BY NATE KOTISSO | THE MONITOR
The Grulla Gators are still relatively new players in Valley high school basketball but don’t appear to be going anywhere soon.
Operating since 2010, Grulla won its slice of the playoff pie in District 32-4A by clinching the fourth spot for the second straight season under the tutelage of coach Sandor Lopez. The program doesn’t resemble anything remotely close to what it used to be.
“I’ve heard that a lot from coaches around the Valley,” Lopez said. “Last year, we made it for the first time ever, and now we’ve done it again this year.”
Lopez, who has been Grulla’s varsity coach since the 2014-15 season, did not have any experience coaching at the high school level before he took the job.
“I came from Grulla Middle School, where I was coaching boys,” Lopez said. “I coached seven years and we won four district championships at the middle school level.”
When he interviewed, Lopez had to sell administrators on trusting a coach without any varsity experience.
“They all loved the idea that I pitched to them — my familiarity with the kids,” Lopez said. “‘What better to have than someone local who knows the kids coming up?’ They gave me the opportunity, and I’m glad they did. It’s not just myself. My assistant coaches are from here (Rio Grande City), and they’ve done a great job helping me out. It’s been a full 180-degree turn.”
The Gators (19-16, 8-6) are led by a mostly senior set of girls. Carolina Alamillo is the club’s top scorer (12.3 points per game), Jennifer Morales leads in rebounding (12.2 per game) and Larissa Martinez averages 5.1 steals per game, which is good for third most in the Valley.
“Most of them have been with me since they were freshmen, and now they always praise me saying, ‘Thank you, Coach, for believing in us,’” Lopez said. “But I tell them they’re doing the work. I’m just coaching.”
In the bi-district round, Grulla will draw Corpus Christi West Oso — the same team that defeated the Gators in the opening round last year. Tipoff will be 7 p.m. Monday at Riviera-Kaufer High.
“We have revenge on our minds,” Lopez said. “This year, we’re a little faster than we were last year, so we’re going to try and use that against them.”