KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer
HARLINGEN— The Brownsville Hanna Lady Eagles entered Tuesday’s regular-season finale needing a win and a San Benito loss to reach the playoffs.
Senior Mia Paz netted a game-high 14-points and Hanna fended off a late Harlingen South rally to win 38-36. Earlier in the night, Los Fresnos beat San Benito 38-32, sending the Lady Eagles to the playoffs for the first time in more than one decade.
“One of my assistant coaches was at the San Benito game and texted me the score,” Hanna coach Luis Gonzalez said. “I told them with 30 seconds left that San Benito lost, and all we needed to do was finish and make some stops and we’ll be in. I felt that was the right time to tell them.”
Paz will make her playoff debut next week.
“I came into tonight knowing this could be my last game, or we can keep it going with a win,” Paz said. “I used that as motivation to get to every ball and play my best, and to make sure we got the job done. As soon as we got the news I told the girls we need to push just a little bit more, and that motivated them and myself.”
Paz, one of the more decorated scorers in the Rio Grande Valley, is eager to make her playoff debut, whether it’s against Edinburg High or Weslaco High. Odalys Gonzalez finished with 10 points, and Alexis Alvarez netted 11.
“This means so much to myself and my team,” Paz said. “This is my senior year, and it makes it extra special I was able to make it. My teammates were huge tonight, and I owe it all to them. Without our bigs, I don’t think we get this win tonight.”
Harlingen South, meanwhile, will enter the playoffs on a two-game skid and mostly likely will take on Edinburg Vela next week.
After a seesaw first half, Hanna stormed out of the halftime break on an 11-3 run and took a 33-23 lead late in the third quarter.
“South is a solid ballclub,” Gonzalez said. “They are the No. 2 team in our district, and we knew we would get a battle. Tonight we were able to do some things defensively that gave them a hard time, and our girls did a hell of a job.”
The play of South’s bench helped cut the lead to two during the final minutes. Amber Lopez stepped in and scored 12 points, helping to cut the lead to 37-35. Down the stretch, South missed a game-tying layup and three crucial free throws.
Karla Reyes and Destiny Olivares finished with seven points apiece.
“We play to win. Tonight my bench stepped up and got us back into the game,” South coach Kelly Garrett said. “That was a plus for us going into the playoffs. We have some things we need to work on but we haven’t been able to fix those things. Those are shots we shoot every day, and we need to be able to step to the line and execute and make layups.”