By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
During the past four years, Los Fresnos standout Ari Gallardo cemented herself as one of the top offensive players in District 32-6A.
She earned a starting spot her freshman year and never looked back, as she went on to lead the Lady Falcons in scoring for four straight seasons and surpassed 2,500 career points. Gallardo scored 724 points with 70 3-pointers and dished out 92 assists this season to earn The Brownsville Herald’s 2019-2020 All-Metro Girls Basketball Offensive Player of the Year award.
“It’s an amazing feeling that you worked hard over several years getting to this position, and it’s great to have this award. It’s great knowing from my freshman year to now I’ve accomplished so much,” Gallardo said.
Gallardo is a reserved individual and credited basketball with helping her grow as a person. Lady Falcons coach Rebecca Valdez took over the program when Gallardo was a sophomore, and said she immediately appreciated Gallardo’s skills but wanted to grow her confidence.
“She was really timid when I got here and she would play that way, kind of timid. She could still do amazing things, but she wasn’t as, ‘Let me do this,’” Valdez said. “I’m the type of coach that loves on my kids hard, and I think building a relationship with her and understanding her and making her comfortable with me helped. Her being able to communicate really changed her game and it’s made her more confident, and it really showed on the court.”
As her confidence grew, Gallardo became a leader on the court and developed into an all-around player. She could take over a game at the drop of a hat and did so often during her senior season to help the Lady Falcons win their first playoff game in five years.
Gallardo’s prowess wasn’t solely as a shooter. She was a force defensively, leading the team with 107 steals and also recording 31 blocks and 180 rebounds, good for second- and third-best on the squad.
But even as she was hitting big shots or surgically maneuvering through double- and triple-team coverage, Gallardo’s demeanor remained the same. She isn’t one to pump her fist or hold up her shooting hand after changing the momentum of the game. She described her playing style as humble, even if she was celebrating on the inside.
“It’s a good feeling to score those big buckets. (Being a scorer) is just the role that comes naturally to me. When I got the ball and knew my teammates needed me at the time, my instincts just took over,” Gallardo said.
Those instincts are a result of a lifetime of dedication to the sport. Gallardo began playing basketball when she was 5 years old and has put in a lot of work with the motivation of her father, Ricardo.
Her work ethic made Valdez comfortable with moving Gallardo into the point guard position this season. The extra responsibility was a welcomed thing for the senior, and having the ball in Gallardo’s hands more often was pivotal for Los Fresnos’ success.
“Ari’s just going to produce wherever you put her and in whatever you need her to do. (The position change) helped us out overall just because she’s such a good basketball player,” Valdez said. “If anything, with it being her senior year, it gave her more control over the game and what she wanted to do with the team, and she just got after it and I’m proud of her for stepping up and doing good things for us.”
Gallardo wants to pursue a career in college basketball and is waiting for offers before solidifying post-graduation plans. But what has been solidified is the impact she had on the Lady Falcons program.
“Ari was a good leader and a great role model for all my babies, and I think that’s huge for our program. The kids respect her because she just works hard and doesn’t have attitude. It’s made me a better coach just being around someone like her,” Valdez said. “She deserves to play at that next level. Her basketball ability is truly amazing. She deserves this honor, and I’m really proud of everything she’s done.”