What looked like a possible tough season with a young roster has turned into a pleasant surprise for Port Isabel’s second-year head coach Gilbert Rodriguez.
The Tarpons (21-3, 7-0) are starting only one senior Rudy Barrera amongst two juniors and two sophomores. The young Port Isabel team from 2023 are trying to keep up with other Port Isabel teams that have had successful seasons.
Since 2017 the Tarpons have featured in the playoffs. The most wins in a season during that span came in 2018-2019. Port Isabel won 28 games that season and in the 2020-21 season the team went four rounds deep.
“It is good to see these young guys find ways to win game,” Rodriguez said.
The Tarpons had some close calls in the first round of District 32-4A. Port Isabel won a defensive game against Hidalgo 36-27. They beat La Feria 61-56, a team that can match up with the guards Port Isabel has and Brownsville Jubilee by 10 last Friday.
| Raymondville’s Slade Gutierrez (10) guards Port Isabel’s Cleveland Smith (1) Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2022 during the game between Port Isabel and Raymondville at Raymondville.(Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald) Denise Cathey |
Each win required the Tarpons to win different ways, Rodriguez said. The first round is over though, and Port Isabel is ready for the target on its back.
“Now everybody knows what we like to do,” Rodriguez said.
The good thing about this team is that anybody can have good nights, Rodriguez said. Sophomore Cleveland Smith averages 17.6 points per game, sophomore Christian Smith averages 15.1 and junior Jeffrey Smith puts up 14 ppg.
Juniors Shawn Moore and Aiden Sanchez, as well as Barrera are also capable of high scoring nights, Rodriguez said. The Tarpons like to shoot and have 119 3-pointers made on the season.
The Tarpons have to head to Zapata, a three-hour drive, to take on the Hawks at 8 p.m. tonight. The Hawks are 6-1 in District 32-4A.
The Rio Grande Valley has plenty of undefeated teams in district. And like the Tarpons, are likely to have targets on their backs as the second round of district play begins to wind down.
Harlingen South continues to roll in District 32-5A. The Hawks travel to Donna to take on the Donna North Chiefs at 7:30 p.m. today. The Hawks (16-9, 11-0) have not lost since early December and have yet to give up 45 points or more in district play.
| Harlingen South’s Steven Ortegon pushes the ball up court. Photo courtesy of Andrew Cordero |
In District 31-6A Edinburg North is 3-0. The Cougars (19-13, 3-0) face a stern test at 7:30 p.m. today when they take on the La Joya Coyotes (19-11, 2-1).
In the other 10-game district, District 32-6A, San Benito won its first three games also. The Greyhounds have wins over Harlingen High, Los Fresnos and Weslaco High to sit atop the district.
San Benito is slated to take on Brownsville Hanna, the second-place team in the district at 2-1, at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Brownsville Hanna High School.
The Santa Rosa Warriors (17-7, 10-0) stayed unbeaten with a win over Rio Hondo on Friday 72-59. The Warriors take on Lyford at 8 p.m. tonight in Lyford.
| St. Joseph Bloodhound Jimmy Navarro (4) breaks through Laredo Sain Augustine Knights defense Tuesday afternoon at St. Joseph gymnasium in Brownsville. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald) Miguel Roberts |
Brownsville St. Joseph (19-4, 7-0) looks to continue its unbeaten district season as well. The Bloodhounds travel to San Antonio to face San Antonio Christian at 2:30 p.m. today.