BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER
MISSION — Rio Grande City needed a win on Tuesday to stay alive in the playoff race.
They got that win against Sharyland High, 37-25.
The win, combined with Mission Veterans’ 51-20 win over Valley View on Monday, creates a tie between Mission Veterans and Rio Grande City for the fourth seed in District 31-5A. The teams will have a play-in game.
“I believe it should be Friday,” Rio Grande City coach Gustavo Valenciana said. “I haven’t talked to coach (Rafael) Cantu, yet. I’m sure it will get done in the morning.”
In the matchup of Sharyland and Rio Grande City, all eyes were on Rio junior forward Jocy Amaya and Sharyland senior forward Anna Marshall. But it was Rio Grande City senior forward Gina Villarreal who got going early. Villarreal had 9 points in the first half, while Amaya had 3 and Marshall had none.
“Gina came to play,” Valenciana said. “She hit those little short jumpers. She kind of opened it up a little bit. … She kept us in the game, because we were struggling offensively a little bit.”
Not only was Villarreal the spark that got Rio going early, she also was playing tough defense against Marshall, one of the best players in the Valley.
“Defensively, she was on Anna, fighting, staying in front of her so they couldn’t feed her, and rebounding when she had to,” Valenciana said. “Gina did a great job defensively. She played her tough. Gina did a great job on Anna.”
“(Marshall) is tough,” Villarreal said. “Having to get her on defense, and keeping her out of the paint the whole game, that just takes a lot of effort. And I think I gave it my all tonight. I kept her out. I did my best.”
Sharyland kept it close. At halftime, Rio led 15-10. Marshall opened the third quarter with a basket, cutting the lead to 3 points.
With two minutes left in the third quarter, Marshall picked up her fourth foul and had to sit for a few minutes. Rio took advantage as Amaya scored 6 straight points, lifting RGC to a 25-16 lead.
“I think Jocy, when Anna is not in there, mentally she gets more confidence,” Valenciana said. “So, I think she saw that opportunity, and she started being aggressive. She took advantage. We took advantage of it, and really that’s kind of what helped us open up the game a little bit.”
Amaya went 6-for-6 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter to help close out the game.
“I’m really excited about the win, because it gives us another opportunity to get into the playoffs,” Amaya said. “We get to keep fighting.”
Amaya finished with a game-high 16 points. Villarreal added 12 and senior guard Adriana Cruz scored 7.
Marshall was held to 2 points in her last game after one of the best careers in Valley history. She fouled out early in the fourth quarter. Right away, she went to shake Valenciana’s hand.
“I just told her that I admire her, and that I respect her to the highest level,” Valenciana said. “I love her game, she just plays so hard. She seems like such a great kid. I’ve seen her, unfortunately, for three years. I just have so much respect for that kid. She’s just tough. I love her demeanor. She always played hard.”
After the game, the message from Sharyland coach Dale Whitaker was simple.
“Last game, like this, I just thank the seniors for their dedication and let the other ones know that it is time to go back to work,” Whitaker said.
Now, Rio turns its attention towards Mission Veterans.
“It’s going to be tough,” Villarreal said. “I just think that, if we play the way we just did on Friday, I think we will get the win.”
Whitaker has prepared for and played each team twice.
“Man, both of them are really, really tough teams,” Whitaker said. “Honestly it could go either way. It depends on who gets hot, and who plays better defense. But they are pretty equally matched. Either one of them would be a great representative of our district.”