By ADAM KUJAWSKI, Staff Writer
Few players want the ball in their hands with the game on the line. But that desire to be the difference-maker in critical situations is what makes Alex Herrera such a valuable asset to the Hanna Golden Eagles.
“I love being under pressure,” Herrera said. “Say, if you’re down two points, I love that feeling. That’s what I love the most about playing. Everything goes through the point guard.
“As a point guard you want to distribute the ball the most and get your teammates involved. You’re not going to win the game without teamwork. I think that’s the biggest role of the position.”
As a senior, Herrera has been groomed for four years to be the “quarterback” of the basketball team. Throughout the season, he was a threat on both ends of the floor.
Whether it was a crisp pass through a window seemingly too small to fit a basketball or an act of thievery that left an opposing point guard frozen, each of Hanna’s foes had to account for his versatility.
“He scares people the most with his defense, and also people know that he’s going to bring it every night,” Hanna coach Todd Barckholtz said. “You’re never going to get an off night from Alex, and he’s going to do everything he can to will his team to win.”
The depth of Herrera’s skillset is among the best in the Rio GrandeValleyand he has been crowned as The Brownsville Herald’s 2014-15 All-Metro Boys Basketball MVP. He led his team with 12.7 points, seven assists and 5.6 steals per game.
“I’m proud of myself,” he said. “I think I did well this season. I did as much as I could to help my team get further into the playoffs.”
The Eagles experienced three straight district losses late in the season but rallied to secure a share of the District 32-6A title and earn a bi-district victory over the Edinburg North Cougars.
Collecting accolades is not a new concept for the senior. He was the newcomer of the year as a sophomore, and this marks the second consecutive year he’s taken home the MVP award.
“Over his four-year career, he’s continually striven to improve his game and to improve his leadership abilities for the team,” Barckholtz said. “This year, he led the Valley in assists, he led the Valley in steals and he was one of our top scorers.”
Adam Kujawski covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @adamkujo1.
The Brownsville Herald’s 2014-15 All-Metro Boys Basketball Team
Superlatives
Most Valuable Player
Alex Herrera, Hanna
Defensive Most Valuable Player
Ed Messbarger, Hanna
Newcomer of the Year
Andres Salgado, Pace
Coach of the Year
Marco Hinojosa, Los Fresnos
First Team
Andy Lopez, Hanna
Esteban Garza, Pace
Hugo De La Cruz, Los Fresnos
Isaiah Torres, BrownsvilleVeterans
Sean Cantu-Rudder, St. JosephAcademy
Second Team
Alex Garcia, Los Fresnos
Chris Vasquez, Rivera
Jeremiah Meyers, BrownsvilleVeterans
Jorge Villarreal, St. JosephAcademy
Jose Mansilla, Los Fresnos