MARK MOLINA | Staff Writer
The Hanna Golden Eagles dug themselves into two different holes against the visiting Mission High Eagles, and while they dug out of one, the other proved insurmountable.
Hanna managed to dig out of a double-digit deficit, but Eddie Rivero and Mission High mounted a late third-quarter run that put them ahead for good in a 54-42 victory Friday night at Hanna.
After Hanna’s Jared Zarate capped a 10-2 run with a bucket to give his team a 32-31 lead with 2:35 to play in the third quarter and erase a 15-point first-half deficit, Mission High answered with a 9-0 run to end the period.
“We dig ourselves in holes, and we’re too young right now,” Hanna coach Fermin Lucio said. “We’re not seasoned enough to fight our way after so many times being down from 9-0 runs, 10-0 runs. I’m really proud of this group for fighting through that first half and coming down to take the lead in the second half. They fought hard.”
Rivero led the run with a pair of 3-point buckets, including his second buzzer-beater of the game to put Mission High (9-9) up 40-32 heading to the fourth.
Hanna (10-10) kept chipping away and even got the lead down to two at one point, but was held to just three field goals by the Mission High defense during the fourth quarter.
“We just started playing our defensive game,” Mission High coach Rico Martinez said. “We’re very athletic, we’re very tough defensively and we finally started playing like that. We hadn’t the last couple of games. Little by little, our defensive strategy is starting to come around. The kids are playing hard every game, and we’re getting better and better. That’s all we can ever ask for.”
Rivero led all scorers with 21 points and five treys. Teammate Rey Garcia posted 10 points with a strong night in the post.
Hanna was led by Sabian Arceneaux, who netted a team-high 11 points. Zarate followed with nine.
Mission High had success playing inside out early as Garcia and Jahel Salinas combined for eight of the team’s first-quarter points.
That opened the doors for Rivero and Tajh Jones to knock down three shots from downtown in the midst of a 21-4 run during the first half that put Mission High up 23-8 with 3:33 to play until halftime.
“(Mission High’s) bigs really gave us some trouble,” Lucio said. “Second-chance points really killed us, and they were on fire — they knocked down shots with hands in their face. There’s nothing more you can do about that.”
Hanna answered with a 9-0 run that was led by a pair of Nic Ramirez buckets and a 3 from Isaiah Talamantez to cut the lead to 23-17 with 1:39 to play.
Five points on two Rivero buckets on back-to-back possessions put Mission High back up 28-17, and it went into the break leading 28-19.
Hanna opened the second half with a Zarate trey that sparked a 10-2 run that ultimately gave them their first lead, 31-30, for all of 19 seconds before a Garcia layup gave Mission High the lead right back for good.
“Little challenges like that make us a better team,” Martinez said. “We’ve been fighting some adversity lately, and they have found ways to overcome it, play together and finish off the ‘W.’ That’s all you can ask for.”