KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

LA FERIA — In front of a bevy of friends and family, the La Feria Lionettes saw star basketball athlete Myah Salas sign a letter of intent Wednesday to play hoops at Central Methodist University next fall.

Salas is a four-year letterman in both basketball and volleyball.

“It’s very exciting to be in this position,” said Salas. “It hit me that I’ll be playing at the next level and that is something that I have been work-ing for since I was in junior high.”

Salas has provided stability in both volleyball and basketball over the last three years. This year Salas was named The Valley Morning All-Star Most Valuable Player on the volleyball court and was a part of back-to-back district titles.

This year on the hardwood, Salas is off to a strong start and has helped guide La Feria to a 5-1 start in district play. So far this season she is averaging 16 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

Central Methodist University is located in Fayette, Missouri, and is a part of the Heart of America Conference and a Division I NAIA school.

“On my first visit, it was a very family friendly oriented place. They welcomed me with open arms and I felt right at home,” she said. “I met (recruiter) Ben Lopez my freshman year and he was able to talk to me and my parents. I know it’s going to be tough because it’s a fast- paced lifestyle and it’s going to be a challenge playing at the next level, but I’m ready for the challenge.”

La Feria girls head basketball coach Angel Martinez sung Salas’ praises on Wednesday.

“It’s a blessing for her to be able to play at the next level because not everyone gets to do that,” said Martinez. “At the end of the day, it’s all about getting an education and becoming a good citizen to our community. Athletes like her don’t come around very often and it’s something that you treasure as a coach, and it’s always a sad time to see those four years come and go. But you have someone like Myah who leaves a good legacy and the younger kids look up to that.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

Santa Maria continued to roll with its fourth straight win on Tuesday night. The Lady Coogs breezed past San Perlita 65-37 and up their re-cord to 20-2 overall and 2-0 in District 32-2A play.

In the win, Byanca Cantu netted a team high 19 points and grabbed seven steals. Yazmin Cantu, meanwhile, recorded a triple-double with 17 points, 10 boards and 10 steals. Lorena Ayala finished with nine points and nine steals, and Keana Ortiz had eight points and nine assists.

Up next is a date with Lasara next Tuesday at 6.

LA FERIA LIONETTES KEEP PACE IN 32-4A: La Feria picked up a 30-28 win against Raymondville on Tuesday and improved its district re-cord to 5-1. The Lionettes are now tied with Hidalgo, which also holds a 5-1 mark.

Both Kayla Lowe and Karina Diaz scored eight points in the win. La Feria will look to remain hot when they host Grulla on Friday.

LADY CARDS KEEP PACE: Harlingen High picked up a convincing 63-39 win against Brownsville Hanna on Tuesday and has now won three in a row.

With the win, Big Red keeps pace with Weslaco, which is also 5-1 in District 32-6A, and San Benito, which is 6-0. On Friday Harlingen will travel to San Benito for a battle for first place.

“Every time Harlingen and San Benito play it brings a playoff atmosphere,” said Lady Cards coach Ashley Moncivaiz. “Our district is deep with competitive teams. This allows us to prepare for other teams come playoff time.”

LADY HAWKS EARN ROAD WIN: Harlingen South earned a 37-30 road win at Weslaco East on Tuesday that keeps the Lady Hawks a float in the playoff race with a 3-3 District 32-6A record. South will now prepare for Brownsville Rivera at 7:30 on Friday.

32-6A BOYS HOOPS: Harlingen South kept the train rolling with a 59-50 win against Weslaco East on Tuesday. Chanz Love scored 12 points and pulled down five rebounds. Aaron Briones. Meanwhile, dished 12 points and had four steals while Grant Lowery hit three 3-pointers while scoring 11 points, and Sean Turrubiates netted 10 points and grabbed four rebounds.

South will meet Rivera on Friday with the Bird Bowl against Harlingen High on the horizon next Tuesday.

Harlingen High rebounded with a strong 81-61 win over Hanna and improved to 3-1 in District 32-6A play. The Cards remain alive and well in the conference race behind both South and Los Fresnos, which are both 4-0.

Harlingen will play rival San Benito, which lost to Weslaco on Tuesday. The Cards will get a crack at South on Tuesday before they wrap up the first round of district play.

DOGS USE DOUBLE-DOUBLES IN WIN: Lyford cruised to a 77-52 win against La Villa and is now 9-7 on the year. It was a strong night on the boards for the Bulldogs as the team pulled down 57 rebounds.

Both Chase Hinojosa and Layne Klostermann finished with double-doubles. Hinojosa finished with16 points and 12 boards while Kloster-mann had 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Lyford’s next opponent will be Friday at 7:30 at Monte Alto.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN — Coming off their biggest loss of the season against Los Fresnos, Harlingen High Cardinals coach Greg Yates wanted his team to use the loss as motivation.

The Cardinals did just that as they shook off a slow start and cruised past Brownsville Hanna 81-51 on Tuesday night.

“We came out sluggish in the first quarter, but we picked things up in the second quarter,” Yates said. “We got the momentum and hit some threes and it carried over into the second half, and once we were able to hit some shots we were able to settle in.”

The Cardinals improved to 3-1 in District 32-6A play and kept pace with both Los Fresnos and Harlingen South who both won Tuesday and are 4-0 in league play. Harlingen will now prepare for San Benito on Friday. Hanna (0-4) meanwhile is still in search for its first district win and host Weslaco East this weekend.

Harlingen fell behind early 11-3 in the opening quarter, but in the second quarter the Cards found their form and began the quarter on an 8-2 run that tied the game at 15-all. Kameryn Gonzalez gave Harlingen its first lead of the night at 19-18 with 4:10 in the second quarter and the Cards didn’t look back from there.
Junior Michael Arellano fueled the second-quarter run with 11 of his game high 23 points.

In the second period, Harlingen outscored Hanna 24-9 and held a comfortable 31-22 lead at the break.

“Coach wanted us to use Friday’s loss as motivation for tonight’s game,” Arellano said. “It was a bad loss; it was embarrassing the way we lost against Los Fresnos. We knew we had to come out tonight and play hard against a tough Hanna team.”

The third quarter was a mirror image of the second quarter with Harlingen outscoring Hanna 33-11. Antonio Aguilar hit a pair of threes while Arellano netted 10 points in the quarter.

Along with Arellano, two other Cards finished in double figures. Jeremey Vasquez scored 14 while John Ortega netted 11 points in the win.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

Harlingen saw their three game win streak snapped on Friday in a 91-40 loss to Los Fresnos. The Falcons are now tied with Harlingen South with 3-0 records for first place in District 32-6A. Los Fresnos dominated from the first whistle and outscored Harlingen in each quarter.

In the second half, the Falcons outscored Harlingen 53-21.

The Cardinals are 2-1 in district play and look to rebound against Browns-ville Hanna on Tuesday at Hanna with the tipoff set for 6 pm.
The Falcons saw Jordan Urbina score 19 points in the win along with Andrew Carrizales who finished with a team high 23 points.

SAN BENITO

After a double overtime loss to Harlingen South, San Benito picked up their first district win against Hanna 57-42 on Friday.

Three Hounds scored in double figures in that game. David Sanchez led the way with 18 points, Aaron Medrano scored 16 and Ryan Reza finished with 15 points. Up next is another tough home game Tuesday against Weslaco at 6 pm.

WESLACO

Weslaco meanwhile is looking to shake off a surprising 1-2 start in district.

Harlingen South took a big step forward with their win against Weslaco on Friday. The Hawks are now 3-0 in district play and will have Brownsville Rivera on Tuesday. Aaron Briones led the Hawks with 24 points in the win.

“Rivera is another tough team in our district,” Hawks coach Brian Molina said. “They have a lot of experience and play very well; it’s going to be an-other test for us.”

SUB 5A

Both Lyford and Santa Rosa picked up wins on Friday. The Warriors earned a 64-61 win against Bishop. Santa Rosa is now 7-8 on the season and will host Brownsville St. Joseph at 7:30 on Tuesday.

The Bulldogs meanwhile gutted past Falfurrias 62-59 in overtime, improving to 8-6 on the year. Lyford will travel to La Villa Tues-day with the game time scheduled for 6:30.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

Santa Maria won its third straight game on Friday, but most importantly, the Lady Cougars won their district opener 38-28 against San Isidro. Santa Maria is now an impressive 19-2 on the season and will now prepare for San Perlita at home on Tuesday with the tip off scheduled for 6 pm.

In the win, Byanca Cantu led the team in scoring with 10 points and eight rebounds. Teammate Lorena Ayala finished with seven points and eight steals while Keana Ortiz and Clara Briones both scored six points each.

HARLINGEN

Junior Taegan Dickey lit up the scoreboard on Friday night. Dickey was one of four Lady Cards to finish in the game in double figures. Dickey netted 24 points and led Big Red to a convincing 85-69 win against Los Fresnos.

Harlingen also saw Nadia Flores score 18 points, Julieann Garza finished with 19 and Ariel Leal netting 12 points.

The win puts the Lady Cards at 4-1 in district play and will finish the first round of district action against Brownsville Hanna on Tuesday, then a road game at San Benito on Friday.

LADY HOUNDS

San Benito, meanwhile, took care of business against Hanna on Friday, with a 60-33 win against Hanna. The Lady Hounds are now 5-0 in district and will host Weslaco High on Tuesday who is also 5-0 in district play.

Miranda Vallejo checked in another strong performance with 19 points, Haley Lopez scored 12, Emilee Barraza finished with 10, Mikayla Garcia wound up with eight and Arlene Lucero netted nine points in the win.

LADY HAWKS

Harlingen South is coming off a rough week with losses against San Benito and Weslaco. On Friday, the Lady Hawks fell to Weslaco 64-38.
In the loss, Cameron Del Angel led South in scoring with 13 points.

Up next for the Lady Hawks is a match up with Weslaco East on Tuesday with the tip-off set for 7:30.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

Santa Rosa won their fifth consecutive game on Friday 64-61 against Bishop, with senior point guard AB Lozoya scoring 21 points in the win. With the win the Warriors are now 11-12 on the young season and are led by their senior Lozoya. The shifty point guard is a four-year letterman and is looking to guide the Warriors back to the postseason. The Valley Morning Star had a chance to catch up with Lozoya and get to know the senior a little better.

Q: So far, how has your senior season been, has it hit you that this is your final season?

A: I think my senior year has been going pretty good. Even though we haven’t been winning as much as I expected, I’ve been enjoying it. It has hit me, and I’m just trying to make the most out of every game and practice. I’m also trying to make great memories with everything that happens.

Q: After a slow start to the season, you all have been playing some good basketball what has been the difference?

A: The difference from the start of the season to now is that we finally started playing like we want to win. Most games we lost were mainly because a lot of us weren’t willing to play aggressive or go for loose balls. Now, we know that we have to do whatever it takes to win the game.

Q: What are some goals you set for yourself this season?

A: My main goal is to make it back to the regional tournament, and hopefully being able to make it to the state tournament again. I also want to be able to tell myself that I gave it everything I had, and not have to say that I could’ve given it a little more effort.

Q: What were some things you worked on in the off-season to help your game?

A: I had to work on my shot a lot more, finishing with my left hand, playing better defense and being able to take care of the ball more. I always felt like these were never good enough for the team, and I just want to be able to help them out as much as I can.

Q: As a senior how have you helped guide the younger guys on the team?

A: The main thing I tell them is that they shouldn’t be afraid to go in and play their game because I know that these guys are good. We all know how good they can be, and they can help us out, but they can’t be afraid to play against other teams, especially if they’re bigger than us. I also tell them that they should focus on defense as much as they do with offense because it’s really important in the game, and being able to dribble, pass or finish with their left because they’ll be a lot more dominant.

Q: Who is your favorite NBA point guard and why?

A: My favorite NBA point guard (He’s also my favorite basketball player) is Chris Paul because he plays so calm, and he’s a pass first player. I like that he’s always trying to create a good shot for his teammates, but when he needs to, he can also create his own shot. He also focuses on playing defense a lot, which is pretty rare now, and I like that I can relate to him being one of the smallest guys playing. He’s also not a cocky player, plays the game the way he wants it.

Q: What is the best part about playing the point guard position?

A: The best part about playing point guard is that your teammates will like you more because you’re helping them score, and that you can control the tempo of the game. You can play the way you want, and they rely on you most of the time. I like that I have their trust when I have the ball.

Q: How much does your size motivate you to play?

A: My size helps me play a lot harder because I know a lot of people believe that small people are not good and can’t compete with bigger guys. This makes me want to prove all of them wrong, and hopefully I can also motivate smaller guys to not be afraid to play against bigger people.

Q: So far what has been your best memory on playing basketball for Santa Rosa?

A: Making it to state with close friends and coach Cipriano. Since middle school, I thought about making it to the state tournament, and now I can finally say I did it. Having coach and my friends made it a lot better, and it’s something I’ll never forget.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

HARLINGEN—The Weslaco Lady Panthers remain the team to beat in district 32-6A. Weslaco used a strong first half and earned a 54-38 win against Harlingen South Friday afternoon.

“We’re in the position that we need to be in,” said Weslaco coach Griselda Fino. “We still have a lot of basketball left to play. To be in the position we’re in right now is something to be proud of.”

Three Lady Panthers finished in double figures, led by Bree Pena who scored a game high 21 points. Emily Saenz scored 12 and Illiyah Cantu dropped 11 points in the win.

“We’re excited to be 5-0 in district, but there is still a lot of work to be done,” said Pena. “We need to focus on the things we need to correct and we will be OK.”

After a shaky start, Weslaco led 21-10 after the first quarter. Weslaco adjusted and slowed down their pace after coming out too aggressive in the opening minutes. At the break, Weslaco was in cruise control 31-16.

With the win, Weslaco is 5-0 in district play while their next opponent, San Benito, also picked up a 60-33 victory over Brownsville Hanna, thus setting the stage for Tuesday.

Both teams are 5-0 and will get a shot at taking the district lead as we reach the midway point. Weslaco will have a date at San Benito Tuesday, then Los Fresnos Friday to wrap up the first round of district play.

“Up next is San Benito, this is definitely the toughest girls district in the Valley,” Fino said. “They’re a tough, senior led team and they have a lot of experience. They have some good guards who can shoot and attack the basket.

“I think it’s going to come down to who executes better defensively, but I’m looking forward to an exciting and tough game Tuesday.”

While the upcoming week may be a big one for the Lady Panthers, it’s a -been there, done that- mentality for the Lady Panthers.

“I take the younger girls under my wing and I’ll show them the little things in practice,” Pena said. “I tell them to work hard and keep pushing. Today I kept driving to the basket, they were manning up on us, we were able to execute our game plan, but we managed to contain ourselves and get the win.”

KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer

HARLINGEN—Although the district season is still young, Harlingen South made a statement with their 64-53 win over Weslaco High Friday afternoon.

The Hawks were led by senior point guard Aaron Briones who scored a game-high 24 points in the win.

“This is a big win for us,” Briones said. “We have been working hard in practice and we knew it would be tough against Weslaco, we came out the right way today.

“This game meant a lot to us and to still be unbeaten in the district is big.”

With the win, Harlingen South improves to 3-0 in district play and puts them in a great position in the first portion of the district season.

“They’re (Weslaco) the defending district champs and they’re going to play well,” said Hawks coach Brian Molina. “We were able to get some stops and take care of the ball late and in this district it’s always going to be tough.”

South held a slim 14-9 lead after the opening quarter, but in the second period Briones caught fire and directed an 11-0 run that put the Hawks ahead 27-14. Briones scored nine of the 11 points in that spurt via a pair of threes and free throws.

Briones’ second run came in the third quarter, when South led 31-23 at the half and came out strong with an 11-6 run. In the third period, South outscored Weslaco 17-10 and held a comfortable lead for the rest of the half. Chanz Love finished with 14 points while teammate Sean Turrubiates netted 13 points in the win.

“We tried to spread them out, they do a great job defensively. They’re very long, so we tried to cancel that out with speed and by taking good shots. Today, we were more patient on offense and I think that helped us,” Molina said.

Weslaco struggled from the floor and couldn’t find their shot in the loss. The Panthers are now 1-2 in district play and will look to rebound against San Benito on Tuesday.

The Hawks will prepare for Brownsville Rivera next week while 32-6A is once again shaping up to be one of the toughest districts in the Valley.

“Rivera is another tough team in our district,” Molina said. “They have a lot of experience and play very well it’s going to be another test for us.”

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

Harlingen hadn’t played a game since their loss to Weslaco on December 19. On Tuesday, the Lady Cards rebounded with a strong 72-31 win against Weslaco East.

Big Red got a strong performance from Alyssa Cervantes who netted 20 points, Ariel Leal scored 14 and Taegan Dickey dished 10 points.

Harlingen improves their district record to 3-1, and will now shift their focus to Los Fresnos Fri-day at 7:30 at Los Fresnos. “We’re looking forward to a competitive game against Los Fresnos,” said Harlingen coach Ashley Moncivaiz. “Our team has progressed as the season goes and tonight our bench will be key.”

The Lady Greyhounds are a perfect 4-0 in district play after a convincing 46-24 win against Harlingen South on Tuesday. Miranda Vallejo scored a game high 17 points while Mikayla Garcia netted 12 points in the win against South.

San Benito has Brownsville Hanna on Friday at 3:30. If the Lady Hounds can get passed the Lady Eagles, it would set up a battle of unbeaten teams next Tuesday when San Benito hosts Weslaco.

“Our expectation was nothing less than to try and compete for a district title,” said San Benito coach Abel Moreno. “Our plan is to win against Hanna and prepare for Weslaco next week. Our district is tough, but that was our plan and the girls have stepped up.”

Harlingen South, meanwhile, is looking to bounce back after a tough loss against San Benito. The Lady Hawks are currently 2-2 in district play and will take on Weslaco at home on Friday with the tip off set for 2:30 p.m.

Weslaco is currently 4-0 in district play and have district wins against, Hanna, Harlingen, Rivera and Weslaco East.

Santa Maria continues their strong play this season with their latest win coming against Brownsville Frontier, 40-33. In the win, Lorena Ayala posted a double-double with 12 points and 12 steals, while teammate Yazmin Cantu netted eight points and eight rebounds.
Santa Maria will now prepare for their district opener at San Isidro with the tip off set for 6 p.m.

KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star

SAN BENITO — The San Benito Lady Greyhounds have been playing some solid basketball as of late and on Tuesday the train continued to roll with a 46-24 win over Harlingen South at home.

San Benito has now won five in a row and are 4-0 in district play. The Lady Hounds will have an away game at Brownsville Hanna on Friday at 3:30 before hosting Weslaco High next week.

Through the five game streak, the Lady Hounds have fed off of their senior group in Arlene Lucero, Mikayla Garcia, Emilee Barraza and Miranda Vallejo.
The five seniors have played together for the last three seasons and this senior group is looking to take the next step after last year’s playoff exit in the area round against Laredo United.

“This is our expectation, last year we won in the first round and lost by five to United,” said San Benito coach Abel Moreno. “So this year we expect to compete for a district title and we expect nothing less. We plan on winning Friday and we will prepare for Weslaco next week.”

On Tuesday it was no different as the Lady Hounds out muscled the Lady Hawks and saw Vallejo once again take over a game by directing the traffic and driving the ball to the basket all after-noon long.

“Right now we feel very confident,” Vallejo said. “We’re playing some good team basketball and today was no different, we have been working very hard and our chemistry has been a key part for us.”

Vallejo scored a game high 17 points in their win against Harlingen South, but the senior point guard knows it’s no time to rest or be content.

“We have executed everything the right way, in practice we will run plays until we get them right. If one of us makes a mistake we pick each other up. For me, I have always been working hard, this year going forward we can only get better and use last year as motivation,” said Vallejo.

Moreno is confident in his team and in Vallejo that this season can be a special one.

“Our group of seniors have played together for the last three years, they know each other and play very well together so this season we have nothing but high expectations for them. Miranda is a very talented player and we hope she can take her talents to the next level. She runs our offense and we’re excited to have her as our leader and a force on our team,” Moreno said.