By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

LOS FRESNOS — After conquering the Rio Grande Valley’s biggest stage, Los Fresnos has a chance to continue on its historic path today in the regional tournament at Littleton Gymnasium in San Antonio.

Next up for the No. 20 Falcons (33-3, 10-0 District 32-6A) is a semifinal showdown with Northside Brandeis.

“The guys are relaxed, they treat each game like a regular game, believe it or not,” Los Fresnos coach Marco Hinojosa said. “They live for these types of moments. They’re excited to be going to regionals. They know they’re not going there to bow down, they’re going there to compete. We’re excited for the challenge.”

Elian Gonzalez, the team leader in assists, said the program is setting the bar high and that chemistry has helped guide the Falcons through their deep playoff run.

“Our next goal now is obviously to win the regional tournament, advance to the Elite Eight and go to state,” Gonzalez said. “And win that ring for the team and myself and the coaches and the city itself.”

Los Fresnos boasts two of the top 50 scorers in Class 6A in freshman Gerry Martinez (16.6 points per game and 2.5 steals per game) and senior Ricky Altamirano (15.7 points per game and 7.9 rebounds per game).

So do the Broncos (31-3, 16-2 District 28-6A), with senior guards Tanner Brown and Kyle Schaefer both averaging 15.4 points per game.

Brown is Brandeis’ best all-around player, picking up six rebounds per game. Other key contributors to look for are senior Ty Fontentot (8.4 points per game and 5.1 rebounds per game) and junior Gavin Gibson (10 points per game and 2.4 assists per game).

“They’re 31-3 for a reason,” Hinojosa said. “They defend very well, they crash the boards very well, they run their sets very well. They’re well-coached. They’ve got a lot of shooters, they can shoot from the outside. So we’re going to try to find a way to slow them down.”

One of the keys to the success of this Los Fresnos squad has been its transposable nature.

Senior Tony Aldrighetti was the latest unsung hero to step up in the third round to top Edinburg Vela 62-49, adding 12 points to go with Luis Gonzalez’s 14.

“This team is special,” Hinojosa said. “Different guys have led us in scoring on different nights. Tony doesn’t look the part, and people think he can’t play basketball. He can score if needed, he hit a couple huge 3s for us. Luis Gonzalez does the same thing. These guys are very unselfish. They don’t care about who scores or when they score or how they score, they’re about the team and (put the) team first.”

Aldrighetti noted against Vela he was more aggressive in attacking the rim and taking open shots, and that he and his teammates continue to empower each other to do so.

“The way we play, all we have to do is trust each other, and the offense will come easy for us,” Aldrighetti said.

Martinez carried the Falcons with 22 points in a 48-45 win over Laredo Alexander, and five Los Fresnos players scored in double figures in a 68-49 victory.

“I’ve been put in different situations,” Martinez said. “Playing AAU ball has definitely helped me. I’m really comfortable with the team, so it makes it pretty easy for me now. Stepping onto the big stage is not so much of a big deal.”

The significance of the opportunity Los Fresnos has to play its way into the record books isn’t lost on any of the Falcons.

“Hopefully we get past the Sweet 16, we’d be the first 6A team in the Valley to go to the Elite Eight,” Martinez said. “That would be really big for us. We’d go down as one of the best teams (in the Rio Grande Valley), and I hope that happens.”

Tipoff between Los Fresnos and Brandeis is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. today.

The winner is set to face the winner of the regional semifinal between Converse Judson and Laredo United at 2 p.m. Saturday in the regional final.

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

ROCKPORT — EJ Nieto swished a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

It was that otherwise meaningless bucket at the end of regulation that signaled the end of an era.

Those three points were the senior’s last as a San Perlita Trojans player, marking the end of an impressive run by Tige Johnson, Wyatt Rhodes and Gabriel Lopez together.

It was also the last basket the Trojans scored as a member of Class 2A, as San Perlita dropped its regional quarterfinal game Tuesday 86-60 against Weimar at Rockport-Fulton.

“(Nieto) has always played hard for me,” San Perlita coach Nataniel Garza said. “He really left it all on the floor. I couldn’t ask much more of him or the team. We just really fell short tonight. I was really proud of him for giving it his all the whole game.”

Nieto had 16 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, a bright spot in a lopsided loss. Elly Terry had 12 points for the Trojans, and Lopez added nine.

“I tried my best,” Nieto said. “Once I saw the score, I knew it would be my last (game), and I just wanted to give it my all. It ended in a perfect way, with me making a 3.”

The Wildcats got out to a 24-14 lead and continued to score at a torrid pace, opening up a 48-31 advantage at the end of the first half thanks to the duo of sophomores Joey Ramirez (24 points) and Jose Ramirez, who set the bar with a 16-point first quarter and finished with 29.

Weimar led 72-42 at the end of the third quarter.

Garza said missing Johnson, the Trojans’ 6-foot-6 rim protector, after an injury suffered against Falls City in the area round, was a big blow against a Weimar team that exploited the vacuum left in the paint and forced the San Perlita coach to start three sophomores.

“We knew they were a good team,” Garza said. “With us being short-handed, we knew we were going to have to get after it a little bit more. … It just didn’t go our way, and we didn’t hit shots that we usually hit. It just didn’t bounce our way tonight. It was one of those nights.”

Moving forward, San Perlita looks forward to a team returning seven players and competing in Class 1A after being reclassified by the University Interscholastic League.

“The future looks bright, we’ll be back,” Garza said. “We’re always competing year in and year out. A lot of people had counted us out this year because we were almost a brand new team. A lot of people didn’t think we would get up to this point. … Tonight it didn’t bounce our way.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — Harlingen South’s Mikela Mireles signed her intent to play volleyball at Victoria College on Tuesday, fulfilling a dream that began when she first tried the sport in seventh grade.

Mireles overcame an ACL injury to become one of the top players in the Rio Grande Valley.

The senior outside hitter/defensive specialist recorded 725 kills, 540 digs, 41 aces and 36 blocks in 2019, leading South to back-to-back playoff appearances and bi-district round victories.

“Mikela has always been someone special,” Harlingen South coach Anissa Lucio said. “Right off the bat, I knew she was going to be a vital contributor to our success, and she was. She’s always been very coachable, very determined and very competitive.”

Also in 2019, Mireles earned The Valley Morning Star’s 2019 All-STAR Volleyball Most Valuable Player honors for the second consecutive year.

“This is a big day for her,” Lucio said. “I’m glad our other volleyball players can see her in this moment and see how far she’s come, and hope to be here one day, too.”

Mireles attended an open tryout held by Victoria College coach Josh Moore in December 2019. After being offered a roster spot and invited on a campus visit, Mireles said she “fell in love with” the school.

“The coaches were a big part of why I chose (Victoria College),” Mireles said. “They were very up front with everything, and I could just tell I wanted to be part of it.”

Victoria College is a junior college located 120 miles southwest of Houston. Last fall, the Pirates wrapped up their inaugural season as members of Region XIV of the National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association.

“Everything about the way she plays we liked,” Moore said. “She’s very aggressive. At both the club and the high school teams she’s been on, she’s been the go-to player, and that’s something that we look for. … We liked her personality and thought she would be a great fit for our team.”

Prior to that, the program competed exclusively in the Texas Collegiate Club Sport League; the school is still a participant in the nine-team league.

“I’m excited to leave my mark there, which is what I plan to do over the two years of playing for them,” Mireles said. “It’s definitely going to be a challenge going from high school to (the Division I junior college level).”

Mireles she plans to be a physical therapist and pursue either exercise science or kinesiology. She will join four other Rio Grande Valley natives on Victoria College’s 2020 roster, three of whom are from Los Fresnos.

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

KINGSVILLE — Santa Rosa fought to hang around as long as it possibly could against Corpus Christi London, but the No. 18 Warriors ultimately were outmatched by a bigger Pirates squad, losing 86-69 in their regional quarterfinal game Monday at Kingsville King.

“It was a good season,” Santa Rosa coach Johnny Cipriano said. “Kids played hard. I know everybody expects us to go to the Sweet 16 every year now, and it’s tough. It’s partly my fault, too, because we’ve done it so many times that the expectations are extremely high. We’re working hard to try and meet them every year, but the ball’s not always going to bounce our way.”

CJ Olivarez had 19 points to lead Santa Rosa (27-8), and Christian Vela finished with 16.

The seventh-ranked Pirates (31-4) were led by freshman Preston Cazalas’ 22 points. He was one of four London players in double figures. RJ Moreno and Ty Leonard each added 15 points and Bryce Marshall had 15.

London presented matchup problems for Santa Rosa inside and out. Marshall and Joshua Chesney (eight points) kept the Warriors off the glass, and Preston Cazalas, Luke Cazalas and Moreno combined for seven 3-pointers in the contest.

“We knew (London was) a good team, we knew they were tall,” Cipriano said. “I’m really proud of the kids, they gave maximum effort, and everyone went in there and tried their best. … I don’t think we got outexecuted, I just think we got outrebounded.”

The Warriors briefly led 12-11 when Daniel Villarreal (eight points) knocked down an open 3 in the corner with 3:30 to go in the first quarter.

Santa Rosa trailed 21-19 at the end of the first quarter. Villarreal tied the game at 21 on a fastbreak layup to open the second quarter, but the spark he provided to the Warriors was extinguished by an ankle injury that sidelined him for most of the second half.

“He shot very well, and then unfortunately he sprained his ankle right before (the end) of the half,” Cipriano said. “He was hobbling and he reinjured it in the second half, so I had to pull him.”

London outscored Santa Rosa 23-14 in a second period that featured several momentum swings.

Among the several offensive highlights for Santa Rosa were a no-look feed from Vela to David Bazaldua (nine points) for a corner trey with 4:40 left in the second quarter to cut the Warriors’ deficit to two.

Roland Segundo made both free throws in a 1-and-1 foul shooting situation with one minute to go in the first half to trim the lead to 36-31. Moreno scored five points during the final 40 seconds of the second quarter to increase London’s lead to double digits.

Marshall capped the first half with an exclamation point, drawing a foul during the final seconds and making a bucket and ensuing free throw to give London a 44-33 edge at the half.

The Warriors made their last stand in the third quarter. London withstood several Santa Rosa counterpunches, but never relinquished their grip on the lead, even as the scrappy Warriors fought to keep it a one-possession game.

Chesney cleaned up a miss by Moreno and built up a 55-50 edge for London with two minutes remaining, prompting a Santa Rosa timeout. London led 60-52 at the end of the third quarter, and from there the Pirates began to pull away.

London will play the winner of Comfort and Universal City Randolph, which are scheduled to play at 6 p.m. today in Seguin.

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

LOS FRESNOS — Katelynn Perez pitched four innings and Los Fresnos had five extra-base hits during a 7-3 win in a time-limited Los Fresnos-Port Isabel Tournament game over Rio Hondo on Saturday.

Perez allowed five hits and struck out three in the victory.

“(Perez) has been doing a great job,” Los Fresnos coach Traci Blackman said. “She’s a freshman, and so coming up and facing these older girls, I think she’s doing a good job keeping her composure and just working through stuff, staying consistent.”

Blackman substituted Tabi Garcia at first base and she delivered in her only at-bat of the shortened contest, launching a solo home run — the 18th of the season for the Lady Falcons — to left field off of Rio Hondo’s Nayeli Garcia to lead off the fourth inning and put an exclamation point on the victory.

The Los Fresnos coach added she was excited for the potential of her young squad, which only has four returners from last season.

“We have a lot of power hitters,” Blackman said. “But we also have a lot of speed. So we haven’t had to play the short game a whole lot because we’re hitting the ball so well. But if we have to, we can come in and mix in the small-ball game as well.”

Lady Bobcats starting pitcher Dominique DeJesus tripled to lead off the game, and catcher Abigail Torris homered to give the visitors the early lead.

“We have several kids who can step up and hit the ball very well,” Rio Hondo coach Brett Esparza said. “The thing about us, this weekend at least, is we’ve been hot and cold. … We’ve got to find some consistency.”

Second baseman Andrea Guevara and shortstop Reba Reyes each answered with doubles against DeJesus and scored runs during the first inning to tie the game at 2.

The Lady Falcons broke through during the second, stringing together four runs in the frame on four straight hits: singles from center fielder Teresa Villa and first baseman Ashley Muniz, and doubles by designated player Kayla Jimeniz and right fielder Juli Larraga.

Torris worked a two-out walk against Perez in the third, and left fielder Savannah Gonzalez singled to drive in Rio Hondo’s third run.

Esparza expects to use a rotation of DeJesus, Garcia and Kelsey Pizzaro in the circle heading into District 32-4A play.

“They all complement each other very well,” Esparza said. “Dominique has a really good screwball, and an excellent changeup and drop. Nayeli provides a good crop and rise, and Kelsey throws a little bit harder and has a good riseball as well. So they understand that, and they understand how it all works together.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

CORPUS CHRISTI — Santa Rosa had a significant matchup advantage against Mathis, and Warriors coach Johnny Cipriano exploited the height disparity his skilled big men possessed in an 87-67 win in their area-round game Friday at Corpus Christi Ray.

Santa Rosa’s leading scorers were Adam Cavazos (22 points) and David Bazaldua (21 points).

“We don’t have a height advantage against a lot of teams,” Bazaldua said. “But we can shoot and we’re athletic.”

The Warriors led 21-16 at the end of the first quarter but went on to outscore the Pirates 41-25 during the second and third quarters.

The first of a series of decisive Santa Rosa runs was capped by a fastbreak layup from CJ Olivarez (10 points) that gave the Warriors a 27-18 lead at the 5:55 mark of the second quarter.

Even when Santa Rosa couldn’t find the net from deep, they cleaned up by dominating the glass on both ends.

“We just play our style,” Cipriano said. “We kind of knew just by looking at what was out there that we would have a size advantage. We were going to shoot when we were open, and if not we thought we could get an offensive board.”

Jarren Jimenez air-balled a 3-pointer in the right corner that went straight into the hands of Cavazos under the basket, and he banked in a putback and drew contact, making the ensuing free throw to convert the old-fashioned 3-point play to make it 32-23 with 3:30 to play in the second period.

Cavazos hit a 3 as the buzzer sounded to increase Santa Rosa’s lead to 41-29 at the half.

Bazaldua led the Warriors with 12-first half points. Christian Vela (17 points) added nine of his 11 first-half points in the first quarter, and Jimenez had six in the second quarter.

The Warriors opened the third quarter on a 9-2 run, pulling away with a 50-31 lead with 4:55 remaining in the third.

Santa Rosa led 62-41 at the end of the third quarter and went on to post 25 points during the fourth, comfortably ahead despite being outscored by one point in the final period.

A big key to the Warriors’ dominant stretch in the middle of the contest was slowing down the Pirates’ top scorer, Jonathan Villarreal, who posted a game-high 28 points and five of his team’s eight 3s.

“Once we knew he was hitting them, eventually we just went ahead and took him away completely,” Cipriano said. “We let the other guys shoot and see if they could do it. Not that they’re not good shooters, but I guess they struggled today.”

Santa Rosa held Villarreal scoreless in the third quarter.

Isaac Gutierrez added 10 points for Mathis.

Roland Segundo, Santa Rosa’s go-to big man off the bench, knocked down the first of two triples in the fourth quarter with 6:45 to go in the game, the first of which made it 68-44 with 6:45 to play.

“It was a good team effort,” Cipriano said. “(Our big men) can all hit from outside, so that’s something we practice quite a bit. The better everybody can shoot, the more dangerous we are.”

Santa Rosa advances to the regional quarterfinal round to face Corpus Christi London, which defeated Lytle 78-63 on Friday.

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

LOS FRESNOS — Oscar Franco threw five scoreless innings, Matthew Padilla and Jacob Sandoval each drove in two runs, and Los Fresnos defeated PSJA Memorial 11-0 on Thursday to open the 20th annual Port Isabel-Los Fresnos Tournament.

The Falcons scored two runs in each of the first two innings, added one in the third and sealed the game with a six-run fourth.

Franco allowed just three hits, two of which were back-to-back singles in the first inning by Jaden Cruz and Michael Reyes. He struck out five and retired 10 consecutive PSJA Memorial hitters to finish the game.

“(Franco) threw the ball well,” Los Fresnos coach Rene Morales said. “He struggled early in the game. He got his confidence back and started throwing strikes, and we started playing defense behind him.”

The junior was pleased with his varsity debut, which gave him a chance to showcase some mechanical tweaks he made in the offseason.

“It went pretty good,” Franco said. “The curveball really worked a lot, a lot of people were hanging on it. … I fixed my whole windup. I used to throw from the side and (Morales) taught me how to throw over the head, and that’s giving me (a lot more) accuracy right now.”

The Wolverines used four pitchers Thursday, and the Falcons tagged them for nine hits. Starter Brandon Acosta was pulled after just 2/3 of an inning without allowing a hit, walking four batters and striking out one.

Rey Vasquez lasted 1 1/3 innings, surrendering two runs on three hits and a walk. Sandoval’s two-out single to right field drove in two runs and helped Los Fresnos open an early 4-0 lead.

PSJA Memorial sent Ramon Cisneros to the mound to start the third inning, and the Falcons loaded the bases with no outs and only came away with one run in the frame, coming on a hit by pitch of Padilla that plated designated hitter Michael Garate.

Germain Castillo flied out to Vasquez in center, and Castillo’s counterpart threw a strike to catcher Alejandro Leyva, who tagged third baseman Carlos Perez out at home to complete the inning-ending double play.

Castillo, a junior, is flanked by a pair of sophomores in the outfield this season, with Padilla in left and Hector Muniz in right.

“Last year I learned a lot from the seniors,” Castillo said. “So being able to teach these sophomores how to play the outfield has been a good experience for me. I think we’re going to be a good group.”

Cruz came on for the Wolverines with two outs in the fourth and Los Fresnos ahead 8-0 following RBI singles from second baseman Jose Cervantes and Garate.

Shortstop Javier Gutierrez scored on a wild pitch, and Castillo doubled into the right center gap and put the Falcons ahead 11-0 after courtesy runner Allan Lozano crossed the plate.

20th annual Port Isabel-Los Fresnos Tournament schedule

Thursday, Feb. 27

At Port Isabel

Game 1: Donna High 12, Port Isabel 5

Game 3: PSJA Southwest 2, Edinburg Economedes 1

Game 5: Sharyland High 8, Corpus Christi London 0

Game 7: Brownsville Porter 14, Donna North 0, 4 inn.

Game 9: PSJA Southwest 11, Donna High 3

At Los Fresnos

Game 2: Los Fresnos 11, PSJA Memorial 0, 5 inn.

Game 4: Brownsville Lopez 6, Rio Hondo 3

Game 6: La Feria 4, Roma 4, tie, La Feria advances

Game 8: Weslaco East 5, Mercedes 4

Game 10: Los Fresnos 7, Brownsville Lopez 6

Friday, Feb. 28

At Port Isabel

Game 11: Port Isabel vs. Edinburg Economedes, 9 a.m.

Game 13: Donna North vs. Corpus Christi London, 11:15 a.m.

Game 15: Brownsville Porter vs. Sharyland High, 1:30 p.m.

Game 17: Game 11 winner vs. Game 13 winner, 3:45 p.m.

Game 19: PSJA Southwest vs. Game 15 winner, 6 p.m.

Game 21: Donna High vs. Game 15 loser, 8:15 p.m.

At Los Fresnos

Game 12: Rio Hondo vs. PSJA Memorial, 9 a.m.

Game 14: Mercedes vs. Roma, 11:15 a.m.

Game 16: La Feria vs. Weslaco East, 1:30 p.m.

Game 18: Game 12 winner vs. Game 14 winner, 3:45 p.m.

Game 20: Los Fresnos vs. Game 16 winner, 6 p.m.

Game 22: Brownsville Lopez vs. Game 16 loser, 8:15 p.m.

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

Porter’s back line of Alan Romero, Rodolfo Armendariz and Jean Villegas has been one of the most effective in the Rio Grande Valley this season, allowing 0.63 goals per game for a Cowboys squad that stands at 17-4-1.

The trio caught the eye of second-year Jarvis Christian College coach Demetrio Hernandez, a Reynosa, Mexico, native who has been a fixture of the soccer scene in East Texas and the Rio Grande Valley for the last 30 years.

“When I need an athlete, Porter is the No. 1 or No. 2 school that I think about,” Hernandez said. “A lot of coaches, they go to different states. Seventy-five percent of my athletes, I know where I’m getting them. Right here, South Texas, the Valley. Not too many coaches come down here, and they don’t know that there is a mine of players down here.”

Porter coach Jose Espitia said his relationship with Hernandez extends to 2004. During that time, the Cowboys have won two University Interscholastic League Class 5A state championships, coming 10 years apart in 2006 and 2016.

“That’s a confidence booster for them,” Espitia said. “Not only that, but they know some of the Pace and Valley View players that are going to (JCC). The fact that (Hernandez) believes in them and likes the way that the (Rio Grande Valley) players play, I think that’s a plus for them to have that trust from their coach.”

Espitia noted the trio all started out as forwards or midfielders at first, but he and his staff sought to have players with their technical skills to anchor his defense.

Villegas, who is originally from Matamoros, Mexico, overcame academic struggles and his family’s financial issues to earn a scholarship to attend JCC.

“It’s just amazing, we’ve been playing together all this time,” Villegas said. “It’s a big opportunity for us to overcome all the things we’ve faced in the past. … I think it was a tough decision for me to make to be far away from my family and friends and loved ones. But hopefully we’re going to be rewarded, and being (at JCC) is going to open a lot of doors.”

All three players said they plan to major in criminal justice, which means they will likely spend plenty of time together both on and off the field. That was one factor that made the decision to begin their athletic and academic careers at JCC, which is located in Hawkins, 113 miles east of Dallas.

The Bulldogs compete in the Red River Athletic Conference within the NAIA.

The opportunity to play with his Cowboys teammates helped Romero decide to attend JCC over the University of Houston-Victoria.

“(I’m thankful) for all the support from my family,” Romero said. “And from my coaches at Porter and Coach Hernandez at Jarvis College.”

Armendariz said after Hernandez saw he and his teammates play at a tournament in Brownsville, it fueled his desire to elevate his game so that the three defenders could have a chance to play at the college level.

“The truth is, it was very good and that motivated me more,” Armendariz said. “With my teammates joining (JCC), that made the choice very clear.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

Three Brownsville Veterans Memorial golfers finished in the top five in a field of 67 players at the BISD Invitational Feb. 7-8 at the River Bend Golf Club.

The Chargers won the event with a two-day team score of 658. Weslaco High (682) placed second and Los Fresnos (719) was third.

The Brownsville Veterans trio of Alex Ramirez, Christian Ramirez and Raul Silva were separated by a combined four strokes and placed second, third, and fourth, respectively.

Alex Ramirez (160) had the lowest two-day score among East Valley entrants, behind only Weslaco High’s Peyton Vos (158).

Christian Ramirez’s 74 in the second round was the best individual round of the two-day event.

Josh Salazar of San Benito posted a total score of 170, good for sixth place, and Los Fresnos’ Jesse Munoz was seventh, registering a 172.

The Lady Falcons (712) finished first, paced by Gabriana Garrido’s second-round 75 to end at 152, one stroke ahead of runner-up Anisa Nieto, the top performer from the second place Lady Chargers (722).

Los Fresnos’ Jianna Granado and Brownsville Veterans’ Fabiola Nino were tied for third in a 30-player field at 178 after two rounds, with Granado prevailing via a scorecard playoff.

Brownsville Lopez (772) was third, and the Lady Lobos’ best scorer was Cecila Vasquez, who had a two-round total of 183 to earn her fifth place.

OFF TO SAN ANTONIO

The Rio Grande Valley Golf Coaches Association is holding the RGVCA Regional Preview on Friday and Saturday at the Republic Golf Course in San Antonio.

Los Fresnos’ boys and girls squads will participate, along with the Harlingen High and Harlingen South boys teams. The Lady Cardinals and Lady Hawks will each have individuals competing. The field is comprised of 73 boys and 66 girls from Districts 32-6A, 31-6A, and 30-6A.

The next competition for East Valley golfers is the Mercedes/RGVCA Invitational, which is slated for March 6-7.

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

With his team trailing by one in the waning seconds of overtime, Damian Maldonado rose up over Irving Gamez and splashed a 3-pointer with 3.1 ticks remaining to seal Brownsville Veterans Memorial’s 61-59 bi-district round victory over La Joya Palmview on Tuesday.

“I’m so proud of my kids,” Brownsville Veterans coach Larry Gibson said. “I’m also proud of the way La Joya Palmview came here and played. That’s a team we beat by 25 (points) earlier in the year. They came in and gave us everything we wanted. We had to hit a last-second shot to win the game.”

Maldonado (34 points) led the Chargers with nine of his team’s 13 points in the overtime period, including a key defensive rebound, an offensive rebound and a dish to Matthew Maddox (16 points) for a go-ahead bucket during the final 90 seconds of the contest.

“On that play I was nervous,” Maddox said. “Because in one of our previous games, I just dropped the ball (after being wide open under the basket). But I caught the ball and finished and we got the lead, and that’s what we had worked up to.”

While Maldonado’s game on the court more closely resembled a cross between Nikola Jokic and Anthony Davis, his clutch play down the stretch was not unlike that of the pro point guard Damian Lillard.

“I had to do whatever I could to put us up,” Maldonado said. “I always trust my teammates whenever I pass, and I always believe in them and believe that they’re going to make the shot.”

It was evident that Maldonado had the same confident streak when he decided to shoot the ball himself. While the shared first name is merely coincidental, it was fitting that it was “Dame Time” whenever Maldonado touched the ball.

“The big fella carried us tonight,” Gibson said. “(Maldonado) wanted to win, he didn’t want to go home. He played like a beast tonight.”

Gamez and Maldonado, two friends from their summer travel team, often were matched head-to-head in Tuesday’s game.

The game featured several lead changes down the stretch, and no team ever led by double digits. The Chargers led 16-10 at the end of the first quarter.

With 1:05 left in the half, Maddox (11 first-half points) dished a no-look pass to Maldonado on the left block, who drew a foul while making a layup and converting the ensuing free throw to put the Chargers up 27-22 at the break.

Gamez, sporting purple and gold Kobe Bryant sneakers the day after a public memorial was held in Los Angeles to honor the members of the Bryant family and other lives lost in a January helicopter crash in Southern California, went 14-for-16 from the free throw line and was the Lobos’ leading scorer with 28 points. Gerson Ramos scored seven of his 11 points in overtime for La Joya Palmview.

Gabe Garza (five points) drilled a 3 from the right elbow for La Joya Palmview to even the game at 32 with 4:05 to go in the third quarter.

The Chargers went on a 9-0 run — capped by a Maldonado putback— during the next two and a half minutes that sent them to a 41-32 lead with 2:54 to play in the third.

Brownsville Veterans led 43-38 at the end of the third quarter after briefly struggling to break the full-court press La Joya Palmview coach Albert Camarillo brought at the end of the period.

Gamez found Garza for a wide open layup to give the Lobos a 48-45 edge with 1:30 left in the fourth quarter, during which La Joya Palmview outscored Brownsville Veterans 10-5.

Maddox became the first Chargers player of the game other than Maldonado to convert from three-point range when his trey in the final minute of regulation was enough to force overtime.

In the area round, Brownsville Veterans is set to face Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial, which defeated Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway 79-67 on Monday.

“We didn’t play our best game, but we played good enough to win,” Gibson said. “That’s what it’s about right now. You lose and go home. The whole key is win and keep going, and we’re going to keep going. That’s why I’m proud of my kids.”