KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer
LOS FRESNOS — Los Fresnos played host to McAllen Rowe on Friday night in what was a battle of heavyweights in Rio Grande Valley boys basketball.
Last year, the Falcons lost to the Warriors three times, and this time Los Fresnos coach Marco Hinojosa was sure his club wasn’t going to let that happen again.
Freshman standout Gerry Martinez continued his strong season and scored a game-high 21 points as the Falcons used a strong fourth quarter and some timely free throws to put away the Warriors 62-55 on Friday night in Los Fresnos.
“In the first half we didn’t defend well, and that was something we talked about at halftime,” Hinojosa said. “We talked about doing certain things, and Rowe capitalized on those things. Our boys started following the game plan, and it worked out a little bit better for us.”
Three Falcons scored in double figures. Elian Gonzalez scored 12 points, and Tony Aldrighetti netted 10 in the win.
The Falcons trailed only once in the second half and managed to build a 54-43 lead in the third quarter. The 11-point lead was the biggest lead of the night for the Falcons. It came following a quick, five-point swing after Gonzalez drilled a 3-pointer.
“We started making some baskets,” Hinojosa said. “These are the top two teams in the Valley, two heavyweights. This is what this game was supposed to be, a great game.”
During the first half, neither team pulled away. The largest lead was five, with Los Fresnos holding the edge.
Darrin Everage paced the Rowe offense with a team-high 16 points. The Warriors were hamstrung by Louie Yebra’s foul trouble, which forced the Warriors to adjust without their key player. Yebra still finished with 13 points.
“We are still trying to find the right combination with things, and Los Fresnos is clicking at the right time,” Rowe coach Jose Yebra said. “Right now, I’m glad we played this game because they are a pretty good team. I know that we are not ready and we are not where we are supposed to be, and we need to work harder.”
The Falcons’ defense held its own during the fourth quarter, yielding 12 points in the frame, with eight coming from the free-throw line.
“I thought Los Fresnos did a great job on defense,” Jose Yebra said. “Then my son (Louie) was in foul trouble for the whole night, so that hurt us a bit. When he fouled out he wasn’t playing at the point he could play because he was concerned about his fouls.”
Hinojosa is no stranger to Jose Yebra. In fact, Hinojosa played for him at Brownsville Lopez from 1995-98, and he looks up to him as a father figure.
Friday night’s battle drew the attention of the Rio Grande Valley basketball world. Along with the packed crowd were teams who came out to watch the matchup.
“We have been talking about this game for a while,” Hinojosa said. “(Jose) Yebra was my high school coach, and we are competitors. He beat us last time, all three times, and I remember that and so does he. I told him we are going to get you back twice. We already got him once, and I’m hoping we can get him again in a tournament. That is what we do. I look up to him, and he is a father figure to me.”
Jose Yebra enjoyed the hype behind the matchup despite the season being in its early stages, but was also happy to coach against a former player.
“It is a great relationship between Marco and I,” he said. “He played for me at Lopez, and I love to see him have success. I’m happy for him, and I’m happy for his program. He has ran a great program here in Los Fresnos, and it is great to see him do well.”