BY TJ GARCIA | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
PHARR — The Sharyland Pioneer boys basketball team is just that: pioneers.
Just in its second season as a varsity program,, Pioneer is working to establish a winning program for the first time.
“We are working together, trying to gel with each other,” Diamondbacks coach Rene Gonzalez said. “I think the intensity is there, but they are a great bunch of kids, and they keep me young.”
Young is the operative word when it comes to the unproven Diamondbacks.
Making their way through the PSJA Tri-City Classic by winning their first three games on Thursday and Friday, youth can be an advantage for the 9-7 Diamondbacks. They played with energy on both sides of the court, hassled and hurt the Hidalgo Pirates for a tough 47-45 victory at PSJA Southwest High School in the third round of the tournament.
And like the game, in which they often trailed, Gonzalez said the Pioneer basketball team has been topsy-turvy during the year. They’ve also been hurt, and that’s hampered its ability to compete. Its youth is obvious. Pioneer starts one senior and four juniors and brings a sophomore off the bench.
“The juniors, they only have one year experience and most were on JV last year so they didn’t play much,” Gonzalez said. “They dance, they joke around. I try and stay lighthearted with them because they are kids. We are like family. They know when my voice starts coming up that there’s a difference there.”
There’s no mistaking that. Gonzalez is a vocal guy.
The senior leader for his team, Roosevelt Martin, is not. The quiet guard does communicate some, but the sharpshooter is as efficient with his language as he is with his shot. He’s also Gonzalez’s coach on the court.
“It can be stressful when they (other players) don’t want to listen,” Martin joked. “But first of all, as a leader I can’t slack off. I need to go 100 percent and set an example so they can come to me.”
Martin often talks to Gonzalez during games. One thing they may not have to discuss is the stellar play of big man and leading rebounder Michael Madrigal. The 6-foot-5 junior has improved his play coming off an ankle injury that kept him out two weeks earlier this season.
“He’s coming along slowly, and we have to get his conditioning going,” Gonzalez said. “He’s a great kid. His footwork is improving.”
Madrigal showed good post presence against Hidalgo’s smaller lineup. He rebounded with authority, stayed out of foul trouble, scored and limited turnovers. Gonzalez said Madrigal has worked hard on post positioning with assistant coach Fernando Rodriguez.
With Madrigal, Martin and other standouts like high-flying junior guard Jordan Wilson, the Diamondbacks look to compete for a playoff spot in District 31-5A. They’ll also need help from sharpshooters Jorge Suarez, Andrew Ogletree and Chris Melendez. Gonzales said his team will be challenged, but believes it can play.