LA FERIA — La Feria guards Kaya Dickerson, Jaliah Carr and Rianna Gonzalez combined to score 34 of the team’s 52 points to power the Lionettes to a 52-37 win over Harlingen South on Thursday at the 48th annual Tommie Wiseman Tournament.
The win was the second of the day for La Feria as host of the tournament.
La Feria takes on San Benito at 3 p.m. today, with the winner advancing to the championship game of the tournament. The championship match is scheduled for at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
“The second game we played a whole lot better,” La Feria head coach Delia Lopez said. “They knew the intensity was going to be high and they were going to have to play harder against Harlingen South. They came together and did what they were supposed to do.”
Harlingen South defeated PSJA Memorial and La Feria defeated Santa Maria at 9 a.m. to set up the meeting in the winner’s bracket.
The Lionettes needed only nine points during the fourth quarter, three of which came from a 3-pointer by Dickerson to put the game out of reach for the Hawks.
“It feels good knowing that we can compete at higher levels,” Dickerson said.
Dickerson, Carr and Gonzalez ran the show for the Lionettes as the guards controlled the ball when pressed, finished at the rim and hit open shots to set the tempo.
The Lionettes were only up five points at halftime but extended the lead to 43-30 at the end of the third quarter. Gonzalez scored seven of her 12 points in the quarter.
Harlingen South’s Jiselle Montemayor led the Hawks in scoring with 13 points and Serena Cano had 10, including two 3-pointers. The two helped the Hawks claw their way back into the game in the second quarter with deep shots after going down 14-6 to end the first quarter.
La Feria’s Mariah Patlan scored six of her seven points during the first quarter, giving the Lionettes a strong start and a lead they did not relinquish.
“I think our team can go past the bi-district round if they really want to, if they come together,” Lopez said. “They have the ability and the potential to go past bi-district and maybe area. We did that last year, and we are doing a whole lot better this year.”
Wiseman tournament play is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. today with consolation games before San Benito and La Feria meet at 3 p.m. at La Feria’s main gym.