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Hoops Standout Darius Nelson Gears Up for Playoffs

The Sheldon basketball star speaks candidly with Elk Grove Patch about the scrutiny he's faced throughout his high school career, his goals for playoffs and how he plans to shed weight for college ball.

Darius Nelson embraces the role of villain.

The 6-foot-6 Sheldon High School senior has worn a target on his back since his freshman season on varsity with the Huskies.

The big freshman shouldered high expectations, much of which came as a result of being the younger brother of former Sheldon hoops star DeMarcus Nelson, who played four years at Duke before stints in the NBA and is now playing professionally overseas.

Nelson averaged 19.7 points and nine rebounds per game as a freshman. He kept it rolling, playing at the wing position and averaging 22.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game his sophomore year and 24.7 points and 9.8 rebounds his junior season.

Along the way, he’s faced unparalleled scrutiny for a high school player, receiving verbal abuse from crowds and Internet message boards. They called him out of shape; they called him a jerk.

Nelson hasn’t always responded appropriately.

“When he was a freshman and even up to last year, he was pretty hot headed,” Sheldon coach Joey Rollings said. “He averaged a technical a game. But now, he only has one technical this season and he didn’t even deserve it. Now, he just takes things in stride and doesn’t say much.”

Nelson’s maturity has grown, along with his game, through his four seasons with Sheldon’s varsity team. Last season, Nelson helped lead his team to a Sac-Joaquin Section Championship. 

His size, coupled with extraordinary guard skills, makes him a difficult matchup for high school opponents.

“He’s an all-around player,” Rollings said. “They don’t think he can do things that he can. He does things that guards can’t do.”

Now, averaging 23 points per game in his senior season after an extremely difficult season schedule that included travel to the country’s top high school tournaments, Nelson sets his hopes even higher. He wants to win a state championship before he takes off to Texas on a scholarship to play for the University of Texas at El Paso.

The Huskies will garner the No. 1 seed in Div. 1 for the upcoming section playoffs that begin next week. Elk Grove Patch caught up with Nelson before a practice to ask the senior about his high school career, the scrutiny he’s faced and what’s next.

Has your mentality changed throughout your high school career?

I just had to mature a lot on the court. When I was younger, I couldn’t really be told much about stuff. Teammates, opposing players, refs, they all got under my skin. This year, I’m calm, real mellow. I didn’t let the refs get to me, didn’t let the hard fouls distract me. I just had a mindset that next year I am going to UTEP and what's going to happen when I go to Memphis or somewhere else?

Your entire high school career, you’ve been subject to much scrutiny by fans and critics. How was that to handle?

My first two years, it was hard to take. I read everything that people were saying about me. As you get older and mature more, and take this sport more as a job, there is going to be a lot criticism, a lot of haters and doubters. All I want to do is go out there and play my game and prove people wrong. I couldn’t really care if they are rooting with me or against me. I know who’s on my side and that’s my family, coaches and teammates.

Do you feel that you’ve been treated unfairly?

Yes, I do feel that I was being treated unfairly. I had to live up to the hype that I was coming into high school with being DeMarcus Nelson’s little brother. I definitely had to hold up through a lot of challenges.

It’s apparent that you seem to enjoy playing the role of villain against your opponents. Is that who you are, or part of an on-court persona?

I just love playing away and hearing the crowd talk bad about us, cheering against us and heckling us. I love that. It feeds a lot of energy to us. It makes us feel like it’s us against the world and we get to show them who Sheldon High really is.

You decided to go to UTEP. What did it ultimately come down to in making that decision?

Mainly the opportunities that I am going to have once I get there, the coaching staff and being in a college town. When you think of El Paso, Texas you might think there is nothing out there, but UTEP sells out every home game and the fans treat the players like they are NBA stars.

You’re a guard in a big man’s body. How much pressure does that put on defenses?

It’s real hard for them. They don’t know if they want to put a guard or a big man on me. Usually they just try to put a football player on me to be physical with me. As for right now, it’s good because most high school players aren’t really this big or skilled. Next year, it’s really going to catch up with me because everybody is really skilled at each position. Be prepared to look at me next season about 30 or 40 pounds off.

So you have big plans to shed weight?

I’m headed out to San Francisco once I graduate to work out with a guy who has worked out with a number of NBA players for years. He was the guy to work out with Blake Griffin. He’s the one who got Blake high-flying everywhere.

You’re planning on being a wing in college?

Yeah, (coach) has me coming in to play the two-guard.

What is your favorite memory thus far from your time at Sheldon?

My favorite memory was last year at Arco, winning the section championship. That was my best memory because a lot of people try to compare my brother and me. One thing I can say that I have over him is that I’m a section champ. And hopefully we’ll be state champions this year.

If you and your brother played one on one right now, who wins that game?

Of course I win. Why wouldn’t I? (laughs)

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