Tuesday’s Games

Non-district

Brownsville First Baptist at San Isidro, cancelled

District 30-6A

La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 55, Mission High 39

La Joya Palmview 43, McAllen Memorial 39

McAllen Rowe 40, La Joya High 30

District 31-6A

Edinburg Economedes 48, PSJA Memorial 44

Edinburg North 44, Weslaco East 35

Weslaco High 46, PSJA North 35

District 32-6A

Brownsville Hanna 56, San Benito 53

Brownsville Veterans Memorial 57, Harlingen South 43

Harlingen High 56, Brownsville Rivera 38

Los Fresnos 52, Brownsville Lopez 40

District 31-5A

Edinburg Vela 48, Sharyland High 33

Rio Grande City 48, Roma 34

Sharyland Pioneer 44, Valley View 24

District 32-5A

Brownsville Porter 36, Donna North 30

Donna High 55, PSJA Southwest 30

Mercedes 50, Brownsville Pace 39

PSJA High 50, Edcouch-Elsa 36

District 32-4A

Grulla 58, Progreso 38

La Feria 56, Raymondville 35

Rio Hondo 36, Hidalgo 30

Zapata 57, Port Isabel 42

District 32-3A

Lyford 52, Santa Rosa 32

Brownsville IDEA Frontier vs. Monte Alto, not reported

District 32-2A

La Villa 56, Lasara 32

San Perlita 29, Bruni 15

Santa Maria 50, Riviera-Kaufer 25

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Valley-Girls #RGVHoops Box Scores

District 30-6A

LA JOYA JUAREZ-LINCOLN 55, MISSION HIGH 39

La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 10 11 18 16 — 55

Mission High 13 7 9 10 — 39

LA JOYA JUAREZ-LINCOLN (55) — Maria Ortiz 24, Abigail Escobedo 9, Maria Saldana 8, Neyda Villarreal 3, Jiselle Acosta 3.

MISSION HIGH (39) — Emberly Garza 14, Bianney Vasquez 9, Brittney Garza 7, Ashly Diaz 4, Ashley Sanchez 3, Kimberly Barrera 2.

RECORDS: La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 9-19, 2-5; Mission High 2-25, 0-7

LA JOYA PALMVIEW 43, McALLEN MEMORIAL 39

L.J. Palmview 9 10 8 16 — 43

McAllen Memorial 10 7 10 12 — 39

LA JOYA PALMVIEW (43) — Brittany Cano 4, Sam Gutierrez 15, Edna Ovalle 2, Renee Flores 12, Martha Bocanegra 10

McALLEN MEMORIAL (39) — Ebony Johnson 18, Kailey Caldwell 12

RECORDS: La Joya Palmview 18-8, 5-2; McAllen Memorial 16-12, 5-2

McALLEN ROWE 40, LA JOYA HIGH 30

La Joya High 14 0 6 10 — 30

McAllen Rowe 8 17 9 6 — 40

LA JOYA HIGH (30) — Monica Garcia 4, Clarissa Mendiola 2, Karina Cassanova 10, Daniela Cantu 11, Ashley Olivarez 3.

McALLEN ROWE (40) — Diana Gonzalez 4, Jovanni Solis 9, Deanna Spear 6, Mayda Garcia 11, Victoria Tarbutton 2, Ryela Rodriguez 8.

RECORDS: McAllen Rowe 19-8, 7-0; La Joya High, 14-15, 2-5

District 31-6A

EDINBURG NORTH 43, WESLACO EAST 35

Weslaco East 4 11 8 12 — 35

Edinburg North 6 12 5 20 — 43

Weslaco East (35) — Kimberly Charles 11, Mig Cepeda 7, Chylee LeFevre 7.

EDINBURG NORTH (43) — Klarissa Lopez 13, Melissa Mojarro 10, Tiffany Chapa 8, Brianna Martinez 7.

RECORDS: Weslaco East 16-16, 3-4, Edinburg North, 16-13, 3-4

WESLACO HIGH 46, PSJA NORTH 35

PSJA North 7 5 9 14 — 35

Weslaco High 12 10 16 8 — 46

PSJA NORTH (35) — Belle Palacios 14, Arianna Medrano 11, Sarah Serrano 4, Angela Ochoa 3, Stephanie Crispin 2, Ashla De La Garza1.

WESLACO HIGH (46) — Jazlynn Muñiz 22, Brianna Peña 11, Evany Nicholson 8, Amy Garcia 2, Gabby Cazores 2.

RECORDS: PSJA North 24-3, 5-2; Weslaco High 24-6, 7-0

District 31-5A

SHARYLAND PIONEER 44, VALLEY VIEW 24

Valley View 8 5 8 3 — 24

Sharyland Pioneer 15 9 9 11 — 44

VALLEY VIEW (24) — E. Saenz 3, B. Cantu 2, A. Ramirez 9, M. Hernandez 2, E. Solis 2, B. Villanueva 2, C. Trejo 2, M. Gaytan 2.

SHARYLAND PIONEER (44) — Ashley Briseno 12, Chelsea Chandler 8, Kayla Alaniz 2, Crystal Alonzo 6, Miranda Ramos 10, Melissa De Leon 5, Victoria Mossman 1.

RECORDS: Sharyland Pioneer 7-21, 2-5; Valley View 9-18, 0-7

District 32-5A

DONNA HIGH 55, PSJA SOUTHWEST 30

PSJA Southwest 6 13 5 6 — 30

Donna High 19 13 20 3 — 55

PSJA SOUTHWEST (30) — H. Martinez 11, M. Medellin 10.

DONNA HIGH (55) — Aileen Garza 25, Bridget Guillen 9, Laurynn Williams 9, Celeste Mata 8, Sarah Gonzalez 2, Desiree Hernandez 1, Stacy Lugo.

RECORDS: PSJA Southwest, 5-23, 2-6; Donna High 9-18, 5-3

District 32-4A

GRULLA 50, PROGRESO 38

Box score not reported

GRULLA (50) — Samantha Sifuentes 14, Abby Flores 14, Larissas Martinez 8, Carolina Alamillo 8, Maxine Solis 3, Leslie Guerrero 3.

PROGRESO (38) — not reported

RECORDS: Grulla 12-14, 3-5; Progreso 10-13; 0-8

District 32-3A

LYFORD 52, SANTA ROSA 32

Box score not reported

LYFORD (52) — Bailey Scogin 14, Marissa Martinez 12, Adriana Duran 9

SANTA ROSA (32) — not reported

RECORDS: Lyford 14-14, 3-0; Santa Rosa 3-11, 1-2

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

MISSION — Rio Grande City looked to make a statement Friday. With one of Valley’s best players in Jocy Amaya on their side, the Lady Rattlers aimed to topple Sharyland High and validate their status as a title contender in District 31-5A.

Instead, Rio conveyed a decidedly different message: They’re not ready yet.

Behind a flat offensive performance, RGC fell to a bigger and more balanced Sharyland High team 40-25 at Sharyland High School. Friday’s loss marks the second in a row for Rio, who have demonstrated uninspired play in each of its most recent defeats.

“Everybody thinks we’re one of the top teams, but it’s tough,” Rio coach Gustavo Valenciana said. “Sometimes they’re mentally ready, sometimes they’re not. Sometimes we look confident and sometimes we just don’t.”

Rio (19-8, 4-2) looked ready during the early going. Thanks to a pair of assists from Amaya, RGC took a 5-4 lead over Sharyland. But Sharyland, patient and methodical in the halfcourt, regained the lead and kept it for good on a layup from Anna Marshall, who scored a game-high 14 points.

Marshall was one of three players to appear in Friday’s game who average a double-double on the season. The sophomore post averages 15 points and 10 rebounds while teammate Maddie Garza averages 10 and 10. Amaya, the Valley’s second-leading scorer, averages 20 and 12.

But it was the post play of Sharyland (21-6, 6-0) that overpowered Rio. Marshall and Garza combined to score 21 points and hauled in 25 boards. Amaya and teammate Gina Villarreal each scored just seven points while shooting a combined 4-of-24 from the floor.

Amaya spent much of the second quarter on the bench in foul trouble. During that span, Rio was outscored 14-5. When Amaya did see court time, however, she was flustered by Sharyland’s defense.

“Whenever any (Rio big) was in the post, I was fronting,” Marshall said. “I’d been watching film on them. (Roxy Morales) was their only player that could shoot from long range… She was the only one we guarded on the wing. Everyone else are drivers. We had the whole game mapped out.”

While Marshall fronted Amaya, Maddie Garza hounded the paint from behind — oftentimes sandwiching Amaya and limiting her rebounding opportunities. Marshall and her 6-foot-1 build may be Sharyland’s most important player, but Garza possess the team’s most versatile skill set. Aside from contributing seven points, she added 13 boards, four assists and a steal.

Though Sharyland’s one-two punch from the post is paramount to its success, the team’s win over Rio marked one of its most balanced wins of the season. Aside from Marshall, no other player scored double digits, and 19 of the team’s points came from its guards.

Nany Carrertero and Aydee Hinojosa chipped in six points each, while Sonia Trevino added five and Nataly Almasri scored two. Carretero and Trevino combined for a trio of makes from downtown.

“I just think, through practice, they’ve been getting better,” Marshall said. “If we’re not open, we pass it out and they shoot. They’re shooting with confidence right now.”

While Sharyland was in control aside from 17 turnovers, Rio remained hurried and rushed and trailed by as many as 24 during the second half. Several possessions resulted in little ball movement and rushed jumpers, a plan that deviated from Valenciana’s vision for the game.

“I tried to tell my girls to be patient,” he said. “If we had to make 20 passes to get a good shot, then make 20 passes. We didn’t want to take quick shots and then run back the other way, and that’s what we did. We took too many quick shots, didn’t make them and they were going the other way and having their way.”

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Valley-Girls Basketball Scores

Friday’s Games

Non-district

Brownsville First Baptist at San Perlita, not reported

District 30-6A

La Joya Palmview 58, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 34

McAllen Memorial 41, McAllen High 33

McAllen Rowe 54, Misison High 33

District 31-6A

Edinburg North 76, Edinburg Economedes 44

PSJA North 54, Edinburg High 46

Weslaco High 46, Weslaco East 28

District 32-6A

Brownsville Rivera 42, San Benito 32

Brownsville Veterans Memorial 66, Brownsville Lopez 46

Los Fresnos 36, Brownsville Hanna 19

Harlingen High 48, Harlingen South 31

District 31-5A

Edinburg Vela 55, Mission Veterans Memorial 51

Roma 54, Valley View 18

Sharyland High 40, Rio Grande City 25

District 32-5A

Mercedes 47, Brownsville Porter 32

PSJA High 35, Donna North 31

Donna High 47, Edcouch-Elsa 36

Brownsville Pace 56, PSJA Southwest 24

District 32-4A

Hidalgo 54, Grulla 48

La Feria 52, Port Isabel 41

Raymondville 47, Progreso 26

Zapata 46, Rio Hondo 36

District 32-3A

Brownsville IDEA Frontier 32, Santa Rosa 30

Lyford 43, Edinburg IDEA Quest 39

District 32-2A

Riviera-Kaufer 50, Bruni 18

La Villa 50, San Isidro 25

Santa Maria 39, Lasara 23

Valley-Girls Basketball Boxscores

Friday’s Games

District 30-6A

LA JOYA PALMVIEW 58, LA JOYA JUAREZ-LINCOLN 34

La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 5 12 7 10 — 34

La Joya Palmview 18 13 15 12 — 58

JUAREZ-LINCOLN (34) — Kim 5, Valerie 2, Neyda 3, Jezelle 5, Maria 17, Noemi 2.

PALMVIEW (58) — Brittany Cano 3, Samantha Gutierrez 17, Renee Flores 16, Cynder Magallon 6, Christina Chavez 1, Martha Bocanegra 8.

RECORDS: La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 8-19, 1-5; La Joya Palmview, 17-8, 4-2

McALLEN ROWE 54, MISSION HIGH 33

McAllen Rowe 14 12 24 4 — 54

Mission High 8 10 6 9 — 33

McALLEN ROWE (54) — Jovanni Solis 15, Karolina Rodriguez 11, Ryela Rodriguez 8, Deanna Spear 6, Mayda Garcia 6, Vanissa Leal 4, Victoria Tarbutton 2, Alessandra Pantone 2.

MISSION HIGH (33) — Emberly Garza 14, Brittney Garza 5, Ashly Diaz 4, Clarissa Gonzalez 4, Daniella Gonzalez 2, Ashley Sanchez 2, Bianney Vasquez 2.

RECORDS: McAllen Rowe 18-8, 6-0; Mission High 2-24, 0-6

District 31-6A

EDINBURG NORTH 76, EDINBURG ECONOMEDES 44

Edinburg Economedes 13 9 12 10 — 44

Edinburg North 24 17 12 23 — 76

ECONOMEDES (44) — Silvia Perez 24, Kassandra Trevino 6, Brittany Rodriguez 6.

EDINBURG NORTH (76) — Brianna Garza 16, Klarissa Lopez 15, Melissa Mojarro 12, Stephanie Flores 13, Tiffany Chapa 6.

RECORDS: Edinburg North 15-13, 2-4; Edinburg Economedes 10-13, 1-5

PSJA NORTH 56, EDINBURG HIGH 46

PSJA North 15 11 10 18 — 54

Edinburg High 14 6 11 15 — 46

PSJA NORTH (54) — Sarah Serrano 16, Melissa Palacios 4, Arianna Medrano 15, Belle Palacios 16, Angela Ochoa 3.

EDINBURG HIGH (46) — Jayla Santa Maria 16, Mercedes Hernandez 4, Jenessah Santa Maria 12, Jennifer Galvan 7, Natalie Roxburgh 7.

RECORDS: PSJA North 24-2, 5-1; Edinburg High 23-8, 5-2

District 31-5A

EDINBURG VELA 55, MISSION VETERANS 51

Edinburg Vela 12 12 12 19 — 55

Mission Veterans 8 16 13 14 — 51

EDINBURG VELA (55) — Jaida Muhammad 21, Julissa Cuellar 7, Bianca Cortez 10, Cynthia Hernandez 2, Kayleen Rios 3, Terri Garza 4, Anna Villarreal 2, Brithany Escobar 6.

MISSION VETERANS (51) — Makenzie Gerlach 1, Rosa Silva 4, Andrea De La Garza 6, Ashley Smith 24, Lyndsey Garza 5, Gaby Gallardo 9.

RECORDS: Edinburg Vela 11-16; 3-3; Mission Veterans 17-12, 3-3.

ROMA 54, VALLEY VIEW 18

Valley View 2 4 4 8 — 18

Roma 20 8 10 16 — 54

valley view (18) — N. Del Angel 2, B. Cantu 3, M. Hernandez 13.

roma (54) — Yaritza Saenz 1, Krissynthia Rocha 10, Jesselle Guerra 9, Regina Rodriguez 2, Samantha Alanis 16, Valeria Goreillo 2, Denise Pena 8, Anaid Perez 2, Diamond Ramirez 2, Alejandra Gonzalez 2.

RECORDS: Roma 10-17, 4-2; Valley View 9-18, 0-6

SHARYLAND HIGH 40, RIO GRANDE CITY 25

Rio Grande City 7 5 4 9 — 25

Sharyland High 10 14 16 0 — 40

RIO GRANDE CITY (40) — Adrianna Cruz 7, Jocy Amaya 7, Gina Villarreal 7, Jcakie Garcia 2, Andrea Barron 2.

SHARYLAND HIGH (40) — Anna Marshall 14, Maddie Garcia 7, Nany Carretero 6, Aydee Hinojosa 6, Sonia Treviño 5, Nataly Almasri 2.

RECORDS: Rio Grande City 19-8, 4-2; Sharyland High 21-6, 6-0

District 32-4A

HIDALGO 54, GRULLA 48

Hidalgo 9 16 10 16 — 54

Grulla 10 13 13 7 — 48

HIDALGO (54) — Not reported

GRULLA (48) — Firstname Larissa Martinez 14, Abby Flores 13, Carolina Alamillo 6, Samantha Sifuentes 4, Jenny Morales 4, Leslie Guerrero 2

RECORDS: Hidalgo 13-12, 6-1; Grulla 11-14, 2-5

District 32-3A

EDINBURG IDEA QUEST 39, LYFORD 43

Edinburg IDEA Quest 13 13 7 6 — 39

Lyford 7 10 6 20 — 43

EDINBURG IDEA QUEST (39) — Diana Martinez 8, Alyssa Cuellar 6, Esmer Rodriguez 1, Carolina Cantu 3, Abigail Gonzalez 2, Marbella Nunenz 5, Tanya Reyna 15.

LYFORD (43) — Marissa Martines 15, Abby Meradez 8, Adriana Duran 7

RECORDS: Lyford 13-14, 2-0; Edinburg IDEA Quest 6-14, 1-1

The Monitor sports reporters Mario Aguirre, Jon R. LaFollette and Greg Luca discuss another week of Valley High School basketball, including takes on Weslaco East, Rio Grande City and more.

To listen to the show in your browser, click here.

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

WESLACO — On any given game night, a quick glance at Amy Garcia’s stat line won’t give you pause. As a post player on a guard-heavy Weslaco High team, she gets her points when she can.

But numbers don’t always indicate a player’s value.

Consider Garcia, a 5-foot-3 post who is routinely undersized to do battle in the paint. Though her statistics appear mundane, Garcia’s ability to maximize the little things is one reason why the Lady Panthers are once again competing for a district title.

“There’s games where you have to prepare for her,” Weslaco coach Griselda Fino said. “When we go into a game, I know any team that doesn’t prepare for her is going to get killed by her. Being as little as she is, that says a lot.”

An underrated post talent in a guard’s body, Garcia knows her duties — box out, get rebounds and end opponent possessions. It’s dirty work, but someone has to do it on a team where interior play is a luxury. Not only does Garcia succeed, but she flourishes as the team’s leading rebounder.

Garcia’s production is a deviation from the norm for the Lady Panthers (22-6, 5-0 District 31-6A). In seasons past, the team could count on nearly 15 points per game from traditional posts. Laura Van Tilburg did just that in 2013 while the six-foot Megan Peralez was the team’s post threat a season ago.

“She’s just as important as all of them,” Fino said of Garcia. “She doesn’t need to score that many points per game. She just needs to do what she’s good at to make our team better.”

Garcia plays with a controlled aggression that allows her to muscle against other players who are at times nearly a foot taller than her. It’s that same combative spirit that proved to be a detriment during her time in middle school.

Fino and teammates speak to Garcia’s mean streak, how she would get in fights and take physical contact during games personally. Senior forward Jazzlyn Muniz has played alongside Garcia since that time and recalls a game where she calmed her teammate after receiving a deliberate shove.

“She wanted to push them back,” Muniz said. “I always told her to calm down or else she was going to get a technical… We have to have class. Every time we get pushed, we can’t push back. We have to keep our composure to show that we’re the better team.”

So rugged was Garcia’s on-court personality, her middle school coach told Fino she wasn’t worth the trouble, and that attempting to make her a better player would be a waste of time. Unfazed, Fino brought Garcia aboard and went to work polishing her skill set.

Garcia is too unwieldy for the proper handles befitting of a point guard, a position in line with her diminutive stature. So Fino put her to work on post moves. First came drop-steps, then more finessed footwork. From her time on the freshman team up to this year’s senior campaign, Garcia not only has the proper basketball tools, but a confident mindset to boot.

“I’ve gotten tougher, for sure,” Garcia said. “I know the floor better now. I know I’m small, but I don’t see a difference between myself and my competition. I just picture myself the same height as them. It doesn’t really phase me.”

But there was also considerable time spent shaping her attitude. As a freshman and sophomore, Garcia’s short temper would act out during games she didn’t play well. But Fino’s brand of tough love helped to soften what was a hard personality.

“It was a matter of making her understand that it’s not about you,” Fino said. “This is about us. This is about playing for the Lady Panthers. You can’t act like a fool out there because you’re making me and your teammates look like fools, and that’s not going to happen.”

Garcia’s path has come full circle. During a practice Wednesday, the team was going through light shooting drills and attempting layups. After several missed bunnies, Garcia, irked by the apparent apathy, spoke up and questioned why her teammates’ focus was missing.

Fino saw it all and couldn’t help but feel vindicated for sticking with Garcia through the ups and downs.

“That’s why she’s a leader I know I can count on,” Fino said.

[email protected]

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

As the opening round of district play concludes Friday, the Donna High Bravettes find themselves on the cusp of the postseason chase.

Though Donna hoped to repeat as District 32-5A champions, the team has been plagued by litany of issues: woeful shooting, injuries, locker room chemistry concerns and inconsistent practice time due to construction on its home gym.

The few ups and many more downs resulted in a 5-13 record entering district competition. Since then, the Lady Bravettes are 3-3, transforming from an afterthought to a postseason hopeful.

The team is tied for the fourth playoff spot with Edcouch-Elsa. The two teams face each other 7:30 p.m. Friday at Edcouch-Elsa.

“They weren’t liking the way things were going,” coach Kevin Kromer said. “Through determination, however, we’ve brought ourselves back from a bad spot.”

The biggest positive for Donna is the return of Laurynn Williams. The junior guard left the team in mid-December, missing three district games. Kromer says Williams’ decision was based on personal matters and dissatisfaction with teammates.

“I think she realized that was a mistake and that she did belong with basketball and the team,” Kromer said. “A lot of things affected that decision… I think she realized she needed to play. She talked to me and the team, and I gave the team the choice. They listened to her and voted to accept her back.”

GAME-TIME DECISION
Rio Grande City guard Adrianna Cruz is a game-time decision for Friday’s game against Sharyland High, according to RGC coach Gustavo Valenciana. Cruz suffered the injury during the early portion of Tuesday’s loss to Mission Veterans Memorial.

“She’s so small, but she’s so strong when she attacks the basket,” Valenciana said. “I think her thigh area was really someone else’s knee area.”

Cruz has expressed intentions to play regardless of her health.

RGC is one game behind first-place Sharyland High in District 31-5A. The Lady Rattlers are led in points and rebounds per game by Jocy Amaya, who averages 19.5 and 11.7, respectively.

Sharyland is led by the double-double duo of Anna Marshall and Maddie Garza. Marshall, a sophomore, averages 14.9 points and 10.9 boards, while Garza, a senior, contributes 10.5 points and 10.0 rebounds.

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — Tuesday’s game against La Joya Palmview marked Jovanni Solis’ first start for McAllen Rowe, but coach Raul Vega didn’t make it a spectacle or deviate from his pre-game routine. Before the Lady Warriors faced the Lady Lobos, his message was for the entire roster as opposed to singling out sophomore guard.

“He just told us that we really had to get this win,” senior post Mayda Garcia said. “He said if we got this win, we’d be in good position in the district.”

Then consider the Lady Warriors’ standing pristine. Thanks to Solis’ game-high 15 points, Rowe dispatched the Lady Lobos 44-34 and improved to a 5-0 in District 30-6A. With the victory, the Lady Warriors are in control of their aspiration for back-to-back district titles.

Employing a balanced roster composed of size, guard play, depth, rebounding, defense and outside shooting, Rowe received scoring contributions from six of the eight players to see the court.

Though Palmview held a 9-8 advantage after the first quarter, the second quarter proved the evening’s biggest difference maker. Rowe outscored the Lady Lobos 16-7 and saw five players collect baskets, including Garcia, who scored four of her 10 points.

“(Palmview) was really focusing on Mayda, trying to take her away,” Vega said. “So we had to move the ball elsewhere there for a little while. Thankfully our guard play stepped up for us in the first half.”

Along with Solis, teammates Deanna Spear and Victoria Tarbutton scored 15 of Rowe’s 24 first-half points.

Similar production was exhibited by guards from Palmview (16-8, 3-2) for much of the night. Senior Samantha Gutierrez and freshman Renee Flores each chipped in 13 points and carried the bulk of the offensive load. The rest of the team, however, contributed just eight points.

And though the Lady Lobos controlled the glass — Cyndar Magallon hauled in 18 boards — acquiring second chance points proved difficult. Ditto controlling the ball during the second half.

Lack of an inside game along with turnovers never allowed Palmview’s offense to gel.

“You can’t play like we did and hope to beat a team like Rowe,” Palmview coach Anisa Reyna said. “You have to bring your ‘A’ game against them. I saw some things I liked from our side. We played well for certain stretches, but we shot ourselves in the foot a lot.”

As the Lady Lobos succumbed to inefficient play and Rowe’s defensive presence, the Lady Warriors by and large looked like an experienced team on a mission.

“We played well together last year,” Garcia said. “But now that everyone is back, there’s an extra level of knowledge there. We’re playing at a pretty high level, we just have to keep this intensity and the wins will keep coming.”

[email protected]

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — Coach Jose Yebra has watched this season as the focus of McAllen Rowe’s offense has drifted from the paint toward the perimeter.

During Tuesday’s district contest against La Joya Palmview, however, the Warriors experienced a brief renaissance. Though Rowe’s new-found knack for jump-shooting prevailed during the second half, it was efficient post play which helped the Warriors to a 48-40 win.

Freddy Ayala led Rowe’s inside presence, scoring a team-high 14 points and collecting 12 rebounds. Ayala did not miss a shot from the field, going a perfect 7-for-7 on the evening.

“The fakes really worked for me tonight,” Ayala said. “Usually we make our shots from the outside, but they weren’t really falling at first. So, we went inside and tried to get good looks that way. This game wasn’t perfect, but we’re starting to get more in-and-out on offense.”

It was all inside game for Rowe during the early going. Along with teammate Dominic Clarke, Ayala was responsible for the entirety of the Warriors’ 12 first-quarter points. The pair was relentless on the glass, and helped Rowe to a one-point lead after the first eight minutes. Clarke finished with 12 points.

The matchup between District 30-6A foes was closely contested from start to finish. No team led by more than double digits, and the score was tied at 31 headed into the final quarter.

“The coaches kept telling us it was zero to zero,” Ayala said. “We just tried to finish the game the way we started it.”

Not quite. Though Rowe (17-9, 3-1) came away with the victory, it was thanks in part to clutch free throw shooting from guard Alex Keith, who went 7 of 8from the foul line during the closing seconds of put the game away. Keith finished with 11 points.

Kaleb Garza contributed all three of the Warriors’ makes from behind the arc.

Rowe led 43-40 with 35.5 seconds remaining. Though Palmview attempted to rally, the Lobos (14-11, 2-1) faltered due to missed opportunities. First came a turnover followed by an offensive foul on Armando Alaniz on a Palmview inbounds play. Instead of get a chance to tie, it resulted in another pair of Keith free throws.

“We just didn’t execute down the stretch,” Palmview coach Andy Saenz said. “We knew this game was going to be close either way, no one was going to blow anyone out. This is just a learning experience for us. We have to move on and continue to get better.”

Palmview’s leading scorer, guard Jacob Salinas, was held in check for the duration of the game. Though Salinas entered Tuesday averaging nearly 24 points per game, he finished with just nine, attempting only five shots.

“We wanted to limit him at all costs,” Yebra said. “We know how dangerous he is and how much he does for that offense, so we focused on getting the ball out of his hands and keeping them out. And if he got a shot up, to make sure that was the only shot he took.”

As the march towards the postseason continues, Ayala says he hopes to see more games like Tuesday, focused, energized and complete with a balanced offensive attack.

“We just need a few more of those 3s to go in,” Ayala said. “Once that happens, we’ll be good.”

[email protected]

Tuesday’s Games
Non-district

IDEA Donna at La Villa, not reported
Lyford 25, Falfurrias 17

District 30-6A

La Joya High 45, Mission High 27
McAllen High 46, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 32
McAllen Rowe 44, La Joya Palmview 34

District 31-6A

Edinburg High 50, Weslaco East 36
Edinburg North 51, PSJA Memorial 47, OT
Weslaco High 57, Edinburg Economedes 33

District 32-6A

Brownsville Hanna 40, Brownsville Rivera 33
Brownsville Veterans Memorial 46, Los Fresnos 45
Harlingen High h85, Brownsville Lopez 26
Harlingen South 50, San Benito 39

District 31-5A

Mission Veterans Memorial 45, Rio Grande City 31
Roma 47, Sharyland Pioneer 40
Sharyland High 51, Valley View 29

District 32-5A

Brownsville Pace 43, Edcouch-Elsa 37
Donna High 42, Donna North 41
Mercedes 47, PSJA Southwest 36
PSJA High 48, Brownsville Porter 29

District 32-4A

Hidalgo 40, Raymondville 31
Port Isabel 48, Progreso 29
Rio Hondo 46, Grulla 37
Zapata 53, La Feria 44

District 32-3A

Brownsville IDEA Frontier 38, Edinburg IDEA Quest 37
Santa Rosa 38, Monte Alto 23

District 32-2A

Lasara 32, Bruni 31
San Perlita 52, Riviera-Kaufer 40
Santa Maria 47, San Isidro 19

Valley-Girls Basketball Box Scores

District 30-6A
LA JOYA HIGH 45, MISSION HIGH 27
Mission High 11 5 5 6 — 27
La Joya High 6 15 10 14 — 45
la joya (45) — Ashley Olivarez 13, Karina Casanova 10, Clarissa Mendiola 9, Selene Alaffa 4, Daniela Cantu 4, Monica Garcia 3, Alyssa Soliz 2
mission high (27) — Emberly Garza 10, Kimberly Barrera 6, Brittany Garza 6, Ashley Diaz 3, Clarissa Gonzalez 2
RECORDS: La Joya High 14-14, 2-4; Mission 2-23, 0-5.

District 31-6A
WESLACO HIGH 57, EDINBURG ECONOMEDES 33
Weslaco High 11 18 9 19 — 57
Edinburg Economedes 8 8 8 9 — 33
WESLACO HIGH (57) — Gabby Cazares 2, Amy Garcia 9, Ebany Nicholson 2, Liliana Rodriguez 6, Jazlynn Muniz 22, Bree Pena 16
EDINBURG ECONOMEDES (33) — Marixa Viera 4, Daniela Castro 8, Kassandra Trevino 2, Silvia Perez 19
RECORDS: Weslaco High 22-6, 5-0; Edinburg High 10-12, 1-4.

EDINBURG HIGH 50, WESLACO EAST 36
Edinburg High 18 15 12 5 — 50
Weslaco East 3 7 15 11 — 36
EDINBURG HIGH (50) — Jayla Santa Maria 24, Reyna Del Castillo 2, Mercedes Hernandez 13, Jennesah Santa Maria 2, Jennifer Galvan 1, Natalie Roxburgh 2, Yvette Olvera 6
WESLACO EAST (36) — Chylee LeFevre 16, Kimberley Charles 6, Yari Marin 5, Mig Cepeda 4, Gissel Reyes 3, Valerie Castaneda 2.
RECORDS: Weslaco East 16-14, 3-2; Edinburg High 23-7, 4-1.

District 31-5A
SHARYLAND HIGH 51, VALLEY VIEW 29
Sharyland High 12 12 12 15 — 51
Valley View 2 4 12 11 — 29
SHARYLAND HIGH (51) — Nany Carretero 10, Ania Pelayo 2, Lizzie Hernandez 4, Sonia Trevino 10, Anna Marshall 6, Maddie Garza 22
VALLEY VIEW (29) — Saenz 3, Del Angel 3, Ramirez 13, Hernandez 5, Villanueva 5.
RECORDS: Sharyland High 20-7, 5-0; Valley View 9-17, 0-5.

ROMA 47, SHARYLAND PIONEER 40
Roma 18 9 6 14 — 47
Sharyland Pioneer 8 7 9 16 — 40
ROMA (47) — Yeritza Saenz 5, Jeselle Guerra 6, Krissynthia Rocha 12, Denise Pena 7, Samantha Alaniz 13, Diamond Ramirez 4.
SHARYLAND PIONEER (40) — Ashley Briseno 5, Chelsea Chandler 4, Crystal Alonzo 2, Miranda Ramos 14, Cesia Beltran 2, Melissa De Leon 9, Marie Aguilar 4.
RECORDS: Roma 9-20, 3-2; Sharyland Pioneer 7-21, 1-5.

District 32-5A
DONNA HIGH 42, DONNA NORTH 41
Donna High 6 13 6 17 — 42
Donna North 4 10 14 13 — 41
DONNA HIGH (42) — Sarah Gonzalez 3, Celeste Mata 6, Daisy Rios 2, Alex Cantu 4, Ashlee Moreno 2, Laurynn Williams 8, Bridget Guillen 8, Aileen Garza 9.
DONNA NORTH (41) — Nallely Contreras 4, Jackie Contreras 5, I’Dasha Sorrell 5, Evelyn De Leon 14, Jasmine Trejo 7, Yara Ybarra 4, Kassandra Sanchez 2.
RECORDS: Donna High 8-18, 3-3; Donna North 11-14, 1-5.

MERCEDES 47, PSJA SOUTHWEST 36
Mercedes 11 9 17 10 — 47
PSJA Southwest 6 6 15 9 — 36
MERCEDES (47) — Alyssa Marquez 14.
PSJA SOUTHWEST (36) — Marilee Medellin 9.
RECORDS: Mercedes 18-9, 6-0; PSJA Southwest 5-21, 2-4.

District 32-4A
RIO HONDO 46, GRULLA 37
Grulla 10 9 14 4 — 37
Rio Hondo 12 9 3 21 — 46
GRULLA (37) — Samantha Sifuentes 13, Abby Flores 12, Caro Alamill 7, Maxine Solis 5.
RIO HONDO (46) — not reported.
RECORDS: Grulla 11-13, 2-4; Rio Hondo 19-7, 5-1.

District 32-3A
BROWNSVILLE FRONTIER 38, EDINBURG IDEA QUEST 37
Edinburg IDEA Quest 12 5 8 12 — 37
Brownsville Frontier 6 7 8 17 — 38
EDINBURG IDEA QUEST (37) — Diana Martinez 2, Alyssa Cuellar 17, Esmer Rodriguez 1, Carolina Cantu 7, Abigail Gonzalez 2, Marbella Nunez 6.
BROWNSVILLE FRONTIER (38) — Not reported.
RECORDS: Edinburg IDEA Frontier 6-13, 1-1; Brownsville Frontier 2-3, 1-1.

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

After 37 years of coaching football, PSJA North’s Jorge Peña came to a profound realization over the Holidays while spending time with family in Austin.

“My oldest grandson was three inches taller since the last time I’d seen him,” Peña said. “That’s totally unacceptable.”

That moment caused Peña to reflect on the delicate balance between his love for the game and his resolve to remain tethered to the people closest to him. Peña announced to players and coaches on Monday that he was retiring.

Peña coached PSJA North for two seasons, finishing with an overall record of 10-12, going 8-4 in District 31-6A. The Raiders made back-to-back appearances in the bi-district round after going 0-10 the year before Peña’s arrival.

“We never lost to an Edinburg school,” Peña said about the team’s success in district competition. “Only the Weslaco schools can say they beat us, and we’re the only team that beat Weslaco (High).”

Peña finishes with a career record of 91-76-2. His first head-coaching stint came at Rio Grande City in 1989 and lasted until 1994. After a one-year stop at Zapata in 1996, Peña returned to Rio from 1998 to 2001 before coaching at Hidalgo from 2005 to 2008.

Peña’s arrival at North brought him back to the same program where he served under longtime Valley-coach Bruce Bush, who Peña refers to as a mentor.

“I’m very fortunate to be able to do the same thing as him,” he said. “We had a 10-0 season in 1982, and I love the community of Pharr and the people. To be able to finish here was a blessing.”

The decision to leave the game was discussed between Peña and his wife, Dr. Leticia Peña, who is the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction for PSJA ISD. Peña said his wife backs him up 100 percent and that now is the time to support her career with equal measure.

“When I played the game at Texas state, I played as hard as I could,” Peña said. “When I played my last game, I left no unfinished business. I love the game, I gave it everything I had. As a coach, I have the same feeling right now. I coached as hard as I could and gave it my very best effort and made sure that every kid had a level playing field. I feel very good about that.”

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