Philly prep star playing for Towson shot in hometown visit

Published Feb. 13, 2017 11:49 a.m. ET

PHILADELPHIA (AP) A Towson University basketball player who starred at a Philadelphia high school has been wounded in a shooting after leading his team to a victory in his hometown.

Towson University senior John Davis was ''injured during an apparent drive-by shooting outside his home'' following Towson's 69-65 win over Drexel on Saturday night, the school said in a statement.

''Davis was treated for a gunshot wound and released from the hospital. His status for the remainder of the basketball season is still being determined,'' according to the university's statement, which was first reported by Philly.com.

University officials didn't immediately provide updated information when contacted by The Associated Press on Monday.

But the shooting description dovetails with a police report that a man in his 20s was grazed by a bullet to his knee and a 16-year-old boy was shot about 12:30 a.m. Sunday in the 900 block of South Fourth Street. Police have stopped short of calling the shooting a drive-by, though a police report doesn't specify how it occurred.

The term ''drive-by'' is not used in the police report, Philadelphia police spokeswoman Officer Tanya Little said Monday. She said the report doesn't indicate where the shots originated it, just where the victims were. The victims reported hearing gunshots before realizing they were wounded, police said.

Towson coach Pat Skerry said Davis remained with his family after Saturday's game ''for the dedication of the birth of his son, Bryson Hunter Davis Harris.''

''He was outside of his family home when a car drove by and opened fire,'' the coach's statement continued. ''We are extremely thankful that John, and everybody else involved, was not seriously harmed. Our main focus right now is on the health of John Davis.''

Kimberly Williams, Davis' mother, told Philly.com that the coach's statement was ''very accurate'' and that doctors removed a bullet fragment from her son's leg, but she declined to answer other questions.

Davis is averaging 11.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game this season, and finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds Saturday.

Davis won three consecutive Philadelphia Catholic League titles and three state championships at Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti High School.