RIO HONDO — No basketball team in the Lower Valley went deeper in the playoffs in 2022 than the Rio Hondo Bobcats.
Now in District 32-3A, the Bobcats are enjoying a good start to the season despite losing a key player to an injury. Rio Hondo is second in the district and picked up a dominating 79-21 win over Brownsville IDEA Riverview on Tuesday night.
“They performed the way I expected them to perform,” Rio Hondo head coach Mike Alvarez said. “I had never seen Riverview. I told these guys to come out here with the mindset of starting fast and playing strong. They did that in all phases of the game.”
The Bobcats finished third in District 32-4A in 2022 and were able to win an area-round game at the expense of Crystal City.
| Rio Hondo’s Jaiden Basaldua (0) leaps past Brownsville IDEA RIverview’s Albert Carrizales (10) to score Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, during the District 32-3A game between Brownsville IDEA Riverview and Rio Hondo at Rio Hondo. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald) Denise Cathey |
The Bobcats this season are 7-1 in district play but are without Jared Basaldua, a key player this season on a Rio Hondo team that graduated multiple starters. Basaldua tore his ACL two weeks ago, and the Bobcats need players to step up with a big game on the horizon.
“Everything ran through him,” Alvarez said. “We got some shoes to fill.”
Jaiden Basaldua stepped up Tuesday night to lead the Bobcats with a game-high 15 points. Ruben Atkinson, a quarterback on the football field, scored 13. Keyan Lopez and Josh Laster pitched in with 11 points.
| Brownsville IDEA Riverview’s Albert Carrizales (10) tries and fails to take possession back as Rio Hondo’s Keyan Lopez (4) goes to make his shot Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, during the District 32-3A game between Brownsville IDEA Riverview and Rio Hondo at Rio Hondo. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald) Denise Cathey |
IDEA Riverview’s Juan Vasquez led the team in scoring with eight points.
“Everyone is working as a team,” Atkinson said. “We should be fine.”
| Brownsville IDEA Riverview’s Patrick Garcia (2) blocks Rio Hondo’s attempt to steal possession Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, during the District 32-3A game between Brownsville IDEA Riverview and Rio Hondo at Rio Hondo. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald) Denise Cathey |
The Bobcats take on Santa Rosa on Jan. 20, with the district title hanging in the balance.
“We just have to play with composure,” Lopez said. “Play smart and get what we need to get done.”
| Rio Hondo’s Jaiden Basaldua (0) jumps to throw a pass over Brownsville IDEA RIverview’s defenders Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, during the District 32-3A game between Brownsville IDEA Riverview and Rio Hondo at Rio Hondo. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald) Denise Cathey |
The Warriors are currently undefeated in district and hold the tiebreaker over the Bobcats after defeating them 64-42 during the first round of district.
“They are the ones that we are all chasing right now,” Alvarez said.
| Brownsville IDEA Riverview’s Albert Carrizales (10) steals the rebound from Rio Hondo’s Brandon Gonzales (12) Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, during the District 32-3A game between Brownsville IDEA Riverview and Rio Hondo at Rio Hondo. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald) Denise Cathey |
The Bobcats cannot let up against the rest of the district in anticipation of the Santa Rosa game, but the season is going as expected, Alvarez said.