BY NATE KOTISSO | STAFF WRITER

Laredo United South played its second playoff game in a three-day span and won, defeating Weslaco High 55-47 in a Class 6A area round game Thursday night at Roma High School.

Weslaco High and Laredo United South, who both share the “Panthers” nickname, were meeting in the area round of the playoffs for the fourth postseason in a row. Weslaco High (27-9) won both playoff matchups in 2016 and 2017 while Laredo United South have now won the past two meetings.

“We missed 17 free throws, which hurt us a lot, obviously,” Weslaco High coach Griselda Fino said. “We did what we needed to do with attacking the basket as a part of our game plan. I thought we could expose them defensively and I thought our kids did that. I’m proud of our kids for doing that, but we just couldn’t convert free throws. Missing 17 is huge. If we make half of those, we’re right there.”

Whereas Laredo United South (24-14) used a 29-point fourth quarter to stun McAllen Memorial 62-58 Tuesday night in Corpus Christi, Laredo’s Panthers came out strong to start Thursday’s area round game. Weslaco High point guard Jada Lopez committed three early fouls that kept her out of the game, opening the door for Laredo United South to take an 11-point lead into halftime.

“We regrouped and came back to win the second half, but it wasn’t enough,” Fino said. “We pushed the ball, they pushed the ball and we were able to get back on defense. There weren’t any easy buckets out there for either team. They hit some big 3-pointers down the stretch. We’re a good shooting team from the 3-point line and we only got one off tonight.”

Weslaco High will head into the 2019-20 season losing three starters to graduation: Lopez, guard La Kysha Saldivar and forward Illiyah Cantu.

“We had five seniors and those three played huge roles for us,” Fino said. “Jada (Lopez) was our point guard and she probably only played one quarter worth of minutes tonight because of foul trouble. (La) Kysha missed all of last season and this was her only year playing for us and I know we could always count on Illiyah (Cantu). Wow. We just couldn’t finish.”

Laredo United South will advance to take on the winner of the Laredo United-Edinburg Vela game in the third round of the playoffs. The SaberCats are set to host the Longhorns at 7 p.m. tonight in Edinburg.

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VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL POSTSEASON SCHEDULE

Thursday’s Game

Area Round

Laredo United South 55, Weslaco High 47

Friday’s Games

Area Round

Class 6A

PSJA North at Edinburg High, 7 p.m.

Laredo United at Edinburg Vela, 7 p.m.

Harlingen High vs. Laredo Alexander at Corpus Christi Carroll, 7 p.m.

Class 5A

Brownsville Pace at Corpus Christi Veterans, 6 p.m.

Brownsville Veterans vs. Corpus Christi Flour Bluff at Texas A&M-Kingsville, 6 p.m.

Donna High vs. Victoria West at Bishop High, 6:30 p.m.

Mercedes vs. Corpus Christi Carroll at Falfurrias High, 7 p.m.

Class 4A

Hidalgo vs. Crystal City at San Diego High, 7 p.m.

Class 2A

Santa Maria vs. Refugio at Kingsville High, 6 p.m.

San Isidro vs. Flatonia at Woodsboro High, 7 p.m.

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VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL SCHEDULE

Thursday’s Games

Non-District

Mission Fastpitch Festival

At Bentsen Palm Community Park, Mission

Weslaco High 19, PSJA Southwest 4

PSJA North 8, Roma 4

McAllen Memorial 4, Rio Grande City 1

Mission Veterans 5, McAllen High 4

Mercedes 10, Brownsville Rivera 0

Edinburg Vela 6, Brownsville Porter 1

Sharyland Pioneer 3, Brownsville Hanna 1

PSJA High 3, Rio Hondo 2

Laredo United 2, Harlingen High 1

Harlingen South 5, Zapata 0

PSJA Memorial 6, Laredo Alexander 0

Edinburg High 16, Raymondville 0

Edinburg North 8, Corpus Christi King 1

Bishop 2, Mission High 0

Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway 7, McAllen Rowe 3

Weslaco East 11, Laredo United South 0

Donna ISD Tournament

At Donna High

Edcouch-Elsa 7, La Joya Palmview 0

Hidalgo 16, Santa Rosa 6

Lyford 10, Donna High 0

Port Isabel 14, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 0

Edcouch-Elsa 17, Hidalgo 0

La Joya Palmview 14, Santa Rosa 2

At Donna North

Valley View 3, La Feria 1

Brownsville Lopez 5, Edinburg Economedes 1

Brownsville Pace 16, Donna North 1

Falfurrias 15, Grulla 0

La Feria 11, Edinburg Economedes 5

Brownsville Lopez 8, Valley View 7

Corpus Christi Calallen Classic

Corpus Christi Flour Bluff 15, La Joya High 2

La Joya High 7, Sharyland High 2

Denton 3, Sharyland High 2

Texas A&M Softball Tournament

San Benito 10, Cy-Fair 4

Friendswood 7, San Benito 2

Brownsville Veterans 11, Conroe 0

El Campo 14, Brownsville Veterans 0

Friday’s Games

Non-District

Edinburg IDEA Quest at Progreso, 6 p.m.

Mission Fastpitch Festival

At Bentsen Palm Community Park, Mission

Brownsville Porter vs. Rio Grande City, 9 a.m.

McAllen Rowe vs. PSJA Southwest, 9 a.m.

Laredo Alexander vs. Brownsville Rivera, 9 a.m.

Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway vs. Weslaco High, 9 a.m.

Brownsville Hanna vs. Raymondville, 10:30 a.m.

McAllen Memorial vs. Edinburg Vela, 10:30 a.m.

Mission High vs. Harlingen High, 10:30 a.m.

Corpus Christi King vs. McAllen High, 10:30 a.m.

PSJA Memorial vs. Mercedes, noon

Edinburg North vs. Mission Veterans, noon

Laredo United South vs. Rio Hondo, noon

PSJA North vs. Harlingen South, noon

Laredo United vs. Bishop, 1:30 p.m.

Roma vs. Zapata, 1:30 p.m.

Sharyland Pioneer vs. Edinburg High, 1:30 p.m.

Weslaco East vs. PSJA High, 1:30 p.m.

Winner of Game 24 vs. Winner of Game 19, 3 p.m.

Loser of Game 21 vs. Loser of Game 18, 3 p.m.

Loser of Game 19 vs. Loser of Game 17, 3 p.m.

Winner of Game 23 vs. Winner of Game 21, 3 p.m.

Loser of Game 20 vs. Loser of Game 28, 4:30 p.m.

Winner of Game 17 vs. Winner of Game 27, 4:30 p.m.

Loser of Game 25 vs. Loser of Game 26, 4:30 p.m.

Winner of Game 20 vs. Winner of Game 28, 4:30 p.m.

Winner of Game 22 vs. Winner of Game 32, 6 p.m.

Winner of Game 29 vs. Winner of Game 31, 6 p.m.

Winner of Game 30 vs. Winner of Game 18, 6 p.m.

Winner of Game 26 vs. Winner of Game 25, 6 p.m.

Loser of Game 29 vs. Loser of Game 31, 7:30 p.m.

Loser of Game 32 vs. Loser of Game 22, 7:30 p.m.

Loser of Game 23 vs. Loser of Game 27, 7:30 p.m.

Loser of Game 30 vs. Loser of Game 24, 7:30 p.m.

Donna ISD Tournament

At Donna High

Donna High vs. Port Isabel, 10 a.m.

Lyford vs. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 11:30 a.m.

Edcouch-Elsa vs. Santa Rosa, 1 p.m.

La Joya Palmview vs. Hidalgo, 2:30 p.m.

Donna High vs. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 4 p.m.

Lyford vs. Port Isabel, 5:30 p.m.

At Donna North

Donna North vs. Grulla, 10 a.m.

Brownsville Pace vs. Falfurrias, 11:30 a.m.

La Feria vs. Brownsville Lopez, 1 p.m.

Valley View vs. Edinburg Economedes, 2:30 p.m.

Donna North vs. Falfurrias, 4 p.m.

Brownsville Pace vs. Grulla, 5:30 p.m.

Corpus Christi Calallen Classic

La Joya High; Sharyland High

Smithson Valley Tournament

Los Fresnos

Texas A&M Softball Tournament

San Benito

Brownsville Veterans vs. Montgomery, 8 a.m.

Brownsville Veterans vs. AMC, 4 p.m.

[email protected]

VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL POSTSEASON SCHEDULE

Friday’s Game

Third-Place

District 30-6A

McAllen High at Mission High, 7:30 p.m.

Monday’s Games

Class 5A

Sharyland Pioneer vs. Brownsville Pace at La Feria High, 7 p.m.

Rio Grande City vs. Edcouch-Elsa at PSJA High, 7 p.m.

Tuesday’s Games

Class 6A

Weslaco High at Harlingen High, 7 p.m.

Edinburg Vela at Brownsville Hanna, 7:30 p.m.

Harlingen South at Edinburg Economedes, 7:30 p.m.

Edinburg High at Los Fresnos, 7:30 p.m.

PSJA North vs. Laredo Alexander at Roma High, 7:30 p.m.

Class 5A

Mercedes at PSJA Southwest, 7 p.m.

Brownsville Veterans at Mission Veterans, 7 p.m.

Class 4A

Zapata vs. Rockport-Fulton at Alice High, 6 p.m.

Hidalgo vs. Kingsville King at Harlingen South, 7 p.m.

Corpus Christi West Oso at La Feria, 7 p.m.

Port Isabel vs. Sinton at Alice High, 8 p.m.

Class 3A

Lyford vs. Bishop at Raymondville High, 6 p.m.

Santa Rosa vs. Falfurrias at Texas A&M-Kingsville, 7:30 p.m.

VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL SCHEDULE

Thursday’s Games

Non-District

Mission Fastpitch Festival

At Bentsen Palm Community Park, Mission

Weslaco High vs. PSJA Southwest, 12:30 p.m.

PSJA North vs. Roma, 12:30 p.m.

McAllen Memorial vs. Rio Grande City, 12:30 p.m.

McAllen High vs. Mission Veterans, 12:30 p.m.

Brownsville Rivera vs. Mercedes, 2 p.m.

Edinburg Vela vs. Brownsville Porter, 2 p.m.

Brownsville Hanna vs. Sharyland Pioneer, 2 p.m.

PSJA High vs. Rio Hondo, 2 p.m.

Harlingen High vs. Laredo United, 3:30 p.m.

Zapata vs. Harlingen South, 3:30 p.m.

PSJA Memorial vs. Laredo Alexander, 3:30 p.m.

Raymondville vs. Edinburg High, 3:30 p.m.

Edinburg North vs. Corpus Christi King, 5 p.m.

Mission High vs. Bishop, 5 p.m.

McAllen Rowe vs. Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway, 5 p.m.

Weslaco East vs. Laredo United South, 5 p.m.

Donna ISD Tournament

At Donna High

Edcouch-Elsa vs. La Joya Palmview, 10 a.m.

Hidalgo vs. Santa Rosa, 11:30 a.m.

Donna High vs. Lyford, 1 p.m.

Port Isabel vs. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 2:30 p.m.

Edcouch-Elsa vs. Hidalgo, 4 p.m.

La Joya Palmview vs. Santa Rosa, 5:30 p.m.

At Donna North

La Feria vs. Valley View, 10 a.m.

Edinburg Economedes vs. Brownsville Lopez, 11:30 a.m.

Donna North vs. Brownsville Pace, 1 p.m.

Grulla vs. Falfurrias, 2:30 p.m.

La Feria vs. Edinburg Economedes, 4 p.m.

Valley View vs. Brownsville Lopez, 5:30 p.m.

Corpus Christi Calallen Classic

La Joya High; Sharyland High

Smithson Valley Tournament

Los Fresnos

Texas A&M Softball Tournament

San Benito; Brownsville Veterans

Friday’s Games

Non-District

Edinburg IDEA Quest at Progreso, 6 p.m.

Donna ISD Tournament

At Donna High

Donna High vs. Port Isabel, 10 a.m.

Lyford vs. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 11:30 a.m.

Edcouch-Elsa vs. Santa Rosa, 1 p.m.

La Joya Palmview vs. Hidalgo, 2:30 p.m.

Donna High vs. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 4 p.m.

Lyford vs. Port Isabel, 5:30 p.m.

At Donna North

Donna North vs. Grulla, 10 a.m.

Brownsville Pace vs. Falfurrias, 11:30 a.m.

La Feria vs. Brownsville Lopez, 1 p.m.

Valley View vs. Edinburg Economedes, 2:30 p.m.

Donna North vs. Falfurrias, 4 p.m.

Brownsville Pace vs. Grulla, 5:30 p.m.

Corpus Christi Calallen Classic

La Joya High; Sharyland High

Smithson Valley Tournament

Los Fresnos

Texas A&M Softball Tournament

San Benito; Brownsville Veterans

[email protected]

VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL POSTSEASON SCHEDULE

Thursday’s Game

Area Round

Weslaco High vs. Laredo United South at Roma High, 7 p.m.

Friday’s Games

Area Round

Class 6A

PSJA North at Edinburg High, 7 p.m.

Laredo United at Edinburg Vela, 7 p.m.

Harlingen High vs. Laredo Alexander at Corpus Christi Carroll, 7 p.m.

Class 5A

Brownsville Pace at Corpus Christi Veterans, 6 p.m.

Brownsville Veterans vs. Corpus Christi Flour Bluff at Texas A&M-Kingsville, 6 p.m.

Donna High vs. Victoria West at Bishop High, 6:30 p.m.

Mercedes vs. Corpus Christi Carroll at Falfurrias High, 7 p.m.

Class 4A

Hidalgo vs. Crystal City at San Diego High, 7 p.m.

Class 2A

Santa Maria vs. Refugio at Kingsville High, 6 p.m.

San Isidro vs. Flatonia at Woodsboro High, 7 p.m.

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VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

District 30-6A

Mission High 58, La Joya High 46

McAllen Rowe 75, McAllen Memorial 48

PSJA North 64, McAllen High 61

PSJA High 79, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 41

District 31-6A

Edinburg High 48, Weslaco East 37.

Edinburg Economedes 50, Edinburg Vela 46

Edinburg North 64, Donna North 28

District 31-5A

PSJA Southwest 49, Mission Veteran 43

Rio Grande City 47, PSJA Memorial 31

Sharyland Pioneer 70, La Joya Palmview, 28

Sharyland High at Roma, not reported

District 32-5A

Mercedes 76, Brownsville Porter 57

Brownsville Veterans 50, Donna High 43

Edcouch-Elsa 71, Brownsville Pace 47

Valley View 62, Brownsville Lopez 60

VALLEY HS BOYS BASKETBALL BOX SCORES

Tuesday’s Games

District 32-5A

BROWNSVILLE VETERANS 50,

DONNA HIGH 43

Donna High 11 9 13 10 — 43

Bville Veterans 18 10 14 8 — 50

BROWNSVILLE VETERANS (50): Kenny Davis 2, Justin Anaya 12, Isaac Casares 2, Damian Maldonado 20, Matt Maddox 8, Dax Delgado 6.

DONNA HIGH (43): Derek Medrano 17, Eddy Epperson 15, Eric Garza 3, Avery Bowen 4, Brandon Chavez 4

RECORDS: Brownsville Veterans 13-1; Donna High 5-9.

MERCEDES 76, BROWNSVILLE PORTER 57

Mercedes 21 23 24 8 — 76

Bville Porter 13 7 14 23 — 57

MERCEDES (76): Caleb Arthur 10, Alex Rincon 14, Justin Closner 2, Horacio Pequeno 2, Brandon Lozoya 8, R. Ortiz 6, Jared Castaneda 17, Jordan Ovalle 17.

BROWNSVILLE PORTER (57): Not Reported

RECORD: Mercedes 28-7, 12-2.

BY NATE KOTISSO | STAFF WRITER

CORPUS CHRISTI — McAllen Memorial stood tall over every other girls basketball team in the Valley during the regular season.

The Mustangs were picked as RGVSports.com’s No. 1 team in the preseason and they lived up to the ranking all year. Twenty-nine regular season wins and another outright district title were nice, but they weren’t exactly what the Mustangs were looking to get out of this year.

When practice began in October, the Mustangs placed their focus squarely on winning in the playoffs. After four consecutive losses in the first round, the 2018-19 Mustangs were built to break through to the area round or further.

McAllen Memorial appeared as if it was on its way to a celebration and collective sigh of relief through three quarters, but everything came apart in the final period against Laredo United South. The Panthers exploded for a 29-point fourth quarter to slide past the Mustangs 62-58 Tuesday night on the Corpus Christi Veterans campus.

“We got into foul trouble,” McAllen Memorial coach Clarisse Arredondo said. “We missed on defensive assignments, leaving girls wide open. They (Laredo United South) got hot from the 3-point line. They just wanted it more.”

McAllen Memorial breezed through the new-look District 30-6A, winning all 14 matchups by an astounding average of 51.5 points per game. The Mustangs didn’t dominate every aspect of the game Tuesday, but they hit enough jump shots to keep the Panthers at arms-length.

McAllen Memorial jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the first quarter thanks to 3-pointers by the sister tandem of senior Tani and sophomore Cori Talamantez. The Mustangs felt good about where they stood going into the fourth quarter, leading by eight.

Fouls became an issue for McAllen Memorial (29-5) early in the fourth. Memorial’s top scorers on the season, Tani Talamantez and Valeria Garcia, each committed their fourth personal foul within the first 40 seconds of the period.

“I know a lot of the girls look up to us,” Tani Talamantez said of herself and Garcia. “When we get in foul trouble, everyone else thinks they’re in foul trouble, too. Valeria and I had to play softer defense, but the rest of the team played softer defense when they didn’t have to. We held on to the very end, until we both fouled out.”

As the Panthers (23-14) crept closer to the Mustangs, Tani Talamantez hit big shot after big shot to keep McAllen Memorial ahead. Laredo United South took its first lead of the second half on a 3-pointer with under three and a half minutes to play.

Tani Talamantez pulled her team within 59-58 when she banked in a 3-pointer with 37.8 seconds to go, but Laredo United South responded with a nail in the coffin on its next possession.

Panther freshman center Millie Hernandez nailed a 3-pointer in the corner with 20 seconds to go, sealing the Mustangs’ fate for the fifth season in a row. Laredo United South is now responsible for knocking the Mustangs out of the first round for the third time in the past five years.

“They’re the best team I’ve ever had here,” Arredondo said. “We’re going to lose a good group of hard-working kids. I’m proud of them regardless. The game of basketball teaches us life skills. It prepares us for the real world. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Nothing’s perfect in life.”

Talamantez is one of Arredondo’s departing seniors. She ended her career with a gutsy 28-point outing.

“I don’t know if I’m going to play (college basketball) or not, so I’m going to miss the heck out of playing basketball and wearing this jersey,” Talamantez said. “I’ll come watch my sister, Cori, play and reminisce about the times I was out there. Not wearing the Mustang jersey anymore is going to be hard. I’m going to miss it.”

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VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

Tuesday’s Games

Bi-District

Class 6A

PSJA North 37, Laredo Nixon 32

Laredo United South 62, McAllen Memorial 58

Laredo Alexander 63, PSJA High 30

Class 4A

Corpus Christi West Oso 43, La Feria 31

Hidalgo 50, Robstown 47

Orange Grove 60, Zapata 28

Beeville Jones 45, Rio Hondo 41

Class 3A

Kingsville Santa Gertrudis 97, Santa Rosa 15

VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL BOX SCORES

Tuesday’s Games

Bi-District

Class 6A

PSJA NORTH 37, LAREDO NIXON 32

PSJA North 5 13 9 10 — 37

Laredo Nixon 10 4 7 11 — 32

PSJA NORTH (37): Carolina Sanchez 9, Trinity Bane 4, Catie Rodriguez 10, Alexia Neal 14.

LAREDO NIXON (32): Alyssa Mata 9, Yessenia Reyes 3, Victoria Manzo 10, Justyne Bernal 1, Ashley Peña 9.

RECORD: PSJA North 33-4.

LAREDO UNITED SOUTH 62, McALLEN MEMORIAL 58

McMemorial 14 17 10 17 — 58

L. United South 14 8 11 29 — 62

LAREDO UNITED SOUTH (62): Angelina Lopez 16, Stephanie Galindo 18, Dezerae De La Garza 1, Daniella Salazar 4, Lori Arreola 3, Alexis Martinez 5, Kassandra Virlar 4, Millie Hernandez 11.

McALLEN MEMORIAL (58): Tani Talamantez 28, Cori Talamantez 4, Karina Garza 2, Kaitlynn Martinez 10, Valeria Garcia 8, Valeria Treviño 6.

RECORD: McAllen Memorial 29-5.

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VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL SCHEDULE

Tuesday’s Games

Non-District

Hebbronville 20, Progreso 2

PSJA Memorial 5, Brownsville Hanna 1

La Joya Palmview 15, Edinburg Economedes 4

Harlingen South 12, Weslaco High 7

Brownsville Pace 11, PSJA Southwest 10

McAllen Memorial 17, Mission Veterans 3

Edinburg North 12, McAllen High 2

Mercedes 3, Harlingen High 2, 10 innings

PSJA High 10, Rio Grande City 4

PSJA North 10, Brownsville Porter 9

La Joya High 8, Zapata 4

Sharyland High 16, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 1, 3 innings

Sharyland Pioneer 11, Mission High 3

Edinburg Vela 12, Valley View 5

Weslaco East 10, Donna High 3

Los Fresnos 10, Edcouch-Elsa 4, 8 innings

Raymondville 7, Roma 6

Lyford 15, Hidalgo 0

Rio Hondo 11, Brownsville Lopez 7

Feb. 14-16

Mission Fastpitch Festival

McAllen Memorial; McAllen High; McAllen Rowe; PSJA High; PSJA North; Mission High; Edinburg High; Edinburg Vela; Weslaco High; Weslaco East; Brownsville Hanna; Brownsville Rivera; Harlingen South; Mission Veterans; Sharyland Pioneer; Roma; PSJA Memorial; PSJA Southwest; Mercedes; Raymondville; Rio Hondo; Zapata

Donna ISD Tournament

La Joya Juarez-Lincoln; Edinburg Economedes; Donna North; La Joya Palmview; Donna High; Brownsville Lopez; Edcouch-Elsa; Valley View; Hidalgo; La Feria; Port Isabel; Grulla

Corpus Christi Calallen Classic

La Joya High; Sharyland High

Smithson Valley Tournament

Los Fresnos

Texas A&M Softball Tournament

San Benito; Brownsville Veterans

Friday’s Game

Non-District

Edinburg IDEA Quest at Progreso, 6 p.m.

[email protected]