RGVSports.com
EDINBURG — Hector Ruiz scored a game-high 32 points to lead Edinburg Vela to a 107-62 win against Brownsville Porter on Monday in a Class 5A bi-district matchup.
The SaberCats (31-2, 12-0 in district), ranked No. 8 in the latest Texas Association of Basketball Coaches poll, will advance to face the winner of today’s bi-district game between Corpus Christi Flour Bluff and Uvalde.
Alex De La Cruz and Ryan Garza scored 14 points apiece for the reigning 31-5A champion SaberCats.
Edinburg Vela’s offense ran the court the entire night, with 11 different players scoring and combining for 12 3-pointers.
Luis Garza led Brownsville Porter (14-17, 8-6) with 23 points. Mike Reyes had 11 points and five assists, and Erick Menendez scored eight points for the fourth-seeded team from 32-5A.
Porter and Edinburg Vela were neck-and-neck at the start of the first. Both teams swapped leads, and Porter led by three points after buckets from Albert Garza and Luis Garza.
A few possessions later, Edinburg Vela broke a 7-7 tie with a 3 from Chris Ochoa, which was the start of a 19-2 scoring streak the SaberCats rode toward a 23-8 lead by the end of the first.
Porter tried to take momentum and put together some streaks in the second but Edinburg Vela answered back with points when Porter started to surge.
Edinburg Vela went into halftime with a 52-32 lead. The closest Porter came to the lead in the rest of the game was 12 points.
The SaberCats started the third quarter on a 16-4 run, and scored 37 points total to put the game away heading into the fourth.
CLASS 6A
McALLEN ROWE 55, LAREDO UNITED SOUTH 51, OT: At Roma, Alex Keith scored a team-high 21 points to lead the Warriors into the area round.
Keith ignited a four-guard lineup in the second half, continually attacking the basket, along with Kaleb Garza (5 points). Keith provided a spark in the extra session, as well, draining all four of his free-throw attempts to break away with a 48-48 tie at the end of regulation.
Teammate Adrian Bernal finished with 10 assists, Freddy Ayala contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Dominique Clark snagged 12 rebounds.
The Warriors held United South to 30 points to three quarters, and only three points in overtime.
“Our kids played great defense,” Rowe coach Jose Luis Yebra said. “We missed some free throws. We had some turnovers. But we never quit playing defense.”
CLASS 4A
CORPUS CHRISTI WEST OSO 80, RIO HONDO 46: At Alice, the Bobcats saw their season ended with a loss.
CLASS 3A
LYFORD 72, SANTA GERTRUDIS 67, 2OT: At Lyford, the Bulldogs secured their ticket to the area round, where they will face Mathis.
Mathis beat Cotulla on Monday.
MONTE ALTO 81, SAN DIEGO 74: At Riviera, the Blue Devils advanced to the second round, where it will take on the winner of Aransas Pass/Freer.
CLASS 2A
SANTA MARIA 70, WOODSBORO 6, 2OT: At Kingsville, the Cougars extended their season and improved to 25-7.
The 32-2A champions will face the winner of today’s Brackett-Yorktown tilt in the area round.
CORPUS CHRISTI LONDON 65, SAN ISIDRO 58: At San Isidro, the Tigers finished the season with a 22-9 record.
PORT ARANSAS 57, LA VILLA 42: At Bishop, the Cardinals closed out the season with an 11-18 mark.