BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER
EDINBURG — With Josh Diaz sidelined with injury, senior guard Nate Gomez stepped up to the challenge and led the Edinburg Vela SaberCats to a comeback win on Tuesday night at Edinburg Vela.
Vela (6-1) beat Weslaco High (5-2), 53-52, in a pivotal District 31-6A contest to start the second half of district.
“It was like a playoff atmosphere,” junior guard Kaleb Coronado said. “The fans got into it on both sides. You just have to cherish these moments, because they don’t last long for everyone. To be in a playoff-like atmosphere tonight was great. (It was a) great team win.”
It wasn’t just Gomez leading Vela, but his emotion and energy was what it took to get Vela back into the game, after Weslaco High led by 8 after the first, and led by as many as 15 before halftime.
“That’s what is so great about this team,” Vela coach Lucio Rodriguez said. “They are selfless and everybody steps up when their name is called. … Tonight was Nate’s night. He accepted the challenge, and this is a great win for us.”
Gomez had 17 points on the evening, but none were bigger than his first three of the second half. Gomez opened the third quarter scoring by dropping a 3-pointer, Vela’s first of the game.
“We just need one,” Coronado said. “All we need is to see one shot go through, and we are right back in it.”
That was especially important for junior guard Bobby Espericueta. While playing tough defense on Weslaco star Safi Fino-A-Laself, who finished the night with 24 points, Espericueta was held scoreless in the first half. After Gomez’s make to start the third, Espericueta fed off of his energy and got himself going. Espericueta hit a 3 in the third, before hitting two more in the fourth.
“When he is hot, he doesn’t miss,” Gomez said of Espericueta. “That is a big thing in our group, we feed off of each other.”
Senior center Noah Sekinger started the game hot, scoring eight first-quarter points to go with six rebounds. Weslaco brought in junior Rollie Berrones, who slowed Sekinger down, and kept him off the score sheet.
But, even when Sekinger isn’t scoring every point, his presence always has an impact on the game.
“(Espericueta) was definitely the difference down the stretch,” Rodriguez said. “But, he doesn’t get those shots if Noah doesn’t get the attention he does in the paint.”
As Coronado so aptly described, this was a team win for Vela.
“We were down 13, and it was a big team effort,” junior wing Austin Garza said. “At halftime, coach gave us a big motivational speech. We knew we had to get this one done, if we want to win district. So, we pushed each other, and we just got back in it. We made some plays, got some momentum, and then went on a run.”
Vela outscored Weslaco 22-12 in the third quarter, and then 14-10 in the fourth.
The finish was dramatic, as Vela didn’t even recapture the lead until there was 1:36 left in the game. Espericueta hit a pull-up 3-pointer with a defender right on him to put Vela up 51-50.
“When you see him get going, it is tough to guard,” Coronado said. “A hand in the face isn’t even enough sometimes.”
Fino-A-Laself responded with a basket with just less than 40 seconds left. Vela didn’t call a timeout, instead pushing the ball.
Gomez ran a quick two-man game with Coronado, and Coronado gave him the ball back in the corner. The Weslaco defender came in to contest the 3, but Gomez skillfully stepped past the defender and sunk a baseline mid-range jumper to put Vela back up.
“All I heard was ‘double, double,’ because (Fino-A-Laself) is a great player,” Coronado said. “We didn’t want him to get to the lane, because he can finish through contact. So, we wanted to get the ball out of his hands. That is what happened and a missed shot.”
Sekinger had a great close out to contest Weslaco’s final shot, and it flew wide, giving the SaberCats the win.
Espericueta finished with 16 points. Sekinger had 15 points to go with 13 rebounds. Coronado had 4 for Vela.
The other two Weslaco guards were the leading scorers after Fino-A-Laself. Caleb Ybarra scored 7, including two big 3s to get Weslaco up big early. Isaiah Garcia finished with 11.
Vela has wanted revenge since Dec. 21 when Weslaco beat Vela in the first round of district.
“It feels good for the kids,” Rodriguez said. “They worked hard all week. They wanted this, from when they beat us last time. That is a very well-coached team. Coach Valdez does a great job over there. They are a tough ball club. Our guys just came out and played hard in the second half.”