STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer
PORT ISABEL — Where Dennis Lozano set up shop on the court didn’t seem to matter.
The Port Isabel senior guard made three 3-pointers during the first half and five total — often from well beyond the arc — to lead his team with 21 points in the Tarpons’ 98-51 win over La Villa on Tuesday night.
Lozano helped spark the home team to a 13-4 run after knocking down his first triple with 4:39 to go during the first quarter.
“He had the hot hand early,” Tarpons coach Mike Hazelton said. “He gets that way, he can shoot the ball. (Our starting five), all five of those guys can (score) from inside or outside.”
Port Isabel scored at will with its outside shooting and got easy baskets in the paint in transition, as Jason Lowe (eight points) finished a fastbreak with a dunk that gave Port Isabel a 20-7 lead with two minutes to go in the period.
Lozano knocked down a 3 at the buzzer to lift the Tarpons to a 49-23 lead at halftime.
After he drained another jumper from downtown, Port Isabel led 54-23 with six minutes remaining in the third quarter. Junior Cole Pinkerton’s trey from the left elbow gave the Tarpons a 40-point cushion with just less than three minutes to play during the third quarter. Pinkerton (16 points) and Lozano each made two 3s in the period, in which Port Isabel outscored La Villa 29-12.
Kaiden Martinez, a sophomore in the midst of his first varsity season, had 14 points, including two 3s for six of the eight points he scored during the fourth quarter.
Hazelton said he only had nine players in uniform for Tuesday’s game, and that he was easing some players who had come over from the Tarpons’ football team into the flow of basketball season.
The Herald’s reigning All-Metro offensive player of the year, Daniel Rinza Jr., finished with 18 points for Port Isabel.
“We have some weapons. … When they can get it going,” Hazelton said, adding that he has been looking for his squad to score more consistently.
Kris Cardoza had six points for the Cardinals.
Next up for the Tarpons is a visit to Lyford at 8 p.m. Friday. La Villa is scheduled to play at Macedonian Christian at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.