By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
McALLEN — D.J. Johnson attacked the paint Tuesday with the type of ferocity that appeared absent at times earlier in the season, when he tried to play within the flow of the game.
Against La Joya Palmview, though, the 6-foot-7 guard took command of McAllen Memorial’s offense, leading fast-breaks and soaring for dunks as he scored a team-high 17 points to lead the Mustangs to a 65-38 win at home.
Johnson had a season-high four dunk attempts, including three in which he hauled down rebounds and took it the length of the court before skying over defenders. Johnson converted two of those tries — both one-handed jams — as the Mustangs (18-5 overall, 5-0 in district) held their spot atop the 30-6A standings.
“He’s determined,” McAllen Memorial coach Sam Cortez said. “You see how great of an athlete he is. When he’s on, he’s on, and it’s hard to defend him because he’s at a different level.”
The senior covered plenty of ground against an undersized Palmview team (15-12, 3-2), finding teammates cutting to the basket and getting in the lane at will. He scored eight points during the third quarter, as the Mustangs, ranked No. 4 in the RGVSports.com top 10 poll, took a 48-33 advantage.
“I think I’m just being smarter in the way I go to the basket,” Johnson said. “Instead of lowering my shoulders, looking for contact, I’m being smarter about the way I go about it.”
Though he is more measured in his approach, Johnson has played increasingly physical as the season has worn on. Part of that, he said, is inspired by his goal of leading the team beyond to the second round of the playoffs.
In the past three years, the Mustangs have fallen short in the opening round.
On Tuesday, however, McAllen Memorial very much appeared like the top team in its district, with Josh Sanchez contributing12 points and Joe Gamino, Dorian Perez and Johnathan Sanchez adding nine apiece.
The Mustangs were in control for most of the game, despite a brief run during the third quarter by Palmview, in which Armando Alaniz (19 points) hit back-to-back 3-pointers to cut it to 36-24 with four minutes remaining.
Alaniz helped carry the load on a night where Jacob Salinas, the Valley’s leading scorer at 22 points per game, was held to six points. As a whole, Palmview struggled from the field, scoring in double figures only once, during the third quarter, when it posted 16 points.
“They have great athletes and they have a great team,” Palmview coach Andy Saenz said. “You’ve got to tip your hat to them. Obviously we’re a lot smaller. Their guards are able to pressure a little more than they’re accustomed to on a normal team because they have the paint covered (by 6-foot-7 players).
“We can get by the initial defender, but it’s the backside guys waiting in the paint. We had to kick it out, but our guys didn’t hit shots. We dug ourselves a hole and it was hard to get out of.”
Palmview entered the night tied for second place in district, and as a result of the loss fell to third, after McAllen Rowe beat La Joya High on Tuesday.