Dillis was a two year starter for the Tigers, playing forward on the 1952-53 basketball team which was ranked number one in Ohio. He made Second team All-City that year when Stivers placed four out of five on the First team. As a senior, he played center and forward on a team that lost the City Championship in overtime. He was a near-unanimous choice for All-City.
After high school, Dillis was a top AAU player. He once scored 38 points playing for NCR against University of Dayton freshman in an NCR win. He was a charter inductee into the AAU Basketball Hall of Fame and was manager of the Dayton Gym for ten years.
Dillis was one of a long list of Appalachians who played at Stivers. Others include Paul Ginter, Joe Kitchen, Gene Millard and Jim and Mickey Morgan.
His widow, Eileen (May) is also a Stivers graduate. Brothers-in-law Don and Kenny May played at the University of Dayton. Dillis and Eileen had three children: Donnie (deceased), Carrie and Mike (who played for the University of Dayton).
