By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
HIDALGO — With each missed basket, Hidalgo coach Saul Arjona saw the frustration trickle down his lineup.
It was unusual for his Lady Pirates to deal with a halftime deficit this year, much less by double digits. So when he spoke to them at halftime, he implored his players to compete with the same tenacity that had them in a four-way tie for first place in District 32-4A going into Tuesday.
And even though Hidalgo won the second-half battle, it was unable to bridge the gap, as it lost to La Feria 40-34.
The Lady Pirates (14-14, 7-3) endured their second straight loss at the hands of the Lionettes this season, dampening their hopes for a district title.
Both teams entered Tuesday with identical 32-4A records, along with Rio Hondo and Zapata. But following that evening’s action, the four-way tie was reduced to three teams, with Hidalgo falling to fourth place.
“At times like this, it’s tough,” Arjona said. “Hopefully we can take care of business Friday against Zapata, and get back in the race.
“It’s not going to be an easy road for us. We have to continue working hard. I told the girls after the game, ‘Come back tomorrow. I know it hurts, but continue working hard and we should be alright.’”
The team is enjoying a resurgence after missing the playoffs last year. The previous five seasons, the Lady Pirates had qualified postseason, but last year they fell short after losing a play-in game.
Arjona said the team turned the corner this year when his players committed themselves to playing during the offseason. But on Tuesday, Hidalgo had a rare off-night from the field. Though it outscored La Feria 24-18 during the second half, it was unable to recover from missing 11 of 14 free throws before intermission that led to a 22-10 deficit.
The Lady Pirates were out-hustled and out-manned, especially without the services of Karla Cantu, a post player, who was excused from the game due to a family commitment. Jasmine Ramirez stepped in the starting role but struggled, scoring 3 points and converting just 1 of 10 foul shots.
As a whole, though, the team had its difficulties on offense. Hidalgo didn’t score in double figures until the fourth quarter, when it outscored La Feria 16.
Barbie Gutierrez led the way for the Lady Pirates with 14 points, including eight during the final period. Teammate Yannelli Flores added 12 points, despite missing 8 of 12 free throws.
“We had a lot of opportunities, a lot of open looks, but they weren’t going in,” Arjona said. “I saw open looks that the girls normally make, but it wasn’t going our way.”
La Feria coach Angel Martinez lauded his team for their defensive effort, especially with Illiana Ayala relegated to the bench due to foul trouble. Ayala scored just 3 points on Tuesday, but the senior made presence known in limited time, despite fouling out.
“At the end of the day, it’s defensive pressure,” said Martinez, whose team improved to 21-7 overall, 8-2 in district. “The girls fought until the end. Something we take pride in is finishing. The fact that they kept their composure, that was the key in the game.”