Rio Grande Valley high school teams begin their playoff journeys today with the bi-district round.
STORYLINES TO WATCH:
How far can they go?
Harlingen High, Brownsville Veterans, Edinburg Vela, Edinburg High and Rio Hondo all captured undefeated district titles and boast some of the most talented players in the Valley.
But, the second round is not going to be easy this year, especially in Class 6A with the Laredo schools. Laredo United and Laredo United South went a combined 9-0 against the likes of Harlingen High, Weslaco High, Edinburg High and Vela.
Class 5A teams have to face the likes of Flour Bluff, Victoria East, Gregory Portland and CC Veterans – no easy games there for District 30-5A teams in bi-district, or in the area round for the winners between the Valley’s 10- team districts.
If Rio Hondo moves on to the second round, they will face either Mathis or San Diego. The Bobcats lost to Somerset 30-28 in the Class 4A playoffs last year.
| Edinburg Vela’s Emma Lucio (4) defends a shot during a District 31-5A game against McAllen Rowe on Tuesday at the McAllen Rowe Gym in McAllen. (Joel Martinez | [email protected]) Joel Martinez |
The Valley Clashes
Class 6A and 5A teams from the upper valley and lower valley clash in the bi-district round.
District 32-6A’s playoff teams pummeled District 31-6A in non-district for the most part. Weslaco High went 6-1, while San Benito and Los Fresnos finished 3-1 against their annual bi-district foes.
District 32-5A and 31-5A went through 10-teamed gauntlets.
District 31-3A and 32-3A is also set to do battle. IDEA Alamo went undefeated in 31-3A, but will face an IDEA Weslaco-Pike team that faced Rio Hondo, Lyford and Progreso – they should be battle tested.
| Edinburg High’s Kimora Fagan (11) attempts a basket against Edinburg Economedes in a District 31-6A contest at Edinburg Economedes High School on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, in Edinburg. (Joel Martinez | [email protected]) Joel Martinez |
Hitting the road
Rio Grande City, La Joya Palmview, La Feria, Grulla, Santa Maria, San Perlita, Lasara, Hidalgo, San Isidro and Harvest Christian all head out of the Valley for their games against out of Valley competition.
| La Feria’s Rianna Gonzalez (1) weaves between San Benito defenders Friday in the Tommie Wiseman tournament at La Feria High School. Edward Severn |
| Weslaco High’s Morgan Peralez (21) fights for a rebound against Edinburg High Saturday night at Weslaco East High School. Edward Severn |
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Emma Lucio, Edinburg Vela
The senior guard signed for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in the lead up to the basketball season. Lucio is averaging 23.2 ppg for the Sabercats this season. Teammate Janai Coleman is also one to watch, and has chipped in with 16.2 ppg this season to help lead Edinburg Vela to a 28-4 season and a District 31-5A championship.
The Big Three, Edinburg High
Emily Carranco, Kimora Fagan and Madison Martinez are the leading scorers for a Bobcats team that went 29-7 and 10-0 in District 31-6A. Fagan averaged 18.3 ppg, Carranco 15.5 ppg and Martinez chipped in with 13.2 ppg. If any of the big three get slowed down, senior Lucero Jimenez can come up big any night.
| La Villa’s Ayanalee Rincon (21) loses possession to Rio Hondo’s Eliza Rodriguez (3) Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, during the Lyford Girls Basketball Tournament game Rio Hondo versus La Villa at Lyford. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald) Denise Cathey |
Eliza Rodriguez, Rio Hondo
The senior averaged 29 ppg this season for the Bobcats. Rodriguez has a nice euro-step, an outside shot and creates plenty of fast break opportunities with her defense.
Morgan Peralez, Weslaco High
The Panthers won 29 games this season to finish second in District 32-6A behind Harlingen High. The Panthers have one of the best interior players in the Valley in Peralez. After coming back from a knee injury the senior is a force to be reckoned with down low.
| Harlingen High’s Rosa Zapata (1) scores Feb. 7, 2023, during the District 32-6A game between Harlingen High and Los Fresnos at Harlingen High.(Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald) Denise Cathey |
Rosa Zapata, Harlingen High
The senior point guard dazzled this season in District 32-6A after going through an extremely tough non-district schedule. Zapata averages 12 ppg, and is one of the best dribbling point guards in the Valley. Zapata cuts through defenders and is also averaging 4.5 steals per game and 3 assists per game.
TEAMS TO WATCH:
Brownsville Veterans Memorial
The Chargers have players that can have big nights any night. Mariana Espinosa, Annie Cisneros and Alexa Torres can light it up from deep, but the school in Brownsville has been getting a lot from the whole team this season. If the Chargers make it past Sharyland High in the first round, they are slated to face either Rio Grande City or Victoria East in the second round.
La Feria
The Lionettes picked up an impressive win over Calallen in 2022. This season, the District 32-4A champs, are slated to face Tuloso-Midway in the first round. The Warriors finished fourth in District 31-4A, but had solid wins over Gregory Portland and Victoria East.
| McAllen Rowe’s Yulissa Yebra (24) snags a ball away from Edinburg Vela’s Janai Coleman (33) during a District 31-5A game at Robert Vela High school gymnasium Tuesday Dec.20,2022 in Edinburg, Tx. (Delcia Lopez/The Monitor | [email protected]) |
McAllen Nikki Rowe
No team from the Valley came as close to beating Edinburg Vela this season than the Warriors. Rowe lost that game 46-42, and finished second in District 31-5A. The Warriors have one of the best interior players in the Valley in senior Yulissa Yebra. The Warriors have their hands full against a Brownsville Lopez team that has a mixture of youth and experience.