The Sheldon High Huskies feature two solid seniors in Darius Nelson and Ramon Eaton, who are moving on to UTEP and Pepperdine respectively. On any given night, either player can take over from an offensive standpoint. Throw into the mix, junior Kyiron Thomas who can be a blur on the court. As a result, a key defensive piece to this pack of Huskies is often overlooked, sophomore guard Dakarai Allen.
At 6-foot-5 and 160 pounds, Allen has good length with an 81 inch wingspan and quickness to be a defensive stopper. In Sheldon's current season, he is instrumental in guarding the opposing team's key offensive guard or small forward. As a result, the Huskies were able to repeat as San Joaquin Section champions. Despite being thrown into the fire, Allen averaged 9 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals.
Allen along with fellow sophomore D'Erryl Williams II were freshmen contributors in last year's Sheldon team. The Huskies achieved a 28-6 record that ended with a loss to Newark 75-61 in the state playoffs.
During the summer, he plays for his club basketball team, Play Hard Play Smart. Before joining PHPS, Allen was playing for his Beyond Basketball team which also had four of his other sophomore Sheldon teammates. Beyond Basketball was a 7th and 8th grade level AAU program run in Sacramento. As a result, the Sheldon nucleus for the next few years should be quite cohesive.
Sheldon Coach Joey Rollings says, "Dakarai's strength is going to the basket. His length allows him to attack the rim and he is very slippery inside. He also is developing a nice three-point jump shot. Dakarai is very intense and hates to lose or make mistakes."
Despite being a sophomore, Allen is on the radar for Cal Poly, Loyola Marymount, UC Davis, UTEP, and Washington State. He has also received an offer from San Francisco. Allen is looking for the right blend of academics and basketball in college.
Coach Rollings says, "Dakarai is laid back and likes to have fun. On the NCAA level, I think he will do great, once he gets a little stronger. Any team would be lucky to get him. He does well in the class room as he has about a 3.40 GPA right now. He cares about academics and sports equally. He has a good sense of humor and a great personality. He is very respectful to everyone."
Sheldon is attempting to make a run for the state title. Allen will be expected to be a defensive stopper. In addition, Allen was named to All Delta River League first team. His older brother, Marcus Paige-Allen, will be attending Cal Poly on a football scholarship. Allen's uncle is former Sonoma State offensive lineman, Larry Allen, who won a few Super Bowl rings with the Dallas Cowboys. Expect Dakarai to defend to win as the Huskies make their run to state.
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