BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
After hovering near the .500 mark for much of the non-district season, Weslaco East is a winner of five consecutive games and has kickstarted its run through District 31-6A with a 3-0 record and a first-place tie with Weslaco High.
During its current hot streak, East is scoring an average of 48 points per game while holding opponents to just 30. Though the Lady Wildcats’ defensive effort has been a constant throughout the year, their offense has undergone a makeover.
“I went back and looked at every set we have,” East coach William Kromer said. “And if it wasn’t working, I threw it out. The rest were polished or tweaked a little bit, but basically it all comes down to repetition and making sure the kids are comfortable.”
The root of the mid-season upheaval stems from a Dec. 8 loss to Brownsville Rivera in which the Lady Wildcats scored just 13 points. That woeful offensive output galvanized Kromer.
Looking to jumpstart that side of the ball, he prescribed rest and a crash course in rediscovering the fundamentals. East has only played five games in 30 days, meaning fresh legs and a fresh basketball perspective.
“We transition the ball well,” Kromer said. “The transition offense is producing points, and the outside game has developed as well… We just want to be a balanced team. When you can score in several ways, you keep the defense guessing.”
Although the wins are nice, Kromer and his team are realistic about the competition they’ve beaten. Of their last five opponents, only Mercedes has a winning district record.
Friday’s game against PSJA North (22-2, 3-1) will be a chance for East (16-12, 3-0) to not only keep their win streak alive, but is also an opportunity for Kromer to measure the growth his team has made in recent weeks.
“You have to get a hand in their face,” Kromer said of North’s 3-point shooting attack. “The shooters are gonna make their shots when they’re guarded, but they’ll really hit them when they’re open. We’ve got to focus on rotation and guarding that 3.”
A YEAR OLDER, A YEAR BETTER
The McAllen Rowe Lady Warriors find themselves in a familiar position during the early portion of district play — on top of the standings.
After beating McAllen Memorial 45-33 on Tuesday, Rowe is the lone unbeaten team in District 30-6A and in command of their pursuit for a second district crown in as many years.
With the return of guard Deanna Spear from a foot injury suffered during volleyball season, the Lady Warriors (15-8, 3-0) possess the same starting five as they did a year ago. With so much varsity experience and familiarity with each other, coach Raul Vega sees his team coaching itself on the court at times.
“They’re seeing certain things on their own now,” Vega said. “Instead of the coaches on the sideline letting them know to do this next or that next, they’re seeing things for themselves. It looks like we’ve added a few wrinkles into the system, but it’s really just them making adjustments with experience.”
One element that is new for Rowe is depth, specifically in guard Vanessa Leal, who received the bulk of starting minutes in place of Spear. Vega says Leal’s court vision has improved due to her increased role, as well as her confidence.
“Getting that playing time opened her eyes up to how good she can be,” Vega said. “She became the defensive stopper for us at the guard level. She’s a plus player to have coming off the bench now.”