BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER
McALLEN — In Saturday’s final of the City of Palms Tournament, McAllen Rowe was listed as the away team and playing in road uniforms — even though Rowe was on its home court — but after the final buzzer sounded, and the Warriors lifted the first-place trophy in the air, it didn’t matter what color they were wearing, all that mattered was that McAllen High was green with envy.
“It felt really good, playing against a rivalry school like McHi, you want to win those games,” junior forward Darrin Everage Jr. said. “It means a lot, it means more than playing someone else. To win that game, and the championship, that feels good.”
Rowe ran away with the final, beating McAllen High, 56-37.
Everage scored 12, while All-Tournament MVP Louie Yebra, a sophomore forward, added 16.
“It is exciting because I saw some of my players get their confidence, and I saw them shoot the ball very well,” Rowe coach Jose Luis Yebra said. “I saw them play good defense, throughout the tournament. I was pleased that we improved in those areas. I thought we were lacking some of that, and we just beat a couple really good teams, Economedes and McAllen High School. We are trying to get ready for district.”
While the Warriors controlled almost the entire McHi game, the Edinburg Economedes semifinal matchup was not so easy.
“(Econ senior Angel Salinas) is a great shooter, and they had us kind of worried, because we were down by 21,” Yebra said. “We made some adjustments defensively and got the ball out of his hands, and I think that was the difference in the ball game. Our kids just played the defense that we wanted, and we were able to come out with the victory.”
“First quarter, we were still asleep, tired,” senior guard Adrian Salinas said of the 10:30 a.m. semifinal. “Second quarter, we woke up, built up slowly but surely, and by the fourth quarter, we knew we had it.”
Adrian Salinas is one of the toughest defenders Rowe has, but in the final, he knocked down two big 3-pointers that highlight how dangerous he can be, when he has the confidence to shoot. With Everage and Louie Yebra demanding so much of the defense’s attention, he has the opportunity to get a lot of open 3s.
“Those shots built my confidence a lot,” Adrian Salinas said.
Rowe has a ton of versatility, with guys like Everage and Louie Yebra, who can guard bigger guys, and play as stretch bigs, or create mismatches by going against smaller guards.
A big key to the versatility is the play of junior forward John Galan.
“John Galan does a great job inside, on defense and offense,” coach Yebra said. “He helps us out on the boards a lot. That helps Darrin and Louie to be able to do what they do on the outside.”
“Over the summer, I really wanted to work more on my vertical and my post moves,” Galan said. “I already knew, coming into my junior year, I was going to need that a lot more.
“Playing the post, when they pass me the ball, it opens it up, because the defenders all crash in on me. So, then I can pass or make the drive.”
McAllen High senior forward Jaden Conrow led the way for the Bulldogs with 15 points in the final. Conrow and senior guard Matthew Ibarra both were named to the All-Tournament Team.
Galan, Adrian Salinas and Everage all earned All-Tournament nods as well for Rowe. Econ’s Angel Salinas also earned an All-Tournament Team distinction.
Los Fresnos claimed third place with a 49-46 win over Edinburg Economedes. Tamaulipas won the consolation championship, and Donna High took home the consolation third-place game.