By EDWARD SEVERN, Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — The Harlingen High Cardinals used a big fourth quarter to pull away from the solid McAllen Memorial Mustangs 63-48 in a non-district matchup Saturday.
The Cardinals and Mustangs felt each other out during the first few possessions. It was the Cardinals who took the first big lead, 13-2, with help from senior Johnathan Salinas.
The Mustangs answered with a nice run. Arian Elizondo’s 3 tied the game at 13. Elizondo pushed the Mustangs ahead with a layup soon after.
Harlingen High replied as the teams went back and forth. Cards junior Ryan Sanchez put up points from deep and inside. Mustangs seniors Jaden Muhammad and Alex Cockrum got involved for Memorial. Muhammad has a nice jumper and found success with it often.
Harlingen High went into the half up 31-29.
“McAllen Memorial is extremely athletic,” Harlingen High coach Clayton Cretors said. “They play really hard, and they gave us a run for our money. We punched them twice in the mouth, twice early. They were able to come back on us both times.”
The third quarter was much of the same, with both teams playing tough basketball. Harlingen High found some success down low with junior Jayden Rendon. The big man grabbed big rebounds at both ends, got to the line and finished well.
The game opened up in favor of the Cardinals during the fourth quarter. Salinas was a monster finishing at the rim. Salinas dropped some sick reverse layups, Sanchez was money from deep and Rendon continued his down-low presence.
The Mustangs turned the ball over a lot in the fourth, and the Cardinals took advantage to open a double-digit lead.
“The boys came out and played after a tough loss last week,” Cretors said. “They came to play at home like we always want to do. The message to them at halftime was once we opened up a lead, let’s maintain that lead in the second half.
“(McAllen Memorial is) one of the top teams in their district and in the Valley,” he continued. “It is always important to schedule tough teams before district. We still have one game before district. San Perlita is a tough team with good players, and we are not going to overlook them.”