Billingsley, Daniels lift Eldorado boys

Eldorado coach Phil Olsen has grown accustomed to D.J. Billingsley’s ability on a basketball court.

So when the senior registered a double-double Wednesday in a 94-73 season-opening win over Cimarron-Memorial, the ninth-year coach took it as old hat.

“We expect it from him,” Olsen said. “He almost averaged a double-double (a game) last year, and I know that’s something that he wants to have this year. We feed off him. If we all play with his energy, then we’re going to be in good shape.”

And the host Sundevils had plenty of energy.

Billingsley, who had 24 points and 15 rebounds, led an explosive offense up and down the court for most of the game.

Eldorado (1-0) used a 17-5 first-quarter run, propelled by Darrion Daniels, to jump ahead. The sophomore, who had six points in the stretch, totaled 11 points in the first quarter and hauled in three rebounds, and the Sundevils limited Cimarron to nine first-quarter points.

“He’s a kid that just has a lot of firepower,” said Olsen of the 5-foot-8-inch Daniels, who finished with 22 points. “He has a knack for scoring and is one of the purest scorers I’ve seen.”

Daniels continued to guide the dynamic display in the second quarter, hitting a 3-pointer as he fell to the court with 3:23 left in the first half. The conversion staked the Sundevils to a 15-point lead.

However, the Spartans cut their deficit to 10 by halftime with two 3-pointers from guard Joe McKellar.
But was the closet Cimarron would get.

Billingsley, playing aggressively in transition, pushed Eldorado to a 16-4 run to begin the third quarter, scoring six points in a 2½-minute span.

“If we keep playing like that, I can see us going far in the season,” Billingsley said. “We started off bad last season, and starting off strong this season gives me a good feeling.”

Eldorado had four scorers in double figures, including senior guard Quavion Thorns (12 points) and junior guard Jayveon Brown (17 points). The Sundevils went 14-for-25 from the free-throw line.

“I was surprised the tempo was as fast as it was,” Olsen said. “I thought we’d be a lot more slowed down then we were. The kids just pushed the ball up really well, and they made good cuts to get to open areas and had some wide-open shots.”

McKellar tallied 26 points, including three 3-pointers, for the Spartans (0-2). Junior Austin Garrison chipped in 16 points, and teammate J.C. Broussard added 11 points.