By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — It took overtime and a buzzer-beater by Hazel Quilantan for the Harlingen High Lady Cardinals to get past the St. Joseph Academy Lady Bloodhounds on Tuesday at the Harlingen gym.
As time expired in OT, Quilantan swished a shot from about halfway between the free-throw stripe and the 3-point line to lift the Lady Cardinals over the Lady Bloodhounds 54-52 in non-district action.
“I knew my team had my back (if I missed it),” Quilantan said. “Time was expiring, so I just took it. It’s something we practice.”
The Lady Cardinals (11-3) battled back from a seven-point deficit, 40-33, as SJA’s Valeria Tapia scored from underneath and was fouled but failed to convert the three-point play with 6.2 seconds left in the third period.
Harlingen High (11-3) outscored the visitors 13-6 during the fourth quarter to force overtime with the score tied at 46. Thanks to Quilantan’s shooting accuracy from the outside, the Lady Cardinals went on to outpoint the Lady Bloodhounds 8-6 in the extra period to gain the win.
“It was exciting,” Lady Cardinals coach Ashley Moncivaiz said. “I couldn’t even scream anymore because my voice (was getting hoarse).
“Hazel hit the shot,” Moncivaiz added. “We always tell her she has a nice shot, and that any time she has the ball and wants to take a jump shot she can take it.”
SJA led 15-14 after one quarter and the score was tied at 26 at intermission. The Lady Bloodhounds took a 40-33 advantage, their biggest lead, into the fourth period.
Harlingen High guard Kayla Perez made some key baskets during the fourth quarter to bring her team back. She led the Lady Cardinals with 18 points, including one 3-pointer. Sami Quilantan, Hazel’s sister, added 15 points. Hazel Quilantan finished with four points.
Diana Garcia led SJA with 16 points, including one 3-pointer. Tapia added 10 points.
Lady Bloodhounds coach Cynthia Martinez enjoys playing the Lady Cardinals.
“This is my favorite game of the year (every season),” Martinez said. “It’s always intense. Harlingen always brings it and so do we, so it’s a fun game to play. We’ve always played them off and on, but I think the last five years we’ve made it an annual thing.
“I love it,” Martinez added. It’s very similar to what we see from the San Antonio teams (in our TAPPS district).”