Memorial looking to find health, form in second round

BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER

The McAllen Memorial boys team has had the misfortune of being unlucky in a highly competitive District 30-6A. The Mustangs have struggled in a situation that left little margin for error.

Memorial (14-12, 1-3) got off to a hot start, playing tough against some of the better teams in the Rio Grande Valley and getting some marquee wins. Then the injury bug hit, and it hit hard. The injuries the Mustangs suffered weren’t season-ending, but they were nagging. A hamstring here, an ankle there. For a team that doesn’t usually go deeper than a 6- or 7-player rotation, the injuries have been debilitating.

That’s not where the bad luck ended, however. Memorial lost several crucial district games by close margins. Overtime losses to La Joya Palmview and La Joya High hurt, but the worst of the bunch was losing a rivalry game to McAllen High.

“We were up by 7, we missed some shots, and they turned around and converted,” McAllen Memorial coach Sam Cortez said. “We had an offensive charge called on us, and that could have gotten it down to 5. Then, they turned around and hit a 3. That was a five-point swing. And then they hit a bank 3 also, and that was the difference in the game. We lost by three. It’s inner city rivals, and coach Flores does a good job over there with those kids. You are always going to battle. But right now, it feels like we are a little snake bit. The ball’s not bouncing our way.”

The good news for the Mustangs is that the season is still young, and they have the talent to get back into the playoff race.

For Memorial, everything hinges on junior guard Josh Sanchez.

“I think that he’s got a lot of growing to do, because he was the young one from last year’s team,” Cortez said. “This year, he is our go-to guy. He still gets his 16-18 points for us, but now, he has to carry the load, too.”

Sanchez, the younger brother of former Memorial quarterback Jonathan Sanchez, has had success this season, averaging 16.8 points per game. He ranks as the sixth best scorer in the Valley.

If Memorial can get healthy and Sanchez can continue his progression, Cortez believes Memorial is one of the best teams in District 30-6A, and one of the better teams in the Valley.

“I still say, if we get healthy, we are a different ball club,” Cortez said. “We are 1-3, but we very easily could be 4-0, and I believe we are the best 1-3 team.”

CHANGING THE GAME

The Edcouch-Elsa girls team picked up a pair of wins last week.The wins over Lopez, 63-22, and Porter, 57-23, on Tuesday and Friday, respectively, give the Yellowjackets a three-game winning streak after an 0-4 start in District 32-5A.

“It was very exciting,” Edcouch-Elsa coach Daniel Richardson said. “We had been in a slump. I tried something new. I did five in and five out with the girls. And they responded on the court. They are playing well. I’m sticking with it until they prove otherwise. That was the only change that was really made.”

The Yellowjackets have a talented group, but a tough start to the season had some of the players feeling down. Their lack of excitement about the season translated to a lack of effort on the court, according to Richardson.

One of the turning points of the season was during a game against Mercedes on Jan. 3.

“That game, it put some things in perspective for me and the girls,” Richardson said. “I went home and — it wasn’t so much that we had lost to them, it was the way we lost to them. I didn’t feel like we should have been in that game. We had girls on the court that just kind of gave up. From there, I started searching, because I wanted girls on the court that would keep pushing. I started to sit down and evaluate everything.”

Richardson knew he had to find a way to get his team going. He decided to try to get them to compete more in practice.

“We were practicing one day, and I was just trying to find a way to get the girls to start competing, because we would come out flat a lot in games,” Richardson said. “So, one day in practice I just started separating them based on I guess who I thought was more or less about the same type of game. I started separating girls. When they started playing, I noticed they were a lot more aggressive than I was used to seeing. I kind of discussed it with my coaches and we decided to go with it and see what happens. And it has paid off so far.”

The group that started Friday’s game was Ashley Galarza, Cassandra Zuniga, Cassandra Hernanadez, Desiree Garza and Alinah Rodriguez. The group that spelled them about four minuets into each quarter was Jayda Lee, Yara Ibarra, Shannon Dominguez, Lexie Moreno and Mayra Delgado. Nyra Jimenez was able to float in and out, allowing the groups more flexibility.

Richardson hopes the new-look Yellowjackets can rally this season and start to rebuild the program into one that fits into a much tougher District 32-5A.

BALANCING ACT

The Hidalgo girls team is an example of how to construct a balanced team that can play with anyone. Every player complements each other. Every sub helps the team on the floor. Every play is designed to put every player in the best position to succeed.

The Pirates (17-10, 6-1) have a powerful frontcourt duo in Barbie Gutierrez and Karla Cantu. Gutierrez can run the team and is often the first one down the court, leading to fast break chances. Cantu brings unparalleled power, giving her the edge in rebounding and screening. The guard tandem of Alexis and Ashley Arjona, the daughters of coach Saul Arjona, are the shooters. The Arjona sisters have been pivotal weapons on offense.

“With them both shooting well, it forced defenses to come out and pressure them,” Saul Arjona said. “That leaves room on the inside for Karla and Barbie. Ashley and Alexis, those are my shooters. I always tell them to start shooting early. ‘You guys have the green light.’ Because once they start hitting, it gives Karla and Barbie a little more leeway to do their job. Even if we miss our shots, Karla and Barbie can get the rebounds, and they are there for a putback. That’s what gives Ashley and Alexis the confidence to shoot early and often.”

Coming off the bench is freshman point guard Savannah Sanchez. She can run the point and manage the up-tempo offense that Saul Arjona prefers, but she is also a good change of pace option to put alongside starting point guard Ashley Arjona.

The mostly juniors and seniors in the starting lineup compliment the six freshman coming off the bench. That not only makes the team better this year, but it builds a strong class of players who will be ready to lead the team next year as sophomores.

After a loss to La Feria in the first round of district play, Hidalgo is eager to play La Feria again on Tuesday.

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Boys Top 10

1. Edinburg Vela

2. Weslaco High

3. McAllen Rowe

4. Los Fresnos

5. Edinburg High

6. La Joya High

7. Mercedes

8. Brownsville Veterans

9. PSJA North