Strong first half lifts Eldorado past Coronado and into Sunrise finals

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011 | 11:26 p.m.

Members of the Eldorado High basketball team could have been wearing track shoes instead of high-tops Thursday for their Sunrise Regional semifinal game against Coronado.

The Sundevils proved to be too quick and athletic for Coronado, literally racing the ball up the court to set up several uncontested baskets in a 73-59 victory. The win puts Eldorado in Friday’s Sunrise finals against Canyon Springs High.

“I don’t want to slow these guys down,” Eldorado coach Mike Uzan said. “These guys are athletes, and I want to let them get out and run and play. It’s been their style all year long. I knew we had an advantage with our athleticism and I didn’t want to take that out of the game.”

Eldorado’s players seemingly always beat Coronado’s down the court, with DeQuan Thrower leading the Sundevils with 19 points. Julian Jacobs had 15 and Curtis Stewart added 14.

“At our school, we run. All we do is run,” Stewart said. “That is our style for a couple of years now.”

Eldorado dominated the first half, especially in the second quarter when it outscored Coronado 22-9 for a 21-point halftime lead. It led by double digits for the game’s final 22 minutes, going on a 12-3 run to open the second quarter and never looking back.

“That first half was really good for us. That first half was probably one of the best first halves we have played all season,” Uzan said. “We just work on it. We continue to work. We pound. We grind. We scream, kick and fight. We’ll do everything we need to do to get better.”

It will take a little more than screaming and fighting to get past Canyon Springs, which has already beaten Eldorado twice this year, by 18 and 8 points. For as quick as Eldorado looked Thursday, Canyon Springs arguably is more athletic.

“Just play smart and hard. That is all we have to do to beat them,” Stewart said.