BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

Coach Marisa Gutierrez knew what she was getting into when she made the move from Mercedes to PSJA Memorial during the summer.

At Mercedes, Gutierrez built a perennial playoff contender and back-to-back district champion. The Pharr native is looking to do the same for a Memorial program accustomed to struggles and losses — as recently as last year, the Lady Wolverines went 0-12 in District 31-6A.

At the season’s midway point, however, Memorial and its guard-heavy roster has scrapped its way to 11-12 record.

Wednesday served as a microcosm of Memorial’s season. During a game against San Benito at the McAllen Memorial tournament, the Lady Wolverines enjoyed a seven point lead during the third quarter before losing 48-38.

“We’re still trying to find that consistency and learn how to finish games,” Gutierrez said. “There are times when we play great and are doing what we’re supposed to do, but as soon as we get down or start to struggle, we kind of lose that sense of urgency.”

Part of the reason for the Lady Wolverines’ inconsistencies is their youth. At one point this year, the team started four sophomores and a junior.

With its varsity inexperience, Memorial has had to learn as they play, but the team is showing signs of grown. Guard Alex Soto, who leads the team in scoring with 11.1 points per game, is a budding 3-point threat. Teammate Monique De Leon, averaging 4.4 steals per game, is among the Valley’s best defenders and can be aggressive on the court as she is diminutive in stature.

“I know we can get to the level we aspire to be at,” Gutierrez said. “It’s just going to have to take time on the court. Hopefully we take our bumps and learn from them.”

500 WINS
With Laredo United’s 44-42 win over McAllen Memorial on Wednesday at the McAllen Memorial tournament, long-time Valley coach Rachel Carmona celebrated her 500th career win.

Though Carmona accomplished the benchmark as a Longhorn, 490 of those wins came during her time in the Valley.

Carmona has coached for 23 years, including stints at Hidalgo, Edinburg High and Mission High. This is her first year coaching United.

“Everybody else was thinking about it except for me,” Carmona said of her achievement. “I didn’t want anyone else to know about it. It’s not about me winning, it’s about the kids winning.”

“… I’m very fortunate though. I’ve been honored to work with a lot of great athletes over the years.”

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McAllen Memorial Tournament
Dec. 29-30
Tuesday’s Games
Main Gym

Game 1: McAllen Memorial 74, IDEA Alamo 9
Game 4: PSJA North 44, La Joya Palmview 32
Game 9: McAllen Memorial 44, San Benito 41
Game 10: PSJA North 51, Brownsville Veterans Memorial 43
Game 13: Harlingen High 58, PSJA Memorial 33
Game 16: Laredo United 40, Brownsville St. Joseph Academy

Back Gym

Game 2: San Benito 33, Valley View 21
Game 5: Harlingen High 74, Mission High 16
Game 8: Laredo United 68, PSJA Southwest 21
Game 11: Valley View 62, IDEA Alamo 1
Game 15: Los Fresnos 58, PSJA Southwest 28

Cathey Middle School

Game 3: Brownsville Veterans Memorial 50, Sharyland Pioneer 23
Game 6: PSJA Memorial 45, Brownsville Pace 31
Game 7: Brownsville St. Joseph Academy 42, Los Fresnos 18
Game 12: La Joya Palmview 42, Sharyland Pioneer 36
Game 14: Brownsville Pace 63, Los Fresnos 35

Wednesday’s Games
Main Gym

Game 17: PSJA North 57, McAllen Memorial 31
Game 18: Harlingen High 56, Laredo United 52
Game 21: San Benito 49, PSJA Memorial 38
Game 30: Consolation Gold: Los Fresnos 43, La Joya Palmview 30
Game 31: Third Place: Laredo United 44, McAllen Memorial 42
Game 32: Championship: Harlingen High 62, PSJA North 57

Back Gym

Game 19: La Joya Palmview 56, Valley View 23
Game 20: Los Fresnos 47, Brownsville Pace 35
Game 23: Sharyland Pioneer 44, IDEA Alamo 11
Game 29: Brownsville Pace 50, Valley View 23
Game 27: Sharyland Pioneer 37, Mission High 33
Game 25: Brownsville Veterans Memorial 54, San Benito 46

Cathey Middle School

Game 24: Mission High 40, PSJA Southwest 38
Game 22: Brownsville Veterans Memorial 41, Brownsville St. Joseph 35
Game 28: PSJA Southwest 42, IDEA Alamo 20
Game 26: PSJA Memorial 35, Brownsville St. Joseph 31

All-Tournament Team

MVP: Sami Quilantan, Harlingen High
Marissa Gasca, Harlingen High; Addison Dickey, Harlingen High; Belle Palacios, PSJA North; Sarah Serrano, PSJA North; Olivia Camperos, Laredo United; Tani Talamantez, McAllen Memorial; Jordan Rudd, Brownsville Veterans Memorial, Lynette Duran, Los Fresnos

McAllen Rowe girls basketball tournament
Dec. 29 – Dec. 30
McAllen Rowe High School
Tuesday’s Games

Edinburg North 60, Hidalgo 40
McAllen Rowe 50, Juan Diego Academy 21
C.C. Moody 45, Donna High 37
Edinburg North 66, Juan Diego Academy 13
Hidalgo 45, Donna High 34
McAllen Rowe 66, CC Moody 30

Wednesday’s Games

Edinburg North 55, C.C. Moody 32
Hidalgo 47, Juan Diego Academy 23
McAllen Rowe 61, Donna High 20
Hidalgo 48, C.C. Moody 37
McAllen Rowe 44, Edinburg North 42
Donna High 34, Juan Diego Academy 25

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — Wednesday’s game was a close summation of recent events for the PSJA North Lady Raiders – inconsistent play followed by brilliant execution en route to another win.

But there was no saving grace of victory against Harlingen High during the McAllen Memorial tournament championship game. Though the Lady Raiders outscored the Lady Cardinals by 13 in the final two quarters, an uninspired first half equaled a 62-57 loss.

“They came out and were pretty tough on us,” North senior forward Belle Palacios said. “They knew how to stop us, we didn’t expect that. But I think we did pretty good keeping up with them, but we just fell short.”

After trailing by double digits for much of the evening, a pair of free throws from North’s Stephanie Crispin made it 60-57 in favor of Harlingen with 90 seconds remaining. But a spirited comeback led by Palacios — who scored a team-high 19 points — and guard Sarah Serrano (12 points) was rendered futile by a pair of back-to-back turnovers to give Harlingen its 11th straight win.

While the Lady Raiders played incomplete games against La Joya Palmview, Brownsville Veterans Memorial and McAllen Memorial during the two-day tourney, they were able to scrap and shoot their way to wins. However, Harlingen’s size and defense proved too much.

“We just got pressured early on and couldn’t handle it,” North coach Randy Bocanegra said.

The Lady Raiders, a guard-heavy unit reliant on outside shooting and dribble penetration, was routinely flustered by Harlingen, which ran opposing shooters off the 3-point line and into a lane swarmed by Lady Cardinals.

Harlingen led 10-1 during the early portion of the first quarter, looking every bit like the state-ranked team it is. Tournament MVP Sami Quilantan anchored her team’s defensive attack while post Addison Dickey scored seven of her game-high 21 points during the first quarter. She also notched a double-double by collecting 10 rebounds.

“It was her game,” Harlingen coach Ashley Moncavaiz said. “She was off in our last game against Laredo United. She was missing a lot of shots. At one point she was 1-of-9. I talked to her and she got rested and she came out and played better for us.”

Harlingen coasted to a 34-18 halftime lead. Despite the lofty margin and the appearance of another easy victory, Moncavaiz knew North was too potent to remain clumsy.

“They’re one of those teams that you can never let up against,” she said. “They always find ways to come back and get things going.”

And get going they did. After making just one field goal in the first half, Palacios scored 12 third-quarter points to jump-start her team’s sputtering offense. North started getting steals, leading to easy buckets, and was able to finish in the lane.

“Coach told us, ‘They’re pushing you guys, you gotta push back,’ “Palacios said. “We were scared. We let them stomp on us a lot. We just told each other to get back in the game, and we did. We started scoring.”

But while the Lady Raiders offense rediscovered its spark, their defense continued giving up easy points in the paint. Miscommunication and bad rotations led to more Harlingen buckets at the rim.

The Lady Cardinals enjoyed a 50-34 lead entering the final eight minutes, but a 23-point burst from North almost led to an upset. Lady Raiders guard Sarah Serrano scored seven fourth-quarter points on her fist start of the tournament. Serrano is working her way back from a knee injury.

“She didn’t complain or say anything,” Bocanegra said. “I asked her if her she needed a break. She said, ‘I’m good, coach. Let’s run.’ She brought a lot of energy. Her conditioning might be a little off, but she showed a lot of energy and she’s one of the reasons we made that comeback.”

Their final non-district game complete, the Lady Raiders turn their focus to a competitive District 31-6A and a chance at back-to-back district titles.

It’s going to be a tight game every time we play in district,” Bocanegra said. “We have to be prepared to be able to match other team’s intensity. We didn’t do that the first half.”

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BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — There was never any doubt concerning Renee Flores’ talent, not from her coaching staff or the La Joya Palmview freshman herself.

Despite her youth and lack of varsity experience, Flores’ skillset was apparent as she blossomed from a fourth-grade novice to a budding middle school prospect: the length and agility, her soft shooting touch, court vision and ability to finish at the rim. Coupled with a quiet confidence, Flores’s play is cool but controlled and commanding.

“I’ve put a lot of time and effort into the game,” Flores said. “I’m dedicated and I know that I can be here helping my team.”

Flores was certainly a help for her team Tuesday at the McAllen Memorial girls basketball tournament. Though the Lady Lobos dropped their opening-round game to PSJA North 44-32, Flores scored 19 points on 8-of-12 attempts and was one reason the Lady Raiders were unable to completely pull away.

The freshman guard collected buckets from downtown, at the rim, the charity stripe and off fast-break opportunities generated by takeaways. At one point, Flores made five consecutive attempts, fueling a second-half Palmview comeback.

“I think she’s growing into what type of player she wants to be,” caoch Anisa Reyna said. “She wants to be more aggressive and get to the line. She wants to be able to get off the dribble and take it and score. She wants to showcase those little skills that aren’t always taught or emphasized, but are things we hammer home at our program.”

Flores has assimilated well with her new team. Through 19 games, Flores is averaging a team-high 13.7 points per game along with 2.5 steals and 1.8 assists. Alongside teammates Samantha Gutierrez and Brittany Cano, Palmview (13-6) boasts a guard attack predicated on balance.
“I just want to fit in on the team,” Flores said. “I’m just trying compliment the talent that’s already here and help get this team to where we want to be.”

Reyna and others on Palmview’s staff often describe Flores as unselfish, a capable threat that’s still able to work within the confines of a particular system. But Flores and the rest of the Lady Lobos are being counted on to do more than contend once more for a District 30-6A title. They bear the burden of establishing a winning foundation at a program without one.

“Last year was a good year for us,” Reyna said. “But we don’t want to be a flash in the pan or some one-hit wonder. We still need to improve decision making, cut back on turnovers and work on our consistency in order to get to where teams like PSJA North are.”

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Tuesday’s Games

Non-district

Edinburg Economedes 44, Brownsville IDEA Frontier 35

Edinburg High 61, Edcouch-Elsa 38

Edinburg IDEA Quest 51, Falfurrias 35

Grulla 48, Santa Rosa 40

La Joya High 62, Donna North 58, OT

Mission Veterans Memorial 54, McAllen High 26

Rio Grande City 63, Raymondville 21

Weslaco East 41, Mercedes 25

Weslaco High 60, H.M. Kingsville 20

Valley-Girls Basketball Tournament Schedule

McAllen Memorial Tournament

Dec. 29-30

Tuesday’s Games

Main Gym

Game 1: McAllen Memorial 74, IDEA Alamo 9

Game 4: PSJA North 44, La Joya Palmview 32

Game 9: McAllen Memorial 44, San Benito 41

Game 10: PSJA North 51, Brownsville Veterans Memorial 43

Game 13: Harlingen High 58, PSJA Memorial 33

Game 16: Laredo United 40, Brownsville St. Joseph Academy 31

Back Gym

Game 2: San Benito 33, Valley View 21

Game 5: Harlingen High 74, Mission High 16

Game 8: Laredo United 68, PSJA Southwest 21

Game 11: Valley View 62, IDEA Alamo 1

Game 15: Los Fresnos 58, PSJA Southwest 28

Cathey Middle School

Game 3: Brownsville Veterans Memorial 50, Sharyland Pioneer 23

Game 6: PSJA Memorial 45, Brownsville Pace 31

Game 7: Brownsville St. Joseph Academy 42, Los Fresnos 18

Game 12: La Joya Palmview 42, Sharyland Pioneer 36

Game 14: Brownsville Pace 63, Los Fresnos 35

Wednesday’s Games

Main Gym

Game 17: McAllen Memorial vs. PSJA North, 9 a.m.

Game 18: Harlingen High vs. Laredo United, 10:45 a.m.

Game 21: San Benito vs. PSJA Memorial, 12:30 p.m.

Game 30: Consolation Gold: Winner Game 19 vs. Winner Game 20, 2:15 p.m.

Game 31: Third Place: Loser Game 17 vs. Loser Game 18, 4 p.m.

Game 32: Championship: Winner Game 17 vs. Winner Game 18, 5:45 p.m.

Back Gym

Game 19: Valley View vs. La Joya Palmview, 9 a.m.

Game 20: Brownsville Pace vs. Los Fresnos, 10:45 a.m.

Game 23: IDEA Alamo vs. Sharyland Pioneer, 12:30 p.m.

Game 29: Loser Game 19 vs. Loser Game 20, 2:15 p.m.

Game 27: Winner Game 23 vs. Winner Game 24, 4 p.m.

Game 25: Winner Game 21 vs. Winner Game 22, 5:45 p.m.

Cathey Middle School

Game 24: Mission High vs. PSJA Southwest, 12:30 p.m.

Game 22: Brownsville Veterans Memorial vs. Brownsville St. Joseph Academy, 2:15 p.m.

Game 28: Loser Game 23 vs. Loser Game 24, 4 p.m.

Game 26: Loser Game 21 vs. Loser Game 22, 5:45 p.m.

McAllen Rowe girls basketball tournament

Dec. 29 – Dec. 30

McAllen Rowe High School

Tuesday’s Games

Edinburg North 60, Hidalgo 40

McAllen Rowe 50, Juan Diego Academy 21

C.C. Moody 45, Donna Hig h37

Edinburg North 66, Juan Diego Academy 13

Hidalgo 45, Donna High 34

McAllen Rowe 66, CC Moody 30

Wednesday’s Games

C.C. Moody vs. Edinburg North, 9 a.m.

Juan Diego Academy vs. Hidalgo, 10:30 a.m.

McAllen Rowe vs. Donna High, Noon

Hidalgo vs. C.C. Moody, 1:30 p.m.

Edinburg North vs. McAlle Rowe, 3 p.m.

Donna High vs. Juan Diego Academy, 4:30 p.m.

Valley-Girls Basketball Box Scores

Non-district

EDINBURG IDEA QUEST 51, FALFURRIAS 35

Edinburg IDEA Quest 14 4 13 20 — 51

Falfurrias 8 8 8 11 — 35

EDINBURG IDEA QUEST (51) — Diana Martinez 13, Carolina Cantu 12, Marbela Nunez 9, Alyssa Cuellar 8, Tanya Reyna 5, Abigail Gonzalez 2, Sharon Marrufo 2

FALFURRIAS (35) — Not reported

RECORDS: Edinburg IDEA Quest 4-12, 0-0; Falfurrias (Not Reported)

GRULLA 48, SANTA ROSA 40

Grulla xx xx xx xx — 48

Santa Rosa xx xx xx xx — 40

GRULLA (48) — Samantha S. 19 , Iari M. 12, Max S. 7, Abby Flores 4, Jenny M. 4, Leslie G. 2.

SANTA ROSA (40) — Not reported

RECORDS: Grulla 10-10, 1-1; Santa Rosa 2-9, 0-0

LA JOYA HIGH 60, DONNA NORTH, 58, OT

La Joya High 14 13 12 14 7 — 60

Donna North 10 17 12 12 5 — 58

LA JOYA HIGH (60) — Monica Garcia 6, Selene Alaffa 4, Clarissa Mendolia 11, Karina Cassanova 17, Daniella Cantu 12, Ashley Olivarez 10

DONNA NORTH (58) — Jackie Contreras 13, I’Dasha Sorell 15, Jackie Trejo 3, Evelyn De Leon 4, Jenny Cavazos 4, Jasmine Trejo 6, Yara Ybarra 13

RECORDS: La Joya High 12-12, 1-2; Donna North 3-9, 1-1

WESLACO EAST 41, MERCEDES 25

Mercedes 15 4 3 3 — 25

Weslaco East 16 6 10 9 — 41

Mercedes (25) — Alyssa Marquez 7, Jacklynn Flores 7, Emily Ramirez 6, Victoria Anciso 2, Roslynn Rodriguez 2, Kysha Saldivar 1.

WESLACO EAST (41) — Chylee LeFevre 13, Gissel Reyes 9, Kimberley Charles 8, Yaritza Marin 5, Mig Cepeda 4, Gabriela Kirtley 2.

RECORDS: Mercedes 14-9, 2-0; Weslaco East 15-12, 2-0.

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

On the surface, all is going well for PSJA North.

The Lady Raiders are 18-1 behind their usual space-and-pace offense and are joined by Harlingen High as the only Valley teams with one loss.

But the core of the Lady Raiders’ talent has played alongside each other in just three games.
While Belle Palacios missed a game with a neck injury and guard Arianna Medrano missed some time with a bum knee, point guard Sarah Serrano has been sidelined for 16 games with a nagging knee injury.

Though Serrano saw extended minutes in district games against Weslaco High and Edinbug North, she’s still working her way back.

“Her knee isn’t 100 percent,” PSJA North coach Randy Bocanegra said. “I don’t know if it ever will be. It’s a long season with a lot of games, but she has to get back in shape. Not only that, but she has to get back in the groove of the team and find that chemistry as well.”

Despite Serrano’s absence, the Lady Raiders have seen success thanks in part to Palacios.The senior forward leads Valley-girls in scoring with 22.1 points per game in addition to 8.6 rebounds, 5.6 steals and 2.8 assists.

“She’s really been in an attack-first mentality,” Bocanegra said. “She’s looking to score and we’re looking to get her the ball. We want to make sure she touches the ball and is aggressive.”

The Lady Raiders return to the court 10:45 a.m. Tuesday when they open the McAllen Memorial Tournament against La Joya Palmview.

“We should be O.K. when we get back,” Bocanegra said. “It’s going to take some time for Sarah, but we need her out there.”

FRESHMAN FORM

Though Renee Flores is a freshman and the lone new face on La Joya Palmview’s starting five, she’s already making an impact.

In 17 games, Flores is averaging 13.6 points, 2.6 steals and 2.1 assists for a Lady Lobos team out to prove last year’s success was no fluke.
“She brings so much to the table for us,” coach Anisa Reyna said. “She’s really blossoming for us and is taking the heat off of some of our other players.”

One of those other players is senior Samantha Gutierrez. The lefty guard is leading the team in scoring for a second straight year, but is being asked to do less on the offensive end with the emergence of Flores and teammate Brittany Cano.

“It’s a new dynamic for us,” Reyna said. “But Samantha isn’t very selfish. That selflessness has carried onto the rest of the team and onto our bigs as well.

“Brittany controls the offense, but Renee takes the heat to free up what Sam can do for us, too. She has that much to her game.”

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Tuesday’s Games

District 30-6A

McAllen High 64, Mission High 22

McAllen Memorial 48, La Joya High 47

McAllen Rowe 67, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 28

Tuesday’s Games

District 30-6A

McALLEN HIGH 64, MISSION HIGH 22

McAllen High 3 22 20 19 — 64

Mission High 7 2 8 5 — 22

McALLEN HIGH (67) — Brianna Coffee 14, Heaven Wilbanks 12, Victoria Alanis 11, Sydney Pemelton 8, Sandra Murillo 7, Celeste Saenz 4, Alex Gamino 2, Emily Chapa 2, Lesley Rodriguez 2, Jarizza Villarreal 2

MISSION HIGH (22) — Emberly Garza 9, Brittany Garza 6, Ashley Diaz 4, Ashley Sanchez 2, Ariel Sanchez 1

RECORDS: McAllen High 8-14, 1-1; Mission High 1-18, 0-3

McALLEN ROWE 67, LA JOYA JUAREZ-LINCOLN 28

McAllen Rowe 16 25 14 12 — 67

La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 5 7 5 11 — 28

McALLEN ROWE (67) — Vanessa Leal 2, Diana Gonzalez 9, Jovanni Solis 9, Deanna Spear 10, Mayda Garcia 6, Victoria Tarbutton 12, Jewel Membrere 10, Ryela Rodriguez 8, Katalina Rodriguez 1.

LA JOYA JUAREZ-LINCOLN (28) — Not reported.

RECORDS: McAllen Rowe 9-8, 2-0; La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 8-16, 1-2.

BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

During last night’s 31-29 district-opening win over Brownsville Pace, Mercedes coach Monica Meza had a wish that has recurred throughout the season.

“After (Tuesday), it would be nice to have a little bit of height inside,” the first-year coach said.

But barring a sudden and miraculous growth spurt, the Lady Tigers will remain an undersized team heavy on guard-play. Despite playing without a go-to post threat, however, Mercedes (13-8) has proven the early-season favorite in District 32-5A and are the only team in the district with an overall winning record.

But Meza isn’t allowing her team to overlook the competition.

“We’re back-to-back district champions,” Meza said. “We know that people are going to play at a higher level against us. Our kids know the situation, but they also know the goals we have and are ready.”

The Lady Tigers’ lack of size means an increase in physicality in all facets of the game. On defense they often swarm to the ball, setting traps in hopes of generating turnovers into transition buckets. And though they give up their share of offensive rebounds, that doesn’t deter Mercedes

“We still play really physical,” Meza sid. “We’re undersized, but we want to be the most physical person down low.”

Exerting so much energy on both sides of the ball has mean an added focus on endurance during practices. The Lady Tigers often begin with running exercises. Only when they’re winded will they begin drills.

“We get them winded before we get into the heavy stuff, because that’s the way it’s going to be during game time,” Meza said. “I told some of the girls before the season that they had to be in shape because they were going to play 32 minutes a night. If they do get a break, it’s usually just a few minutes.”

The Lady Tigers host Donna North at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.

ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT

The season did not begin the way PSJA High coach Stephanie Cantu imagined. The Lady Bears began their season with an 0-5 record. Since then, however, PSJA has gone 7-6, and have rounded into shape for District 32-5A competition.

“I think the biggest difference is a change in attitude,” Cantu said. “The girls are starting to believe in the system and are starting to play as a team. They play hard and they play together. Everyone has a specific role. Our leading defensive girl is not going to be our leading scorer, they know that now.”

Cantu says the catalyst for the Lady Bears’ improved play was a 50-38 win over La Joya High during the Tommie Wiseman Tournament earlier this month at La Feria.

“They came out and just played,” Canut said. “They looked like a million dollars, and they saw how dangerous we can be. There was just a different atmosphere on the court, but in a good way.”

The leading scorer for PSJA High is Mariah West, a senior post who averages nine points per game. West, a tennis and volleyball player, has been a strong finisher in the paint and has served as the focal point for the team’s press defense, accumulating steals whenever she can.

“Her confidence has really come a long way,” Cantu said. “I’ve seen her potential and I know what she can do. She can really be the standout player in our district.”

WE’RE NEW HERE

Los Fresnos and Rio Grande City are newcomers to the RGVSports.com Top 10 this week, after being unranked during the preseason. The Lady Falcons are 12-6, 1-0 District 32-6A. Rio Grande City is 14-6, 1-0 District 31-5A. Sophomore post Jocy Amaya leads the Lady Rattlers in scoring with 20.7 points per game.

[email protected]

JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER

RIO GRANDE CITY — “We’re just here to have fun.”

It’s a quote so often repeated it has become an innocuous cliche. But that doesn’t stop Gustavo Valenciana from hating it just the same.

“If that’s your attitude, how much harder are you going to work?” the Rio Grande City coach said.

Hearing such an indifferent statement is bad enough for a coach looking to inspire his team, but it’s even worse when his best player says it, as Jocy Amaya did during practice a season ago.

It was that devil-may-care sentiment that defined Amaya and the Lady Rattlers last year. The team ho-hummed its way to a 17-16 record, beating teams they should have while losing on the nights they were scheduled to.

“We would just go out there like it was no big deal,” Amaya, a sophomore post, said. “But this year, we feel like we can go far.”

And just how far the Lady Rattlers go hinges in large part on Amaya, who discovered her competitive side during a rigorous offseason. Over the summer, she played in more than 70 tournament games and put in copious time at the gym.

But aside from that, Amaya discovered her mean streak. The simple joy of playing for fun wasn’t enough. When she stepped on the court, she was there to win.

“As the summer was going along, she would get upset if the team lost,” Valenciana said. “… I was glad to see that happening. She was beginning to understand what we’re here for. Now, if things aren’t going our way or we’re behind, she starts to pick it up.”

But it was more than summer league that helped Amaya play with an edge. She also participated in a camp near Dallas that exposed her to the level of play outside the Valley.

“Up there, everyone is faster, stronger and plays with more intensity,” Amaya said.

The seeds of Amaya’s growth were planted during a 47-29 loss to Sharyland High at the end of the season. The game eliminated RGC from the postseason and left an impression on the then-freshman.

“We had it. It was right there, and then we let it go,” Amaya said. “This year, I know we’re going to make it to the playoffs. There’s more pressure on us now.”

And Amaya has responded to that pressure, spurring on one of the Valley’s early-season surprise teams. Amaya leads the Lady Rattlers in scoring, averaging 20.7 points in 18 games while shooting 52 percent. She also grabs 11.4 rebounds, gets 2.1 blocks and 2.4 steals.

“She’s running the court extremely well,” Valenciana said. “A lot of her baskets have been when she’s running down the court and the guards find her when she’s cutting to the basket. There’s been other times where she posts up. Who are we kidding? The offense is geared to get her the ball.”

Due in large part to Amaya’s efficient numbers and the play of guard Adrianna Cruz, the Lady Rattlers are routinely beating opponents with ease. Heading into Friday’s District 31-5A matchup against Sharyland Pioneer, the team boasts a 14-6 record and has won 11 games by 20 or more points.

“This is our year to shine,” Cruz said. “We’ve been better as a team, we’ve been working hard and we’ve been winning more games. People are talking about us now. We’re very excited. We have talent and we’re putting in the work.”

[email protected]

Valley-Girls Basketball
Tuesday, Dec. 15
Non-district
Mathis 73, Edinburg IDEA Quest 23
District 30-6A
La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 53, Mission High 51
McAllen Memorial 38, La Joya Palmview 35
McAllen Rowe 48, La Joya High 36
District 31-6A
Edinburg Economedes 45, PSJA Memorial 36
Weslaco East 56, Edinburg North 50
Weslaco High 52, PSJA North 49
District 32-6A
Harlingen High 57, Brownsville Hanna 45
Harlingen South 65, Brownsville Lopez 30
Brownsville Veterans Memorial 49, Brownsville Rivera 44
Los Fresnos 35, San Benito 22
District 31-5A
Rio Grande City 45, Roma 33
Sharyland High 52, Edinburg Vela 42
Sharyland Pioneer 51, Valley View 37
District 32-5A
Donna High 58, PSJA Southwest 53, 3OT
Donna North 41, Brownsville Porter 24
Mercedes 31, Brownsville Pace 29
PSJA High 52, Edcouch-Elsa 48
District 32-4A
Grulla 48, Progreso 23
Hidalgo 44, Rio Hondo 37
La Feria 37, Raymondville 21
Zapata 44, Port Isabel 54
District 32-2A
La Villa 45, Bruni 28
Riviera-Kaufer 36, Lasara 27
San Perlita 42, San Isidro 35

Valley-Girls basketball boxscores
Tuesday’s Games
District 30-6A
Mcallen Memorial 38, La Joya Palmview 35
McAllen Memorial 2 10 9 17 — 38
LJ Palmview 6 6 13 10 — 35
MCALLEN MEMORIAL (38) — Ebony Johnson 20, T. Talamantez 3, K. Caldwell 10, V. Trevino 3, S. Smith 2
LA JOYA PALMVIEW (35) — Brittany Cano 2, Samantha Gutierrez 13, Edna Ovalle 4, Rene Flores 8, Cinder Magallon 2, Martha Bocanegra 6
RECORDS: La Joya Palmview 11-5, 0-1.

McALLEN ROWE 48, LA JOYA HIGH 36
McAllen Rowe 15 12 12 9 — 48
La Joya High 8 9 12 7 — 36
McALLEN ROWE (49) — Mayda Garcia 14, Jewel Membrere 10, Govanni Solis 9, Diana Gonzalez 5, Ryela Rodriguez 4, Karolina Rodriguez 4, Vanissa Leal 2.
La Joya High (36) — Monica Garcia 13, Karina Casanova 11, Ashley Olivarez 9, Clarissa Mendiola 2, Daniella Cantu 1.
RECORDS: McAllen Rowe 8-8, 1-0; La Joya High 10-11, 0-1.

District 31-6A
WESLACO EAST 56, EDINBURG NORTH 50
Edinburg North 13 9 8 20 — 50
Weslaco East 9 12 23 12 — 56
WESLACO EAST (56) — Kimberly Charles 15, Gissel Reyes 12, Mig Cepeda 9, Chylee Lefevre 8, Valerie Castaneda 4, Gabriella Kirtley 3, Yaritza Marin 3, Missy Murillo 2.
EDINBURG NORTH (50) — Tiffany Chapa 17, Nikki Rodriguez 9, Melissa Mojarro 6, Fernanda Olvera 5, Clarissa Lopez 3, Allison Peralez 2, Tilly Villarreal 2, Stephanie Flores 2.
RECORDS: Weslaco East 13-12, 1-0; Edinburg North 10-9, 0-1.

EDINBURG ECONOMEDES 45, PSJA MEMORIAL 36
PSJA Memorial 6 5 15 10 — 36
Edinburg Economedes 13 12 14 6 — 45
psja memorial (36) — A. Soto 16, K. Anguiano 7, M. De Leon 4, D. Martinez 3, V. Hernandez 3, M. Garza 2, B. Torres 1
EDINBURG economedes (45) — Sylvia Perez 23, Daniela Castro 14, Ashlet Escalante 4, Brittany Rodriguez 2, Liz Cabrera 2
RECORDS: Economedes 8-8, 1-0.

District 31-5A
SHARYLAND HIGH 52, EDINBURG VELA 42
Sharyland High 9 18 14 11 — 52
Edinburg Vela 8 9 18 7 — 42
SHARYLAND HIGH (52) — Nany Carretero 5, Aydee Hinojosa 4, Ania Garcia 2, Lizzie Hernandez 2, Nataly Almasri 2, Sonia Trevino 9, Anna Marshall 17, Maddie Garza 11.
EDINBURG VELA (42) — Julissa Cuellar 10, Bianca Cortez 8, Cynthia Hernandez 1, Brianne Mata 12, Kayleen Rios 7, Brittany Escobar 4.
RECORDS: Sharyland High 15-7, 1-0; Edinburg Vela 7-12, 0-1.

District 32-5A
DONNA HIGH 58, PSJA SOUTHWEST 53, 3 OT
Donna High 10 15 10 4 3 7 9 — 58
PSJA Southwest 11 12 8 8 3 7 4 — 53
DONNA HIGH (58) — Celeste Mata 11, Mercedes Castaneda 1, Daisy Rios 8, Alex Cabtu 13, Ashley moreno 2, Bridget Guillen 13, eileen Garza 7.
PSJA SOUTHWEST (53) — Miranda Garcia 6, Liz Melendez 2, Mary Lee Medellin 17, Kim Bucio 7, Cathy Bucio 4, Hannah Martinez 11, Dalia Cardenas 5.
RECORDS: Donna High not reported; PSJA Southwest 2-15, 0-1.

DONNA NORTH 41, BROWNSVILLE PACE 24
Donna North 11 8 12 10 — 41
Brownsville Pace 8 0 11 5 — 24
DONNA NORTH (41) — Tori Valles 2, Jackie Contreras 2, I’Dasha Sorell 14, Ana Tijerino 1, Evelyn De Leon 7, Jasmine Trejo 10, Nallely Contreras 5
BROWNSVILLE PACE (24) — Marquel Rivera 5, Vanessa Hernandez 2, Brissa Rivera 3, Karen Garcia 1, Karla Sosa 11, Krista Quiroz 2.
RECORDS: Donna North 11-6, 1-0.

PSJA HIGH 52, EDCOUCH-ELSA 48
PSJA High xx xx xx xx — 52
Edcouch-Elsa xx xx xx xx — 48
PSJA HIGH (52) — Mariah West 22, Erin Castaneda 15.
EDCOUCH-ELSA (48) — Not reported.
RECORDS: PSJA High 7-12, 1-0; Edcouch-Elsa 7-13, 0-1.

District 32-4A
GRULLA 48, PROGRESO 23
Grulla xx xx xx xx — 48
Progreso xx xx xx xx — 23
GRULLA (48) — Larissa Martinez 16, Samantha Sifuentes 12, Leslie Guerrero 6.
PROGRESO (23) — Not reported.
RECORDS: Grulla 9-9, 1-0; Progreso 10-6, 0-1.