By ANDREW CRUM, Staff Writer
Pace is picking up where it left off last season.
The Lady Vikings advanced to the playoffs last year and look for a return trip to the postseason this season.
Pace had an early measuring stick at the Weslaco girls basketball tournament last weekend. The Lady Vikings went 3-3 in pool play, defeating Mission Veterans Memorial, Edcouch-Elsa and Edinburg Vela. They lost to Los Fresnos, Weslaco High and Laredo Cigarroa, but they won their bracket.
The Lady Vikings were encouraged by their play even during the losses.
“We beat the teams we’re supposed to beat,” Pace coach Kris Metzmaker said. “It’s built their confidence a lot. We won the bronze bracket. I’m very proud of them for doing that.”
Metzmaker said the team is set on reaching new heights this year.
“Our focus is building on what we had last year and trying to go further,” she said. “I think they’re ready to go and they want to get better and that’s what drives them.”
MOVING FORWARD
Lopez is trying to improve upon last year’s record and has improved steadily this season.
The Lady Lobos are encouraged by a pair of wins over Valley View and PSJA Southwest at the La Joya girls basketball tournament, and it could have been a couple more, coach Stephen Davis said.
“We won two, but we felt like we left two on the floor,” he said. “Baby steps, that’s what I’ll say. We’re taking baby steps.
The Lady Lobos lost to Pace on Tuesday but felt like they were making progress nonetheless and hope to continue that improvement at this weekend’s Border Bash tournament.
“There were some good things that happened (Tuesday) and good things that happened in the tournament last weekend,” Davis said. “Hopefully at the Border Bash we’ll take a step forward.”
PLAYING WELL
Brownsville Veterans Memorial is playing well this season, especially against some talented squads early on.
The Lady Chargers went 5-1 in the Weslaco girls basketball tournament, losing only to Sharyland High in a 3-point loss.
Brownsville Veterans will continue to play good competition at the San Antonio tournament this weekend. But that is part of the plan Lady Chargers coach Valentin Paz had planned out for this season, especially to get his team ready for district and the postseason.
The Lady Chargers face their playoff nemesis, Laredo Alexander, in a non-district game Nov. 27 at home. Alexander has knocked Brownsville Veterans out of the playoffs the past two seasons.
Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @andrewmcrum.