BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER
EDINBURG — Coming into Tuesday’s game, Edinburg Vela senior guard Josh Diaz knew his ankle was a question mark.
He turned it in the SaberCats’ game against McAllen High on Saturday, and Vela coach Lucio Rodriguez said the chances were 90 percent he could not play. Still, Diaz wanted to be out there Tuesday as his team (6-4), which was ranked No. 1 in the preseason Top 10, faced off with No. 2 PSJA North (1-2).
“(Diaz) said let me give it a shot,” Rodriguez said. “We gave it a shot, and he was looking good. But he tweaked it again, and we brought him out, and that’s when our depth comes in. Nate (Gomez), Alex (Cantu), JD (Velasquez), they came in and did what we needed. There was no drop off when those guys came in.”
Vela was in control throughout and the SaberCats withstood a late rally from North to win 58-52 in non-district action at Edinburg Vela High School.
“We were really excited for this game,” Vela senior center Noah Sekinger said. “We have been prepping since Saturday, and then especially a lot yesterday and today in Athletics. We knew it was going to be a big crowd, playoff-like atmosphere. This is what we needed for this team.”
Sekinger was as dominant as dominant can get Tuesday, scoring 26 points as part of a double-double effort.
“He’s already known as one of the best posts,” Rodriguez said. “It’s just a matter of bringing it every night consistently. That was what we talked about; stay out of foul trouble, and we will get you the ball. He made some big free throws tonight.”
For PSJA North, Tuesday was the beginning of a journey. The starting five of sophomores Matthew Cantu and Elijah de la Garza, junior Iziaah Rangel, seniors Arturo Beltran and Daunte Galvan played as a unit of five for the first time Tuesday. Rangel and Beltran played in their first games after coming from the football team, which ended its season Friday. Rangel transferred from Edinburg North after last season, and de la Garza came from Mission Veterans this summer.
In an effort to build cohesion with the starting five, the Raiders did not substitute. The entire starting five played every minute of the game.
“I knew I would be going against Turi (Beltran) most of the night,” Sekinger said. “A lot of our game plan was to let Turi take most of the shots. Limit Iziaah, Elijah and Daunte’s shots. So our whole plan was let Turi get his shots. As long as we limit their main three guys. We did a good job of that tonight.”
Beltran was punishing for that strategy, as he scored 17, making five 3-pointers. But the added defensive focus slowed the big three. De la Garza had 6, Rangel had 13 and Galvan added 16.
“That is how we want to play every game,” Sekinger said. “We started to play that way in the second half against McHi, last game. We just want to D-up that hard against every team, because if we get some stops, get some steals, we will only allow them so many possessions. We will come out with the win every time.”
For Vela, junior Kaleb Coronado scored 9, Gomez had 6 and junior Austin Garza scored 2.
It was junior guard Bobby Espericueta who carried the load in Diaz’s absence. Espericueta scored 15.
“Bobby has been doing a lot,” Sekinger said. “He has been taking good shots, getting to the basket and getting fouled, creating for others and just helping us move the ball a lot better on offense.”
“You look at the positive. Some kids are able to play roles that they are not used to, when something like that happens,” Rodriguez said of Diaz’s injury. “And for Bobby to step up and do that, it speaks volumes to the team.”