MARK MOLINA | Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — For the better part of three quarters, it looked as if the Harlingen Cardinals would upset their crosstown rival Harlingen South.
However, despite a hot start and a chance at a game-winning shot, it wasn’t meant to be as the Hawks clawed back in the second half and held on late to beat the Harlingen Cardinals 63-60 Tuesday night at Harlingen South High School.
The Hawks (15-13, 9-3), who trailed by as many as 13 points in the first half, took a 50-49 lead early in the fourth which they would not relinquish.
“Credit to Harlingen, they played hard tonight. I think our kids made plays down the end,” Molina said. “We’ve been battle tested all year long. I think we’ve been in so many games like this that the kids almost welcome it. I don’t like it, but we’ve been fortunate to be successful.”
The Hawks are now tied with Los Fresnos for the top spot in District 32-6A with two games to go after the Falcons handed Hanna their third straight loss.
Despite coming back Tuesday night, putting the game away was not easy for South as both teams had chances to wrap up the game late.
South took a 61-55 lead following a pair of Gabe Britten free throws with 33.2 seconds to play.
After Harlingen (18-12, 4-8) cut the lead to 61-57 and got a defensive stop, South’s Luke Bradford was called for a technical foul with 19.5 left.
Harlingen’s Jordan Wilson split the free throws and Juan Cerrillo added a bucket on the ensuing possession to make the game 61-60 with 11.7 left.
Britten missed both free throws on the next possession with 9.1 to go in the game and Harlingen got out on the fast break with a chance to win the game, but Harlingen’s Mark Gonzalez got called for an offensive foul in the lane with 2.9 seconds to go.
South’s Fernando Chavez iced the game with a pair of free throws with 2.3 to play.
South committed a foul but it was as the buzzer sounded and the game was called and Harlingen was unable to take their two free throws down three.
While a bit disappointed at the whistles in the end and being out of the postseason, Harlingen coach Greg Yates was glad to see both teams battle.
“We had some foul trouble and people had to come out. It was amazing to have a whistle blown and us not take the free throws, but it’s a big game and a rivalry and it’s easy to get caught up in it,” Harlingen coach Greg Yates said. “Both teams played an outstanding game and did an excellent job; everyone competed. Now, we’re just trying to improve each time out and take it one game at a time.”
Harlingen came out on fire and aggressive in the press defense.
The Hawks looked uncomfortable for most of the first half and fell behind 31-18 on Harlingen’s fifth three-point shot of the half.
South then finished the half on a 15-8 run to make it a six-point game.
Bradford capped a 6-0 run to start to the third and tied the game at 39-39.
The Hawks took their first lead with 3:26 to play in the third after a Brandon Bennett bucket, which would be the first of five lead changes the rest of the way, but the Hawks led for the final five minutes of the game.
Bradford scored 19 points to lead the Hawks, while Britten added 16.
For Harlingen, Wilson led all scoring with 20 and teammate Cerrillo added 18 points.