BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
PHARR — The PSJA North Lady Raiders have never practiced this late in the season, but that’s OK with senior shooting guard Cynthia Martinez.
“I don’t want the season to be over,” she said. “I’m not ready for softball season.”
While the rest of the Valley girls basketball teams have seen their seasons come to an end, the Lady Raiders are the lone team standing after advancing to the regional quarterfinal round for the first time in the program’s history.
“This is what we’ve wanted all along,” junior small forward Belle Palacios said. “We’ve wanted to have the attention and to have everyone notice us.”
Everyone has indeed noticed the team as of late, especially point guard Sarah Serrano, who made the game-winning layup during last week’s 49-48 area round victory over Laredo United. A video clip of the shot circulated online, and spurred congrats throughout the hallways during school.
“I just tell them it was my teammates who helped me out,” Serrano says. “We wouldn’t have been in that situation were it not for them.”
Down one point with 11 seconds remaining, Ariana Medrano inbounded the ball to Serrano, who took it the length of the court before juking a Laredo United defender to create space and penetrate deep into the lane for an open shot.
“I don’t know why they didn’t play the press,” Serrano said, “But I knew once the ball left my hands that it was good.”
Serrano, who led the team with 23 points during the win, has blossomed this year for the Lady Raiders. After receiving sporadic playing time as a freshman, she has started all but one game during her sophomore campaign. On the season, Serrano is averaging 11.5 points, 7 rebounds, 4.5 assist and 3.5 steals.
“She plays soccer, and to be honest, I think it helps her in basketball,” coach Randy Bocanegra said. “In soccer, they run all the time just like we do on offense, and the field is so much bigger, it gives her a greater sense of vision.”
Bocanegra relied heavily on Serrano’s ability to drive to the basket during their win over Laredo United in part because of the team’s lackluster shooting. Though PSJA North runs an effective penetrate-and-kick offense, the team went 2 for 17 from behind the arc during their last game.
“They did a good job of closing out and defending me,” Martinez said. “It was tough to get a shot off.”
Martinez leads the team in 3-point attempts with 371 and has converted 114 of them (31 percent). Though Serrano and Palacios have routinely led the team in scoring over the last four weeks, both look up to Martinez and describe her as the team’s best player.
“I don’t really look at it that way,” Martinez said. “If I have an off night, Sarah can score, or Belle can score. Anyone of us on this team can score on any given night.”
From the way Bocanegra describes the team’s looming competition, it will take a more consistent approach to beat Alexander.
“They’re long and lanky,” he said. “Hopefully they have an off night like they did against (McAllen High).”
Alexander defeat the Lady Bulldogs 46-41 during the bi-district round, a game that was closer than many had anticipated.
“(McAllen High) just played, they were able to break the press and run the floor. They didn’t do anything special. I don’t think they made any adjustment. They just kept playing, which is what we want to do.”