There was talent coming from everywhere when it came to high school basketball this year. There were shooting guards, slashing forwards and everything else to make it a great season. Points records were broken as scorers lit the nets on fire this year.
Below are the nominees for the All Valley Basketball Boys and Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Winners will be announced June 13 at the All Valley Sports Awards Banquet, co-presented by DHR Health and Lone Star National Bank. Nominees are listed in alphabetical order.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Mia Paz, Brownsville Hanna, senior: Paz averaged 24.4 points, 4.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game en route to being named to the All-District 32-6A first team and the Texas Girls Coaches Association Class 6A all-state team. She also was named All-Metro MVP. Paz ended her career as Brownsville’s all-time scoring leader with 2,968 points, the Rio Grande Valley’s all-time 3-point leader (410) and was named to multiple all-star teams. She led Hanna to its first playoff berth in 10 years
Jenessah Santa Maria, Edinburg High, senior: Santa Maria averaged 19.5 points to go with five rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.9 steals per game for Edinburg High, leading them to a 33-9 overall record and a tie for the district title at 11-1. She led the team to the regional semifinals
Tani Talamantez, McAllen Memorial, senior: Talamantez led the Upper Valley in scoring at 20.9 points per game to go with 2.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 4.1 steals per game for the 14-0 district 30-6A champion McAllen Memorial. She was named to the Texas Girls Coaches Association All-State team.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Daunte Galvan, PSJA North, senior: Galvan, a senior, was a scoring fiend once again, averaging 26.8 points per game. He was named the District 30-6A MVP. He also dished out 3.3 assists per game as the Raiders finished the season 28-9.
Tige Johnson, San Perlita, junior: Although just a junior, Johnson scored 28 points per game and added 14.5 rebounds per game, 2.0 steals and 6.0 blocks per game. He was named all-district MVP, the RGVBCA MVP, and was on the all-region team. The Warriors returned to the regional tournament for the first time since the 1997 season.
Damian Maldonado, Brownsville Veterans, junior: Maldonado helped lead the Chargers to their second District 32-5A title in three years and was named co-district MVP and All-Metro MVP in the process. On the season, he averaged 12.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
The banquet, hosted by RGVSports.com and AIM Media Texas in conjunction with the RGV Sports Hall of Fame, will see 33 awards presented to athletes, coaches and teams across all 12 UIL sports. The prestigious Tom Landry Award of Excellence will honor a student athlete for outstanding achievements.
Dallas Cowboys great Randy White, a Super Bowl MVP and NFL Hall of Famer, will be the guest speaker.
The banquet, which will run approximately 6 to 8 p.m., returns to Mario’s for a second consecutive year. The venue has a seating capacity of more than 500 people.
Tickets are on sale for $40 per person. For sponsorship opportunities, call Marcia Kitten at (956) 683-4463 or send an email to [email protected].