A seven-year drought is over.

Kourey Davis, a 6-foot-5 junior, becomes only the third player from Warren Central to earn the honor as the Vicksburg Post’s Player of the Year. The last to do so was Chico Hunter in 2005. The other was Coleman Lewis in 1998.

Like Hunter, Davis hopes to follow in his footsteps toward a major college scholarship. Hunter excelled on the football field as a linebacker for the Vikings and turned that into a four-year ride as a standout safety at Southern Miss. Basketball was just a side project.

Not so for Davis. Basketball has been his passion. He played both football and basketball through junior high, but in his sophomore year, he gave up football to concentrate on basketball. He made the 2011 All-Warren County team as a guard.

“At that point, I just wanted to take basketball more serious,” Davis said. “That’s why I gave up football.”

At least for a year. Davis’ friends kept bugging him about how his tall frame and speed would translate into a potential big-time role on the gridiron.

“A lot of people tell me that there are a lot of 6-foot-5 basketball players, but not that many playing football,” Davis said. “I just listen and go about my business.”

Davis showed what he could do in football by leading the Vikings at wide receiver with 27 receptions for 651 yards and eight TDs. He was a serious candidate for player of the year honors and was named to the All-County team.

Mail from interested colleges increased.

“Mississippi State likes me for football and Southern Miss likes me in basketball,” Davis said. “What I want to do is play both in college. A lot of people want to me to choose one, but I just want to roll on. I did better than I thought I would in football.”

His play on the basketball court was better, too. Davis went through a position change under former coach Chareck Cable, moving from guard to forward. The result was a consistent 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists a game for the Vikings.

Warren Central finished 10-14, but two of the wins were significant. WC beat Bailey Alternative to win its first Red Carpet Classic trophy in six years. A week later, the Vikings ended a five-year losing streak in Division 3-6A play by beating Greenville-Weston. Davis was huge in both wins, scoring 26 and 18 points respectively.

“He had a good year, and got better as the year went on,” Cable said. “What impressed me was how his rebounding got better. He led us in three categories, scoring, rebounding and assists. He was our MVP.”

Vicksburg High coach Dellie C. Robinson said there was no doubt about Davis’ game.

“He was the best player in Warren County,” Robinson said.