BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
EDCOUCH — First-year coach Daniel Richardson has spent the bulk of the season shaping and molding the Edcouch-Elsa Lady Yellowjackets into his basketball vision. During Saturday’s district game at home against Donna North, Richardson added a new wrinkle to his schemes.
“We haven’t really pressed teams a lot this season,” Richardson said. “I didn’t know if we could do that for a whole game. It’s still something that’s a little new to us.”
Though E-E implemented an unfamiliar defensive look, they coasted to a 61-39 win over Donna North thanks in part to a reliable source — Janie Herrera’s hot hand. The senior guard collected a game-high 20 points while sinking half of her 14 field goal attempts and hitting five-of-six shots from the foul line.
Along with guard Charlene Flores (10 points) and post Jocelynn Palomin (10 points), Herrera was one of three Lady Yellowjackets to score in double figures. Though E-E’s offensive attack was balanced — eight players scored — Herrera’s abilities shined brightest.
“She’s a leader for us,” Flores said. “She sees the court really well, and she has the ability to drive and finish or hit shots from deep.”
Flores is a senior, but is playing just her first year with the Lady Yellowjackets (10-12, 2-1 District 32-5A) after moving to the program from Edinburg North. Along with Herrera, Flores scored in every quarter.
“I really like the chemistry of the team,” Flores said. “Everyone gets along and we all know what our goals are. We have a new coach, and we’re trying to get better and get to the playoffs, something we didn’t do last year.”
E-E opened the game with a 6-0 run during which they made three of their first four shots. But Donna North would answer. After the first quarter, it was just a 12-10 lead in favor of the Yellowjackets.
The remainder of the game was dominated by E-E, who outscored North by 20 points in the final three quarters — generating turnovers, controlling the boards and scoring on second chance opportunities. The Yellowjackets pulled away with a 24-9 second quarter.
“Our defense helped win us the game,” Richardson said. “We were active on that side of the ball and it made things a littler easier for us on the offensive side.”
For Donna North (11-11, 1-2), Saturday’s loss featured an all-too familiar trend for a young program looking to establish a competitive culture. Though the Lady Chiefs have equaled last year’s win total at the season’s midway point, coach Meritza Pedraza was weary of her team’s ominous body language.
“I think our biggest weakness right now is mental toughness,” Pedraza said. “Anytime there was a turnover, they put their heads down. We need to overcome those mistakes.”
Pedraza is in her first year as head coach for Donna North, replacing former coach Robert Garcia, who was reassigned for personal reasons during the early part of the season.
Jackie Contreras led the Lady Chiefs in scoring with 10 points.