Daviswatches Raptors rise to 10- 0
EAGLECREST 57, OVERLAND 45
aurora » It wasn’t a secret. Overland star De’Ron Davis, the national recruit who has signed with Indiana, was to miss Friday’s night’s first of two Class 5A Centennial League matchups with undefeated Eaglecrest.
“We were aware of it,” said Eaglecrest’s Colbey Ross. “But we wanted him to play because we had a whole game set for that.”
So Davis, saddled with two technical fouls Wednesday against Mullen, sat and watched like everyone else in the overflow crowd atOverland in the Raptors’ 57- 45 victory over the top- ranked Trailblazers.
Ross, a junior guard, scored a game- high 27 points as Eaglecrest improved to 10- 0 overall and 2- 0 in league. It was close until late, as Eaglecrest, rankedNo. 8 inThe Associated Press 5A media poll and sure to move up next week, used a 12- 0 run to start the fourth quarter, sparked by Ross and sophomore Victor Garnes. Ross, who had missed nine consecutive shots, scored 10 points in the last eight minutes. Garnes added six.
“It was a hard- fought game,” Ross said, and he wasn’t kidding — the competition inside and on the perimeter kept those in attendance watching until the end.
“We weren’t finishing early,” said Eaglecrest coach John Olander, who added, “You hope you take advantage of ( Davis being out), and it took us a while. ... If we lose this game, ‘ OK, Eaglecrest might not be that good and ( it) can’t beat Overland without De’Ron.’ If we win this game, ‘ Eaglecrest beat Overland without De’Ron.’ So it was a lose- lose for us, but we’ll take it. We’re not going to apologize for it.”
Garnes ( nine points) and Ikkena Ozor ( eight) backed up the Raptors, who converted only 7- of- 16 free throws. The 2015 state champion Trailblazers ( 8- 2, 1- 1) were led by Jervae Robinson ( 15 points) and Alijah Halliburton ( 14).