Eaton triggers Oakland Mills win

Scorpions top Catonsville in boys basketball opener; Mount de Sales coasts

Daeshawn Eaton can score in a variety of ways, and he showed as much for Oakland Mills boys basketball last season.

He weaved into the lane and finished at the rim. He came off screens and drilled 3-pointers. If he missed a shot, it was probably because a defender fouled him, and in that case he would redeem himself with swishes at the free throw line. His scoring versatility earned him the county scoring title with an average of 17.1 points per game in addition to first-team All-Howard County honors.

But amid all of the scoring, Eaton never dunked. It wasn’t that he couldn’t. He just decided not to try.

That changed during the first game of his senior campaign, a 67-52 Scorpions’ home win over Catonsville (0-1) on Thursday night. Thirty seconds into the second half, Eaton corralled one of his several steals and saw no one between him and the rim, so he took a few dribbles, rose and flushed a one-handed slam to ignite the crowd. Normally unemotional, Eaton flashed a smile and hopped around as he assumed his defensive position.

“It felt very good,” Eaton said modestly. “Very good.”

A year after dropping 28 in a win over the Comets, Eaton went off for 31 points to carry the No. 15 Scorpions (1-0) to a comfortable season-opening victory.

“The kid’s tremendous,” coach Jon Browne said. “It was effortless tonight on his part. Alot of steals, a lot of easy buckets at the rim. His arms, hands, he just anticipates so well. But that’s innate. I can’t teach that.”

Aside from Eaton, who made three 3-pointers and hit six of his seven foul shots, Oakland Mills received most of its offensive production from its starting lineup. Sophomore forward Dooley Riggs, making his first-career start, added eight points, while senior guard Frederick Eiland II and Jaelen Gaymon chipped in seven points apiece. The Scorpions’ fifth starter, senior Ke’von Simpson, dealt with foul trouble all game but managed five points.

Dashawn Dixon (16 points) and Kelvin Sprull (11 points) led a Comets squad doomed by turnovers and a slow start.

DOUGLASS 78, REGINALD F. LEWIS 73, OT: Donald Williams scored 21 points and the visiting Ducks (1-0) outscored the Falcons (0-1), 12-7 in overtime to win.

Girls basketball

NO. 12 MOUNT DE SALES 68, GLEN BURNIE12: The host Sailors (1-2) built a 35-4 lead in the first half and routed the Gophers (0-1). Megan Matsko had12 points for Mount de Sales.

CHESAPEAKE-AA 66, CATHOLIC 27: Haley Downin scored a game-high 18 points to lead the Cougars (1-0) past the Cubs (1-2). Chesapeake led 32-14 in the first half.

MOUNT CARMEL 56, SEVERN 22: The host Cougars (3-1, 1-0 Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland B Conference) opened with a14-0run and beat the Admirals (0-4, 0-1). Morgan Skinner had seven points for Severn.

GLENELG COUNTRY 53, MOUNT HEBRON 50: Brianna Chun scored 10 of her team-high 18 points over the final four minutes to lift the Dragons (2-2) over the host Vikings (0-1).

Erasing a five-point fourth-quarter deficit, Glenelg Country took the lead on a 3-pointer by Chun with 3:12 left in regulation and never trailed again.

“It was really important for me to take some leadership and really help out the team,” said Chun, who took over floor general duties after Taylor Denny (4 points) fouled out in the third quarter and Taylor Gillis (15 points) followed suit in the fourth. “But everyone else who played, they really helped me out too. It was a whole team effort.”

—Brent Kennedy,

Baltimore Sun Media Group