By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
HIDALGO — La Joya Palmview’s Jacob Salinas hates to lose. At basketball. At marbles. Even in a game of H.O.R.S.E. against his coach, Andy Saenz.
“Oh, yeah,” he said. “Who wouldn’t get mad?”
In playing Saenz, a former player at McPherson College, Salinas gives up 8-10 inches in height. Yet, the senior says he’s won three out of 10 times.
“(Saenz) says I’m lucky, but I say it’s the skills,” Salinas says, laughing. “He’s too old. I’m in my prime.”
The Lobos point guard is indeed at the pinnacle of his high school career — a captain of a team hoping to return to the playoffs, despite bringing back just two players (none of those starters).
Salinas is one of the those returners, and enjoying a breakout year. On Friday, he scored a game-high 25 points during a 57-51 loss to Edinburg North on the second day of the Hidalgo Pirate Classic.
The loss dropped Palmview’s record to 9-5 — too low for Salinas’ liking. He concedes the two losses to Edinburg Vela, the No. 1-ranked team by RGVSports.com, but otherwise believes his team should have a better mark.
Gradually, though, the team is making strides. As Salinas adjusts to his role as leader and orchestrator of the offense, the Lobos are hoping to find their footing.
Since last year, Salinas began prepping for the role by studying teammate Orlando Muñoz. He observed the point guard’s tendencies, his patience, how he attacked opposing teams. He admired his understanding of the game, and how he involved his teammates.
When he played last year, Salinas showed glimpses of that promise, delivering a couple of 20-point games. When it became clear that he would take on a bigger role this season, Salinas spearheaded summer workouts.
“He’s the most competitive kid I’ve ever coached,” Saenz said. “He wears his heart on his sleeve, and he plays with a chip on his shoulder. It hurts him sometimes, but at the same time, you want a kid who does that than not care at all.”
With a couple weeks left before the start of district, Saenz believes Salinas has already distinguished himself as the best point guard in the Valley.
“That’s just my opinion,” he said. “He’s our leader, our everything. Definitely the catalyst.
“He can dribble, pass, shoot, create. To me, he’s the total package. To me, nobody could check him in the Valley. Not that I’ve seen. Not one-on-one.”
From top to bottom, Salinas believes his team’s improving. Through the Hidalgo Pirate Classic, the Lobos have sampled a variety of styles competition from different parts of the state — all of which he believes should have Palmview’s chance of making a push for the playoffs.
He’s fueled by the idea of falling short, and having to live with that lingering thought in his mind.
“When I beat him in H.O.R.S.E., he gets pissed off,” Saenz said. “He’s there talking (crap) that he’s going to kick my butt next time, and you appreciate that because the other kids feed off of that. They don’t want to lose in anything, so it’s definitely the kind of edge we’re looking for.”