By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
At 5-3 overall, Valley View finds itself in unfamiliarity territory. Not since coach Robert Guerra took over the program three years ago — or even before that, he surmises — have the Tigers been at or above the .500 mark heading into district.
Only three weeks remain before 31-5A competition gets under way, but Valley View is already noticing encouraging signs. On Tuesday, the Tigers beat Hidalgo for the first time in 13 years, signaling change in a boys basketball program that has qualified for the playoffs just twice during that stretch.
“For us, it’s a good win,” Guerra said. “But it means a little more because Hidalgo beat Roma and Hidalgo beat Sharyland. It’s a measuring stick to let us know where we are in district.
“We still have a lot of work to do, but we have to keep feeding off that momentum.”
Guerra points to the team’s leadership. The Tigers have seven returners, four of those starters. Ricardo Gomez, a senior, has averaged 15.5 points per game while initiating the offense, defending and playing 31 of 32 minutes a night.
Though shots have betrayed Valley View, at times, this year, its defense has kept the team in games, most notably in beating Hidalgo 37-29. They endured close losses (La Joya Palmview 70-63, OT) and close wins (PSJA North 57-51), all while scheduling half of their first eight games against Laredo schools.
Adam Solis, who transferred from Mission Veterans Memorial, has been a bright spot in the turnaround. Guerra said Solis gives the Tigers a big who can rebound, guard other post players and play scrappy.
“He fits in well with what we’re trying to build here,” Guerra said. “He’s a really tough player. He’s a hustler. And he’s helping these seniors get going. It’s been a good fit.”
EXPANDING
The Hidalgo Pirate Classic started as an eight-team mini-tournament of sorts four years ago. Now, the tournament has blossomed to feature 16 teams, including four from outside the Valley.
As one of the tournament directors, Hidalgo coach Gus Sanchez helped pick up sponsors from surrounding businesses to help cover expenses for schools like Houston Dickinson, Houston Wharton, Galveston La Marque and Laredo Cigarroa. The tournament covers their hotel costs and meals, while the team’s primary responsibility is transportation to the three-day event.
“In order for us to get that top competition, we have to make it easier for them to come down here,” Sanchez said. “I think any time you have anyone from outside the Valley play here, it’s an added bonus for us. We don’t have to go out and spend the money on travel to get that type of exposure and competition. We could do it here in the Valley.”
An added incentive for the schools — two of which are ranked in the top 25 in state by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches — is the venue. To kick off the tournament, State Farm Arena will sponsor and host nine games today, beginning at 9 a.m.
“Everyone’s excited,” Sanchez said. “We’ve had a lot of great reaction. I think our athletic department and our school has come to embrace it, and hopefully we could keep growing it.”
TOURNAMENT TIME
The C.E. Vail Classic runs today through Saturday, featuring 32 schools on two sites.
La Feria and Mercedes are the host schools for the tournament, which includes 27 Valley schools and five from outside the area, including Athlos, Corpus Christi Miller, Laredo LBJ, Victoria East and Zapata.
There’s 68 games scheduled before the championship game at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at La Feria. There’s also a consolation final and third- and fifth-place games.