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The Ellis and South Davie boys basketball teams have been traveling in opposite directions for a while, the talent at each school running in cycles.

Ellis was untouchable a few years ago, going 11-0 and 9-0 for back-to-back seasons. Then the Jaguars tumbled to 6-6, and last year really hit hard times (3-10).

The Tigers were woeful in 2014-15, going 1-13. But then they ripped off five straight non-losing seasons, including a 14-2 run last year when they tied for first in the regular season and captured the conference.

The roles were reversed in last week’s season opener. Ellis went gangbusters on visiting South, winning 52-25 on Jan. 14.

It was 27-9 after the first quarter and 41-14 at the half, by which time Ethan Driver (12), Jackson Powers (eight) and Braddock Coleman (eight) had combined for 28 points.

Driver finished with 12 points, while Powers and Coleman had 10 each. Adam Brown had seven and Wade Bomar four. Elliott Erlandsson, Noah Shore and Thomas Essic had three apiece.

Ellis has a new weapon (Powers) and it looks like he’s going to be a major asset. He is an eighth grader who spent the past two years at Summit.

“We had been trying to get Jackson to Ellis for two years,” coach Ted Boger said. “His older brother Jake Powers (a Davie junior) played for me.”

The Jaguars nailed eight 3-pointers, including seven in the decisive first half, as they avenged two losses to South last year (63-48 and 46-40 in overtime). Coleman had two of the triples.

“After we got over pregame nerves, we had a great game,” Boger said. “We played great defense that led to a lot of steals.”

Landon Waller paced the Tigers with 13 points. Silas Marion had four. Josiah Spillman and Jayce Bentley had three and Kobe Thompson two.

Wesleyan 59, N. Davie 26

It was a frightful opener for North Davie, which lost by 33 to visiting Wesleyan Christian Academy on Jan. 14.

The Trojans opened up a 33-13 halftime lead and defeated the Wildcats for the third time in a row.

Brady Marshall led North with 10 points. Connor Hood had seven, Gavin Reese five and Landon King four.

“We got beat on the boards,” coach Trevor Gooch said. “We also missed 18 free throws. Our kids played hard but we must do a better job of playing defense and boxing out.

“Brady had a nice game in the paint.”