Cavemen Battle El Dorado in 2025 Inaugural

By Don Eskins

For the Carlsbad Cavemen, the 2025 basketball season will get underway in El Paso on Tuesday night, November 25, against the El Dorado Aztecs. The JVs will tip off the night’s action first with a game scheduled for 4:30 p.m. The varsity plays at 6 p.m.

Head Caveman coach John Zumbrun says his kids have been working hard, have had a great off-season and summer, and look forward to taking on the Aztecs to start the 2025-26 season.

“We have had a great off-season. Now it’s time to find out just where we’re at as the new season begins to unfold. El Paso El Dorado has already played three games this year, so they’ll be a tough test for us, but when all is said and done, they’ll be a good indicator for us as to just where we are now.”

As the new season tips off for the Cavemen in El Paso, Zumbrun will send five seniors out onto the floor against the Aztecs. Taking the floor will be Zenus Huerta, Tanner Cornum, Dryden Preece, Maliq Mills, and Shane Sullivan.

“These kids aren’t the most experienced group I’ve ever had, but they’ve all logged a lot of varsity playing time,” said the Caveman coach. “Both Shane and Zenus were starters last year, while Tanner, Dryden, and Maliq came in off the bench.

“This season, coming in off the bench will be junior Mario Deleon. Mario will get some big minutes on the floor, as will sophomore Kevin Quarles, who’ll be our first guard off the bench,” said Zumbrun. “We also have a few other kids who have been battling hard in practice that will probably have an opportunity to contribute.”

As the season nears, Zumbrun said he likes what he’s seen from his charges.

“I feel this team is deeper than we’ve been in the past, but we need to be because we’re not real tall,” he said. “But our kids can play big, and our guards are playing with a lot of confidence. So, I’d say, for us, it’s going to be a very interesting year.”