BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
DONNA — The Edinburg North Lady Cougars controlled every facet of Tuesday night’s girls basketball game against the Donna High Bravettes. Whether it was a suffocating press defense, productive post play or fast-break layups, the Lady Cougars ran away to a comfortable 50-30 non-district win.
“We have a lot of speed, so we use that to our advantage,” Edinburg North coach Jenny Garcia said.
The Lady Cougars (2-5) controlled the pace from start to finish and never trailed during the game. Edinburg North employed a swarming trap defense early and often, which led to easy turnovers and transition buckets. Forward Natalie Alinaz led the team with four steals.
“Coach always talks about pressing,” junior Melissa Mojarro said. “If our offense isn’t going well, we can let our defense become our offense.”
Mojarro led the team in scoring with 11 points in addition to four rebounds and three assists.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Lady Cougars were balanced and efficient. Every player that stepped on the court scored.
“Since (Donna) was playing a 2-3 (zone),” Mojarro said. “So we were looking at getting a layup or cutting inside or getting the ball inside, because whoever was inside was usually open.”
Edinburg North exploited Donna’s nonexistent interior presence throughout the night. Center Stephanie Flores scored 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting in addition to three boards, two steals and an assist.
“(Stephanie) is very strong and very physical,” Garcia said. “She helps us tremendously.”
Though the starting five for the Lady Cougars struggled to score in the second quarter, a pair of bench players in Kimberly Cantu and Tiffany Chapa answered their coach’s call, scoring all 10 of Edinburg North’s second quarter points.
“We just go with everybody working together,” Mojarro said. “Coach always tells us, ‘If you’re on the court, you make a difference.”
The win was the first for the Lady Cougars since returning from a tournament in Corpus Christi last weekend. Though the team played well enough to secure a victory, Edinburg North knows there is still plenty of basketball left on the schedule.
“We just need to get better offensively and communicate more,” Mojarro said.
For Donna, coach Kevin Cromer knew exactly what the Lady Cougars wanted to do.
“They’re always a very quick team,” Donna coach Kevin Cromer said. “We just weren’t making good decisions with the basketball.”
The Bravettes (3-3) never settled into a groove offensively and had no answer for Edinburg North’s trap defense. The lack of reliable post player meant many perimeter passes which were easily intercepted by the Lady Cougars.
Donna was without starting point guard Lauren Williams, who will miss at least three weeks with a right knee injury suffered during a game against McAllen High in last week’s Weslaco tournament.
“We don’t have a floor general right now,” Cromer said. “So that’s what happens when you get pressed.”