BY TJ GARCIA | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
Memorial’s distinct height advantage — with three agile players 6-foot-4 or taller in the starting lineup — and it’s pressing defense produced seven second-half turnovers and numerous missed shots to help the Mustangs get back into the game after trailing by five midway through the third quarter.
The defensive surge spurred a 14-0, six-minute run that gave Memorial a 49-33 advantage with 4:54 left in the fourth. La Joya scored some baskets late, but the damage had been done. The Mustangs win lifts them to 14-5 overall, 1-0 in District 30-6A, meanwhile La Joya drops to 12-9, 0-1.
“I tell our guys when our offense is not going well, let’s let our defense do some scoring and that’s what we did,” said Memorial Coach Sam Cortez. “Our shot selection was not great early, but we were able to overcome that.”
Overcome they did. While Johnson spearheaded Memorial in the first half with 15 points, the sophomore Sanchez scored nine of his 13 in the fourth quarter on quick shots in the lane and spin moves toward the basket.
“It was a close game and I was trying to do everything I could,” said Sanchez. “The good thing was they were playing zone the whole game and they finally switched to man (in fourth). With the zone it was all clogged up, but with man, that’s when I took it to them.”
Sanchez, who scored six consecutive points during one stretch of the fourth, also got help from the good hands guard tandem of Joey Gamino and Dorian Perez. The pair had several steals, deflected passes and layups.
Josh’s brother, senior post Jonathan Sanchez, cleaned up the glass with 12 rebounds and three blocked shots.
Johnson, whose 22 points came on 9-22 shooting from the floor, said he was pleased with how the Mustangs were able to play defense and how Josh Sanchez emerged to take some pressure off of him as a scoring option.
If not for that pivotal stretch of the second half, La Joya proved a game opponent. Because of Memorial’s length, the Coyotes were forced to dial up offense from long distance. And for a while it worked. Until their drought, La Joya canned five 3s and several 2s from afar. La Joya coach Eric Montalvo said he was also happy with his team’s defensive effort in the first half.
“We did a good job limiting them to one possession just about every time down,” said Montalvo. “They (Mustangs) are long and athletic, and we were not getting to our spots when we needed to. You have to give them credit. They came out (in the second half), got some steals off their press. They are long and athletic and pretty fast.”
La Joya’s Romel Villarreal, however, helped keep the Coyotes close with some handy work on Memorial’s bigs before he injured his ankle in the third quarter. He never returned. The 6-foot-3 post led the Coyotes with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Chris Anthony Vela added 11 points for La Joya.
SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
McALLEN — McAllen Memorial’s stingy defense rose up in the second half, DJ Johnson scored 22 points and Josh Sanchez starred in the fourth quarter to lead the Mustangs to a 57-48 district-opening victory Saturday over La Joya High.
Memorial’s distinct height advantage — with three agile players 6-foot-4 or taller in the starting lineup — and it’s pressing defense produced seven second-half turnovers and numerous missed shots to help the Mustangs get back into the game after trailing by five midway through the third quarter.
The defensive surge spurred a 14-0, six-minute run that gave Memorial a 49-33 advantage with 4:54 left in the fourth. La Joya scored some baskets late, but the damage had been done. The Mustangs win lifts them to 14-5 overall, 1-0 in District 30-6A, meanwhile La Joya drops to 12-9, 0-1.
“I tell our guys when our offense is not going well, let’s let our defense do some scoring and that’s what we did,” said Memorial Coach Sam Cortez. “Our shot selection was not great early, but we were able to overcome that.”
Overcome they did. While Johnson spearheaded Memorial in the first half with 15 points, the sophomore Sanchez scored nine of his 13 in the fourth quarter on quick shots in the lane and spin moves toward the basket.
“It was a close game and I was trying to do everything I could,” said Sanchez. “The good thing was they were playing zone the whole game and they finally switched to man (in fourth). With the zone it was all clogged up, but with man, that’s when I took it to them.”
Sanchez, who scored six consecutive points during one stretch of the fourth, also got help from the good hands guard tandem of Joey Gamino and Dorian Perez. The pair had several steals, deflected passes and layups. Josh’s brother, senior post Jonathan Sanchez, cleaned up the glass with 12 rebounds and three blocked shots.
Johnson, whose 22 points came on 9-22 shooting from the floor, said he was pleased with how the Mustangs were able to play defense and how Josh Sanchez emerged to take some pressure off of him as a scoring option.
If not for that pivotal stretch of the second half, La Joya proved a game opponent. Because of Memorial’s length, the Coyotes were forced to dial up offense from long distance. And for a while it worked. Until their drought, La Joya canned five 3s and several 2s from afar. La Joya coach Eric Montalvo said he was also happy with his team’s defensive effort in the first half.
“We did a good job limiting them to one possession just about every time down,” said Montalvo. “They (Mustangs) are long and athletic, and we were not getting to our spots when we needed to. You have to give them credit. They came out (in the second half), got some steals off their press. They are long and athletic and pretty fast.”
La Joya’s Romel Villarreal, however, helped keep the Coyotes close with some handy work on Memorial’s bigs before he injured his ankle in the third quarter. He never returned. The 6-foot-3 post led the Coyotes with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Chris Anthony Vela added 11 points for La Joya.