WESLACO — Leslie Martinez scored 19 points as Edinburg High used some stout defense to avenge a loss to Weslaco High with a 59-39 victory Tuesday.
The Bobcats’ win puts them in a tie with the Panthers for first place in District 31-6A with two games remaining on the schedule. Edinburg High is 31-3 overall and 9-1 in the district, while the Panthers slipped to 28-6 and 9-1. Both teams were district co-champs a year ago.
The Bobcats won for the sixth consecutive time and have taken 11 of their previous 12 games. Weslaco High had its eight-game winning streak snapped.
Daysha Tijerina added 16 points, while teammate Julissah Santa Maria netted 14 for the Bobcats. Morgan Peralez led the Panthers with 17 points followed by Kirsten Padilla with eight.
The win offset a 47-46 loss Edinburg High sustained to Weslaco High on Jan. 10.
“I think, coming into this game, our mindset was completely different than the first game,” Martinez said. “We fought for every loose ball. We fought for every rebound and we just came out with a victory.”
The Bobcats led 32-26 at halftime and outscored the Panthers 27-13 in the second half. They out-rebounded the Panthers 43-28.
“Leslie has gone from playing different positions to becoming our point guard,” Bobcats eighth-year head coach John David Salinas said. “We are extremely fortunate to have a kid like that that can play multiple positions and be versatile, not just versatile, but impactful. She gives a lot of confidence to the rest of the girls.”
Edinburg High’s Brianna Sanchez, a 6-foot-2 center, got into early foul trouble and had to come out as Weslaco High was able to keep the score relatively close in the first half. Sanchez was a defensive force, blocking shots and grabbing rebounds in the second half.
“That kind of hurt us a little bit,” Salinas said about Sanchez’s foul trouble. “Their big presence was hurting us. Once she (Sanchez) got in, it really helped us out, especially in the second half.”
The Panthers were held to just one field goal in the third quarter as the Bobcats began to build a two-digit lead. Martinez capped off the quarter with a 38-foot buzzer beater from mid-court that gave Edinburg High a 46-33 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
The Panthers kept themselves in the game at the free-throw line where they hit 15 of 24 foul shots.
When Martinez was not hitting shots, she was driving to draw in the defense and set up outside shooters like Tijerina and Santa Maria.
“I am very confident in my shooters so I know, when I drive, my shooters that I have on the outside are going to hit,” Martinez said.
The Bobcats improved to 8-0 on the road this season.
On Friday, Edinburg High will play host to Edinburg Vela, while Weslaco High visits Weslaco East. Both games will begin at 6 p.m.