By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
Since losing 6-foot-1 senior Ricky Martinez for the year, Mission High has been in search of a capable shooter to surround the team’s starting backcourt of Oscar De La Garza and Caleb Oviedo.
Eagles coach Everardo Castellano thinks he might have found one in Danny Monreal, who has hit nine 3-pointers during the team’s first two district games. Monreal buried 6 of 7 from long range during a 63-47 win over McAllen High on Saturday before draining three more as Mission endured a 54-52 loss to La Joya Palmview in overtime on Tuesday.
Martinez, who tore his ACL and MCL before the start of the season, was supposed to play the role that Monreal has now, as a spot-up shooter. Monreal’s shooting ability has helped take some attention away from De La Garza (13.7 points per game) and Oviedo (11.9 ppg), who have helped lead a small ball attack this year.
Castellano plugged Monreal into the starting lineup in late December, and the Eagles have operated with a four-guard lineup ever since.
“Since we lost Ricky, we’ve had to really develop some shooters, and Danny’s really stepped up,” Castellano said. “A lot of guys have had to step up, and they’re starting to understand that they need to help each other. On offense, they have to make the extra pass, and look for the open guy.”
Despite shouldering the offensive load, De La Garza and Oviedo have also served as distributors, leading a 5-foot-6 backcourt that proven capable of driving and dishing.
DEALING WITH ADVERSITY
Considering the turnover, PSJA Southwest coach Abel Estrada can take greater appreciation in his team’s 2-0 start to District 32-5A play.
The Javelinas opened the year with 16 players, only to retain five after players either withdrew to take on part-time jobs, sustained injuries that forced them to sit or simply failed to post passing grades.
Estrada has since called up five players from the JV and freshmen teams to fill out his roster, and it’s helped aid their efforts in winning two games since winning only one during non-district. They beat Brownsville Porter 51-37 in the 32-5A opener on Saturday before topping Donna North 47-32 on Tuesday.
“Our identity right now is next man up,” said Estrada, who is in his first year as head coach after serving as an assistant the previous four seasons. “From the very beginning, we’ve had to move things around. We needed to change things in order to have some stability.
“We’ve been through some real rough times, but I think that’s what’s bonded us together. Right now, we’re happy where we’re at, and we’re just hoping for the best.”
HOMECOMING
On Tuesday, Mercedes coach Rick Treviño returned to Edcouch-Elsa, where he coached for three years, and came away with an 81-80 victory in four overtimes.
“I thought it was going to be a little bit easier seeing my old family,” Treviño said. “I told my new family members I’m going to be cordial and nice to everybody, but once that ball tips off, we’re all competitors. So, it was tougher than I thought (going back to E-E), but once we got in the heat of the battle, that competitive nature came through.”
Ricky Jimenez, who scored 38 points, drained the go-ahead free throws to put Mercedes (11-10, 2-0) up by a point with nine seconds to go before the Yellowjackets came up empty on the final possession.
“I’ve never coached, played or seen a game that was four overtimes,” Treviño said. “It was intense, it was back and forth. It was just awesome to see. At times, I was a spectator myself. Both teams just really came out and wouldn’t go away. We were fortunate we got the ‘W.’”