, including freshman wing Davis Fogle, who has become an integral piece of the rotation over the last six weeks or so.

Fogle credits the team for believing in him and giving him the confidence to go out and play his game, although one player in particular has taken him under his wing throughout the season.

"I sit right next to Jalen [Warley] in the locker room and what I've learned from him is amazing," Fogle told Gonzaga Bulldogs on SI. "I mean I have to give a lot of credit to him especially on the defensive side of the ball, he's taught me so much. And then when I wasn't playing I was able to talk to him about it. And he was always just like 'yo, your time is coming, keep working'".

Gonzaga Bulldogs Tyon Grant-Foster, Jalen Warly and Davis Fogle. | Photo by Myk Crawford

Despite being on the outside of Gonzaga's rotation, Fogle did get plenty of chances to see the floor early in the season. He averaged 6.1 points in 7.9 minutes across 13 games through Jan. 8, although most of his minutes came late in the second half when the outcome was already well in hand. In those 13 games, he only played more than 10 minutes three times, and routinely played less than five.

Fogle didn't let the lack of consistent playing time bother him, however, choosing to stay ready in case an opportunity to earn more time arose. Warley's influence helped him stay focused on what mattered in the moment - soaking up as much knowledge as he could while being a great teammate.

"He's just approached every single day, kind of waiting for the opportunity," Warley said. "In the meantime, being a great teammate and just being a sponge. He's always around the coaches or around older guys. You talk about leaders and picking our brains and seeing where he can improve his game."

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Davis Fogle (4). | Photo by Erik Smith

All the hard work paid off for Fogle - and Gonzaga - when he was thrust into a steady role off the bench following the injury to Braden Huff in mid-January. Warley moved into the starting lineup while Tyon Grant-Foster shifted to more of a power forward role, leaving Fogle to play big minutes at small forward. It was trial by fire for the freshman, who had displayed an innate ability to score in isolation - but who had yet to play regularly within the scope of Gonzaga's offense.

"His growth is just doing it in the flow of the offense, and the efficiency with his dribbles," Warley continued. "In high school he was relied upon to score 30, 40 points for his school in ISO situations, so he's really figured out he has the ability to do that. But within the flow of our offense [he has to] pick spots, whether it's as a big time cutter, becoming someone in transition, he's running really hard so he can get an easy dunk or easy layup."

After averaging 7.9 minutes in his first 13 appearances, Fogle jumped to 23.2 minutes following Huff's injury. In that time frame, the Anacortes, WA native averaged 10.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists compared to just 0.7 turnovers - while shooting a stellar 52% from the field.

Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few and guard Davis Fogle. | Photo by Erik Smith

Fogle also showed excellent improvement defensively, using his length and athleticism to get into the passing lanes and alter shots. He's totaled 10 steals and 10 blocks over the past 13 games, including three each against Washington State and a pair of blocks against Saint Mary's in Spokane.

"I just continue to preach his length," Warley continued. "I fell victim to it too, like sometimes we don't understand how disruptive we can be or how long our arms can be...I think he's just continuing to learn how elite he can be with his length on defense, and then using that defense to generate offense on the other end."

While Fogle attributes much of his success to his veteran teammates, the maturity he has displayed as a true freshman is rare. He shows high levels of confidence, combined with humility and an eagerness to get better every single day.

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Davis Fogle. | Photo by Myk Crawford

That, Fogle says, comes from his decision to play his senior year of high school out of state, which taught him arguably the most important mental skill of all: gratitude.

"I was living by myself playing prep school in Arizona," Fogle said of his time at Compass Prep. "I was by myself a lot. And I think that was where, when we were traveling or [had] tough games and I was just by myself, I learned to be grateful, like really grateful. I just put my all into it. I put in the work and whatever happens, happens. Just be grateful you're even able to play."

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