BY TJ GARCIA | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
HIDALGO — Ask the Hidalgo Lady Pirates what the keys are to their success, and they’ll tell you what just about every other basketball playoff team says: hard work, team chemistry and the will to win.
But if you didn’t know the Lady Pirates, you’d think what they said was a cliché.
It’s not.
The District 32-4A Champions are the epitome of hard work and team chemistry. Coach Saul Arjona works his pressing, running team hard and believes that strength and conditioning are some of the primary reasons the 26-10 Lady Pirates win games deep into the fourth quarter and can play at a frenetic pace.
The Lady Pirates may need that Tuesday as they face perennial playoff contender Aransas Pass in a bi-district playoff game at Texas A&M-Kingsville. The Lady Panthers are the fourth-place team in District 31-4A from the Corpus Christi area.
They Lady Pirates have developed an uncommon bond partly because Hidalgo is a cozy community and partly because players spend an inordinate amount of time together off the court just hanging out or at team dinners. Much of this crew plays varsity volleyball, where Arjona is the assistant varsity coach and his assistant basketball coach Kay Dee Benavidez is the head volleyball coach.
That’s really close quarters, but Arjona believes the togetherness is the underpinning of Hidalgo’s achievements.
“To be honest, our success comes from our unity,” he said. “Our girls have very good chemistry and they play together very well. And when they are on the court, they take a lot of pride in their defense. We are run and gun team. We just shoot and play defense.”
Making the game simple has been the hallmark of this Lady Pirates’ team. Of course, the Lady Pirates are no stranger to success on the hardwood. Hidalgo made the state tournament in 2009 with a 37-3 squad and has been in the postseason many times over the years. Even last year, the Lady Pirates made it to the area round.
This Hidalgo team may not be the same level as the 2009 one, but it certainly knows how to play the game. What’s more, Arjona’s twin daughters Ashley and Alexis (juniors) are starters for the Lady Pirates, which gives new meaning to team familiarity and closeness and allows the Arjonas to talk shop nearly nonstop.
Led by senior post Karla Cantu — a team captain and four-year varsity player — the Lady Pirates are tough and play hardnosed defense. They live off causing havoc and manufacturing points from turnovers. Arjona carries 12 players and has a 10-man rotation. He’s got six freshmen and two sophomores to go along with the two upperclassmen.
Cantu, a 5-foot-10 multi-sport athlete (basketball, soccer, volleyball, track) with power to spare, is the team’s catalyst along with the Arjona girls and leading scorer sophomore Barbie Gutierrez (14 points per game). Cantu said because of the team’s youth, she and the only other senior, Vivianna Chavez, have had to take on a big leadership role.
“I know some teams have drama, but we actually don’t. Even though our team is young, we get along pretty well. We have our team nights. We have a really good bond and friendship and on the court, it shows,” Cantu said. “For us (seniors), it’s about maturity and leadership, mental toughness because we are older. We have to do our part so we can get what we want in return from them.”
Arjona said in addition to his two seniors, it’s his daughter Ashley that is the Lady Pirates’ floor general. He said the players communicate constantly, verbal and non-verbal, during games and even have their fair share of disagreements. He said that is fine, so long as Ashley remembers who’s in charge.
“The coaching doesn’t stop when I get home. It’s basketball, basketball, basketball, but it’s good, and it’s hard being the coach’s daughter,” said Ashely, who’s seven minutes older than sister Alexis. “But we have a strong bond. I look to him, and I listen to him and try not to get too wrapped up thinking that coach is my dad.”
Again, the intimacy of this team is layers deep. One of the coach’s twin daughters is the point guard. The seniors, one of which has been on the team four years, lead by example. The close-knit community allows the coaches to get to know their players well. And then there’s all the off-the-court functions the Lady Pirates do to bond.
These girls aren’t just blowing smoke when they say that hard work and team chemistry are the reasons for their success. They believe, live and breathe it.
They also have district championship to show for it.
And if things go well Tuesday, they’ll have a bi-district win as well.