By JOSHUA McKINNEY, Staff Writer
It took a total team effort and a late run during the fourth quarter to put Hanna back in the win column in District 32-6A play Tuesday.
Hanna rode an eight-point streak during the final three minutes of the game to a 45-39 win over Harlingen South, ending a three-game slide in district.
“Great team victory,” Hanna coach Todd Barckholtz said. “We have to put that one up in capital letters, team. Everybody did their job and fought together.”
It’s usually a good sign when seven players end up on the scoresheet, as they did for Hanna in the game. All seven players also grabbed at least one rebound and Hanna finished with 30 boards.
“We’re always looking for, when it’s your chance to go into the game, do something positive,” Barckholtz said. “We got that from everybody tonight and needed it from everybody. It’s a great victory.”
The Golden Eagles started the fourth quarter with a one-point lead and led by three early after Jaime Rucoba scored a bucket.
Harlingen South went on a 9-3 run after that and eventually took a 39-36 lead. Noah Armstrong made a pair of free throws to cut Harlingen South’s lead to 39-38 with 3:05 remaining in the fourth quarter and start Hanna’s game-killing run.
Vicente Garcia tied it with a free throw, and Hanna took the lead with one minute left when Adam Lopez knocked the ball loose from a Harlingen South player in the paint.
Adam Lopez found Andy Lopez with a pass, and he made a layup to give Hanna a 41-39 lead.
Hanna all but clinched the game with 27 seconds left on a tip-in from Adam Lopez, who rebounded a missed layup from Rucoba to make it 43-39 Hanna.
Harlingen South’s Aaron Briones took one last shot at bringing the game within one possession but missed. Rucoba was fouled on the rebound and made both of his free throws to give Hanna a six-point cushion.
“It was going to come down to who has the biggest heart,” Andy Lopez said. “Who could fight through the pain, fight together and pull it off together.”
Rucoba scored 12 points, including six in the fourth, to lead Hanna. Andy Lopez had nine points and five assists, and Adam Lopez had eight points and seven rebounds.
Luke Bradford notched a double-double for Harlingen South, leading the team with 16 points and 17 rebounds. Jason Martinez scored 10 points, and Brandon Bennett scored eight.
“Give credit to Hanna, they came out and they played hard,” Harlingen South coach Brian Molina said. “It came down to a couple of possessions here and there. The ball just didn’t bounce our way.”
Hanna scored on the opening possession of the first quarter and then watched Harlingen South run to a 9-2 lead with 4:30 remaining in the first.
The Golden Eagles responded with its own scoring streak, scoring eight straight and capping the quarter on a buzzer-beating putback from Adam Lopez to grab the lead at 10-9.
Harlingen South and Hanna traded went back and forth during the second, with Harlingen South leading 21-20 going into halftime.
Rucoba’s bucket gave Hanna a 22-21 lead early in the third, but Harlingen South went on a six-point streak to retake the lead. It held onto the lead until late in third.
Joe Torre hit a 3 to give Hanna a one-point lead going into the fourth quarter.
Joshua McKinney covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter, he’s @joshuabvherald.