Wildcat transitions from football to basketball.
In El Dorado’s season-ending 21-15 football loss to Pine Bluff on Friday, senior tight end Alex Boone caught a crucial 22-yard pass to convert a third-and-13 in the fourth quarter. Less than 24 hours later, Boone was battling for rebounds in the Wildcats’ basketball season opener at Wildcat Arena.
Boone scored nine points and grabbed two boards in the 70-62 loss to West Memphis on Saturday. He had two receptions for 27 yards against the Zebras on Friday.
El Dorado basketball coach Gary Simmons said playing two sports against high-caliber athletes on back-to-back days is nothing new for Boone, who competed in the basketball season opener without any real practice time on the court.
“We had a walk-through and kind of a little semi-practice while the freshman tournament was going on,” Simmons said.
“The thing about Boone, he’s probably one of the only football players I’ve ever had in my program that, the only practices he missed with us were when his mom was in bad shape.
“In four years, he’s never missed a practice in the summer and he’s played AAU all summer. Boone looks like a football player and he is a very good football player. He likes to play football. But, he really loves to play basketball, too, and works hard at both of them. I was impressed with the way he came in and hit some shots that he didn’t hit last year. That’s encouraging.”
The 6-foot-2, 245 pounder had 12 receptions for 183 yards and two touchdowns on the gridiron this season. He’ll be expected to use that size and strength to provide an inside presence for the basketball Cats.
It’s what he did during the summer while competing in team camps and AAU. When he wasn’t grabbing rebounds, he was catching passes during 7-on-7 tournaments and football team camps.
“We usually practice four days a week and then we have an open gym. Our practices were from 2 to 4 this year or 2 to 3:30 or whatever it was. That way, if any of the football kids wanted to come and they were through with what Coach Reed needed them to do. It didn’t matter, if he was in town and was able to be there, he was there,” said Simmons, who said Boone has an immediate chemistry with the basketball Cats.
“Their timing with each other is good and they know each other well. They played a lot of games. I think every opportunity Boone had to be in the weight room for football, he was in the weight room. Every chance he had to be on the basketball court getting shots up, he was there. That’s what’s special about Alex.”
El Dorado will host Pine Bluff tonight at Wildcat Arena.