BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
McALLEN — Cynthia Martinez wasn’t concerned with the number of shot attempts she made Tuesday night at McAllen Memorial High.
“I don’t know how many shots I missed at the end,” the PSJA North senior guard said.
Though Martinez scored a team-high 17 points on 5 of 8 shooting, including a perfect 3-for-3 from the foul line, the hot-handed shooter went cold in the waning minutes of the Blizzard Bash tournament championship game against Harlingen High. Martinez’s woes doubled as her team’s woes. The Lady Raiders slash-and-kick offense grew turgid late, and the team blew an 11-point fourth quarter lead to lose 58-55 at McAllen Memorial High School.
“We got some convertible shots,” PSJA North coach Randy Bocanegra said. “We just didn’t make them.”
The loss marks the first time this season the Lady Raiders (19-3) have succumbed to another Valley team.
PSJA North led throughout much of the contest. Though Harlingen possessed size in junior forward Addison Dickey, the Lady Raiders neutralized the Lady Cardinal’s bigs in the early going with efficient perimeter play, making the extra pass to the open shooter for easy 3-point buckets, of which they made seven.
“We want to be up-tempo,” Bocanegra said. “We want to be able to penetrate and kick out.”
Though jump-shooting is the Lady Raiders’ bread and butter, Harlingen’s interior presence resurfaced in the second half. Dickey, who had a quiet outing on the glass in the first half with four rebounds, snagged 12 boards in the second and provided her team with precious possessions to cut into PSJA North’s lead.
“They outsized us down the stretch,” Bocanegra said. “We just couldn’t get a rebound or a loose ball.”
With 1:45 left, the Lady Raiders had the ball and trailed Harlingen 56-55. Though Tiffany Alvarado took an open 3-point shot from the left wing, the ball sailed into the back of the rim, and landed in the hands of Dickey. Dickey passed to teammate Sami Quilantan who was immediately fouled, and converted both free throws with five seconds remaining. Quilantan finished 17 points.
PSJA North’s final shot attempt came on a half-court heave from Lisa Palacios, which sailed wide right.
The win improved Harlingen’s record to 18-3, with Weslaco High being the only Valley team to defeat the Lady Cardinals so far this season.
Despite his team’s loss, Bocanegra was upbeat and genial.
“You win some close ones, you lose some close ones,” he said.
For Martinez, the loss is a learning experience.
“Losing is sad, but I’m kind of happy because it’s giving us a bitter taste,” she said. “We’ll look at this loss and learn from it.”